El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-10
Warren Fails to Bring His Mother a
Present and Helen Buys One Here.

Nothing Of the kind. OF course
you're going with me Get something
Z for mother today and Wen take Il up
with us. I don't ike the idea Of lying
/ about it, but 1 guess mother would be
] hurt II she thought I'd forgotten her
I There" as the clock struck the quarter
/ hour. It's quarter Of nine now ]
I should have been out OF here long ago
J And before Helen had time to protest
] further about the call he had kissed
! her hurriedly snd was gone
All day the dread Of going TO MS
/ mothers hung over her. She knew, OF
/ have 10 gO-bUt she did not think Il
would be so soon The memory OF Mrs
Curtis's last cab with its unpleasant
incident still ranked She felt sure
that there would be no mention Of that
this evening, but she knew Mrs. Curtis
would be stiff and formal, and that shu
herself would be painfully self-con-
scious and III at ease.
Dreading the Future.
But more than the awkward situa-
ton, Helen dreaded the subtle influ-
ence this call might have In the two
days since Warren's return things had
been better-much better than they
had been for many months
In many ways they seemed nearer
together. She knew this was due
partly TO the lack Of financial worry,
but she tried to believe. too. that War
rem cared for her more. that the sep
aration had made him realize his need
Of her.
And now this call on his mother she
feared might be disturbing. That his
mother liked her less than ever before,
she felt assured Just what reference
she might make 10 the letter she had
written Warren, Helen did not know.
But now since everything was 50
right" between them-she dreaded
even the thought Of any antagonistie
influence.
After luncheon she went down town
IN
wore 5ersef out walking through
big department store before she finally
decided on a small travelling eight day I
clock IN a leather case.
When Warren came home that even
ing she showed II to him, little doubt
fuI Of his approval.
Why, that's bully-just the thing.
Much better to get something sensible I
like that than some foolish gew gaws
But / still don't Ike the idea Of lying
about it, Why not tell mother the
truth-that / fo-got to get anything I
out there, 50 got IL here?
ooh. no. / wouldn't do that-she I
wouldn't appreciate II so much Just F.
say you brought ii for her-and she'll I
think, Of course, you got IT on your /
"HarmIess FIb.r
Huh, I don't see much difference be- /
tween telling lie and acting one. But /
all right-well let Il go at that,
Helen flushed. She knew that in I
small things she was not so brutalIy I
truthful as Warren She could never [
quite see why il was not eXcusable 10
tell a harmless fib if it saved some
Now we don't want to fool around
here too long-I phOned mother wed
be up there about eight You'd better
All the way up in the car Helen
kept dreading the call and wondering
what it would be like She hoped
some of the rest OF the family would
be there-it would be much less en-
But Mrs Curtis was alone She
greeted Warren cordially, and Helen
with prim Formally But warren dis
PEELED the awkwardness Of the first few
moments by plunging at once Into an
account Of his trip
Helen was sitting N low, straight I
chair by the window She mad taken
It nervOusly and now found she was
most uncomfortable. 1t was very low I
and had no arms. ard she felt curl I
ously awkward and conscious Of her :
hands. which added to her confusion.
She took up a magazine from s. nearby |
IA bic lust to have sOmethilts to mold
She had hardly spoken since she en-
tered. but she knew that Mrs. Curtis
was observing her.
nembrance 1 brought you, said War
rem, drawing the package from his
pocket.
Mrs. Curtis opened It and took out
the tiny travelling clock
oh. how thoughtful Of you! That's
something I've always wanted"
And II runs eight days, mother.
that's the best Of it."
"Oh. il does" -delightedly-exam
ng the back Of It. And II has an !
larm, tool But where's the key?"
The key?'' repeated Warren. isn't Z
{ in the box" /
But a search of the box. the tissue
paper and the clock itself failed ia s
reveal the key D
Warren FOrgets.
Why didn't they give you kew with
T. Helen %" demanded Warren th0ught.
essly.
flushed hotly as she nervousIy turned Z
he pages of the magazine g.
"Oh. then YOU didn't bring this with +
'ou = asked Mrs. Curtis stiffly g
Warren laughed a little disconnected l T
To tell the truth, mother. I was so 1 !