The Huttig news., 1910-12-10
Her Convenient
 Excuse

l don't feel quite able to go out Oh, yes, shall be all right in day or two. Thank you so much for asking me Good by"
 Mrs Buckley hung up the receiver with sight of relief. I'm glad had the presence of mind to decline" she said to herself q don't care at all for stupid drive with Mrs. Drake. Besides, with the Hendersons coming to dinner tonight I've got too much to do this afternoon to waste time going round the park behind her old slow coach horses"
 Two hours later Mrs. Buckley was assisting the cook in the manufacture of wonderfully complicated dessert when her husband burst into the room with an anxious frown on his brow.
 I've been looking all through the house for you, Nan he said, little impatiently. q didn't expect to find you in the kitchen"
 Why not? How did you happen to come home so early, Tom?"
 T heard you were ill."
 I'll! Why, I'm not a bit i'll"
 ''So see. But 1 met Drake at lunch and he told me you were so sick you couldn't go out for drive with his wife. naturally thought you had had some sudden attack and no one had had sense enough to call me up, so rushed home."
 You poor old dear" Mrs. Buckley laughed indulgently. as she continued to whip cream. q had no idea you were so easily alarmed"
 Any one would have been alarmed by what Drake said. How in the world did he ever get the idea that you were sick?"
 Mrs. Drake telephoned me this morning, asking me to go driving, and as didn't feel like it said wasn't we'll
 "Oh, that's it? Why didn't you just say you didn't feel like it?'
 You know you can't say such things, Tom."
 Well, l rather think I can. How ever, since you're in no immediate danger I'll console myself with lit tie golf the rest of the afternoon.
 Very we'll, but come home early. You know the Hender-" Mrs. Buck ley ceased speaking as the door closed none too gently behind her husband. Any one would think" she smilingly unused, that Tom was disappointed because I'm not sick"
 At 6:30, after an extremely busy aft ernoon, Mrs. Buckley was dressed and awaiting her husband and guests.
 Why in the world doesn't Tom conner" she fretted Hell surely keep dinner waiting while he's changing his clothes"
 At seven o'clock neither he nor the expected guests had arrived and Mrs. Buckley, tired and nervous. walked the floor of her flower-bedecked rooms.
 Well, here you are at last" she cried as Buckley appeared at 7:30. What detained you? I've been al most wild
 q didn't suppose you'd worry, Nan. You see, we started foursome so late that"
 But you knew you had to dress for dinner, Tom?"
 Dress for dinner? Tonight"
 Yes, of course. You know as we'll as I do that the Hendersons are com ing. l can't understand why they're so late It's inexcusable. I'll think twice before I invite them again. They should have been here an hour ago."
 "But, Nan, they aren't coming"
 Aren't coming? What makes you think they're not coming?"
 Well, you gee, after I left Drake today ran into Henderson and I told him I was hurrying home because you were i'll. He said he'd telephone his wife that the dinner was off. It was thoughtful of him. wasn't it?"
 "Oh. very!" Mrs Buckley spoke with much sarcasm. Tt would have been very thoughtful of you to have mentioned to me that the Efendersons were not coming Perhaps you think I like to work all day getting up a dinner for people who aren't coming" |"
 For a moment Buckley looked a lit tie crestfallen. Then. making a strong
 
 recovery, he said boldly: But. my dear girl, l was so delighted to find you weren't really sick that the sense of relief drove every other thought out of my head"
 Except the thought of golf"
 Again Buckley looked somewhat nonpicsed, but in an instant he ral- lied
 Hang it all. Nan, we wouldn't have had this muddle if you had told Mrs. Drake the truth in the first place.
 "I can promise you one thing, Thom- as dear; won't indulge fin another in nocent fabrication very soon if think there's the slightest possibility of it's falling into your clumsy keeping"
 Well. then, truth is once more tri, umphant," laughed Tom. And your company dinner won't be wasted, my