All-Story Weekly, Vol. 112, No. 1 — page 128: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

118 treated a pace, staring at Bill through hor- — rified eyes. “You stand there and tell me he is a Stearns?” she whispered. ‘‘ And you say it without shame, William Marshall? You have brought a Stearns to my house, when you knew— Oh, William!” “As a matter of fact,” said Bill, with sudden generosity, ‘‘ Pete’s all right in his own way, but he’s no divinity student. As for his being a Stearns—”’ Aunt Caroline stopped him with a gesture. ‘“¢ Answer my question,”’ she said sharply. ‘‘Ts he a grandson of Eliphalet Stearns?” “ Uh huh.” ‘A son of Grosvenor Stearns?”’ “ That’s Pete.” She seemed to grow suddenly in stature. ‘“‘ Then,” she said, “ you have disgraced the house of Marshall. You have brought under my roof, in disguise, the son of an enemy. A Stearns! You have done this thing with the deliberate purpose of de- ceiving me. Had I known, had I even suspected, that you had ever associated with such a person, I should have disowned you, William Marshall.” “But his name is Pete, all right, Aunt Caroline. And you never asked me for his last name.” “You would have lied if I had,” she said, in a voice that trembled despite its sternness. “ You did all this knowing full well my opinion of the Stearns family. Eliphalet Stearns! He was your grand- father’s worst enemy. ‘Grosvenor Stearns! Your father and Grosvenor Stearns never spoke ‘to each other from the days when they were boys. And now—now it remains for you to bring into my house another gen- eration of a people who are beneath the notice or the contempt of a true Marshall. It is unspeakable!” And yet she found herself able to speak with much freedom on the matter. ‘““Oh, what’s the use of all this medi- eval history?”’ demanded Bill. “ Just be- cause my grandfather and old man Stearns had a blow-up, I don’t see why I’ve got to go on hating the family for the rest of my days. That old row isn’t any of my funeral, Aunt Caroline.” ‘““Have you no regard for your family ALL-STORY WEEKLY. honor and pride, William Marshall? Have you no loyalty to the memory of your ancestors? Have you no thought of me? Must you insult the living as well as the dead?” “T should think,” grumbled Bill, “ that if you believed in theology you’d go in for that business of forgiving your enemies.” ‘‘ But not a Stearns,” she said vehement- ly. “And as for believing in theology— oh, how can I believe in anything after this?” “ Well, if you hadn’t gone so daffy over him I wouldn’t have said anything about it.” ‘* Daffy?” echoed Aunt Caroline. you insinuating—”’ ‘“You’ve been throwing him up to me as a model of holy innocence ever since he came into the house,” said Bill angrily. ‘‘ Just now you’ve been preaching about how safe she was with Pete, and all that sort of poppycock. I tell you, I’m sick of it, Aunt Caroline.”’ Aunt Caroline suddenly remembered. She groaned. ‘““Oh, that poor girl! Heaven knows what will become of her now. Out there—”’ She gestured wildly. ‘‘ With a Stearns!” “Oh, he’ll do as well by her as any sanctimonious guy.” ‘* The child’s reputation is gone! Gone!” ‘““That’s nonsense,” said Bill sharply. ““Tf it comes to that, she can take care of herself.” “No girl can take care of herself, William Marshall. No proper girl would think of attempting it.” Aunt Caroline bridled afresh at the very suggestion of feminine in- dependence. ‘“‘ This is the end of the poor child. And you are responsible! ”’ “Oh, piffle.”’ ‘A Stearns!” murmured Aunt Caroline. “ Bunk!” ‘A Stearns!” “ But suppose he was really trying to live down the family name, and lead a better life?” suggested Bill. “Not a Stearns, William Marshall. There are some things in this world that cannot be done. Oh, that unfortunate girl!” Bill sighed irritably. ‘“¢ Are comiclboolk C©