Page:By Sanction of Law.pdf/379

 he soliloquized. "We never know—we never know.—It's the way of the law." He still sat pondering, his hand hanging over the arm of the chair dangling the message when the buggy of Old John Marley came up the driveway.

"I fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh just heard the news, Ellie. Can I fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh help?"

"Come in. Come in, John—Poor Father, he's gone."

"Fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh killed by his heedless daughter."

Elvin shook his head slowly and smiled faintly. "No, Uncle John. You can't blame her. The blame goes further back."

Old John, not understanding, merely shook his head lugubriously, at the same time adding, "Fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh Women're both fuh-tuh Heaven and Hell—fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh mostly hell, eh, Elvin? They'se no knowin' 'em."

"We make 'em so, I guess, Uncle John.—You wanted Lida to marry Young John, didn't you?"

"Fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh she'll marry him now quicker'n ever. She'll need fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh someone to take care of her."

"No, she won't," Elvin retorted. "Not now. She's married," waving the message. "And she has my blessing."

"Fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh what?" stammered Old John Marley. "Fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-tuh, run away?" he asked, his huge jowls of jaws working spasmodically as he tried to frame the question.

Elvin merely bowed in assent.