South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-02-10

if they continued-what could she do?
Here Della came back.
What did she say?" asked Helen
anXiously.
''She didn't say nothin'.'
Did she come to the door herself?"
Della nodded. yes, think she had
onpany-somebody was playing the
piano"
Then she didn't open the note while
you were there"
NO, she just took it and shut the
door"
Again Helen started out on her err
rands. But her mind was fall of the
note and its possible c0nsequences.
Perhaps Mrs Barrett would answer IL
in her absence. She might phone or
even call AS soon as she could Helen
hurried back
Anything while I was gone, Della
Anyone call or any note?',
Della shook her head. "Nothin' at
all, ma'am."
But hardly had Helen taken off her
hat when the door bell rang.
IT'S Mrs. Barrett" whispered Della.
coming back to the bedroom. she
wouldn't come in-she's waiting at the
| door"
Helen. painfully conscious of her
| flushed face, went out into the hall.
Mrs. Barrett. dressed for the street,
| was standing just outside the open
door. In her hand was Helen's note.
81 believe you sent me this note,
Mrs. Curtis freezingly.
| Helen nodded.
The First Complaint
| We'll. this is the first time anyone
| has ever complained Of George. You
are very much mistaken about the
| bell-I'm quite sure George never did
such a thing in his life. And as for
rolling up behind you on the street
he says he didn't even know il was
| you. The streets are public property
and my boy has just as much right on
| them as any one else"
| For a moment Helen was too dis
| concerted to reply. Always easily
| confused, she was now wholly at
] loss, and she could think of nothing TO
/ say. And before she could collect
herself, Mrs. Barrett had swept over
TO the elevator with q naughty good
afternoon.
Helen closed the door and walked
! blindly back into the sitting room. Her
| cheeks were ablaze. on, why had she
! let that woman dominate the situation
while she stood there helpless and con-
| fused as a school girl. She could think
of dozen things now that she should
have said! Why could she think Of
/ nothing then?
What did she say. maam? ?" asked
/ Della, coming in unexpectedly
ooh. she simply denied it-said
/ George would never think of ringing
| our bell" bitterly, ''as though I
hadn't heard him scampering down
| the hail.
Didn't you tell her that. ma'am? ?"
"No. II didn't have time to tell her
Ianything"
For the rest of the afternoon Helen
/ brooded over il all. If only she hadn't
| sent the notel 1t had only resulted in
humiliating her. And now having dis
| covered that he could annoy her,
| George would take even more glee in
| doing so.
She Tells Warren.
| If Warren would only speak to Mr..
! Barrett-but she knew il would be
useless TO ask him. Always she had
/ to fight her own battles, and so she
shrang from dissension that she usual
| ~ let herself be imposed upon rather
I than to cause any disturbance.
whats the matter with you to-
night" asked Warren at dinner.
| What makes you so glum ?"
| 'Why. dear I'm not glum."
| well. YOU are not any too spright-
! ~. What's on your mind? out with
! il, You know you want to tell me and
YOU might as well get il over"
And then she told him-of the
| months OF annoyance from the Barrett
boy. about which he already knew; Of
her fruitless complaints to the janitOr;
and finally Of the note she wrote to-
/ day and OF Mrs. Barrett's insolent call.
| Warren only shrugged his shoulders
| without comment.
But Warren. is he to keep il up
won't you speak to Mr.. Barrett about
/