New Britain herald., 1915-10-26
Night of Watching and Waiting

of which had so worried me as we sat wondering what would happen next. Dicky, plainly intoxicated, had just left after coming back at midnight to take me to Lillian Gales We had had a scene as distressing to me as the one earlier in the evening, and as he departed he had announced his intention of acquiring a good jag" before I saw him again. Katie awakened by the noise, had arisen to take care of me, despite my protests, and the alacrity with which she sprang to the telephone signified her willingness to stand between me and any trouble.
 Katie's method of answering a tele- phone is to stand as far away from it as possible and shout into it. She answered this call in her usual way, and her Hello almost shook the room.
 Her next words startled me. "Oh! Misses Underwood, dot you? Don't you remember me? Katie"
 Evidently Mrs. Underwood was in no mood to renew any acquaintance with Katie she might have had, for kat1e's next answer was short and to the point.
 "Oh, yes, she right here. I call her queeck."
 l went to the telephone with cur 1ously mixed feelings, terror for fear some accident had happened to Dicky, and deep annoyance at Lillian Gale. I felt as if I could not bear to listen to her voice again.
 Mrs. Graham, fear you will never forgive me for bothering you at this unearthly hour"-her voice held more than the conventional apology-"but I was so afraid you would that I had something to do with that craxy scheme of those two idiots to wake you up and bring you back here at this hour, that I could not help tele- yet?
 LiPs Frank Apology.
 Do you mean our two erring hus- bands?" Purposely I made my voice as gay as possible. 'They were here a few moments ago, that is, MT. Graham came upstairs and said Mr. Underwood came upstairs and said Mr. Underwood was in the taxicab below, but they went away again. I think they are on their way back to your house at least Dicky announced his intention of acquiring a real jag >by the time he came back home, so suppose you will see him soon."
 If any one had told me a week ago that I would ever be guilty of giving another woman a spiteful little jab such as the one hidden in my last remark, I would have said the idea was preposterous. I am afraid my mental and moral fibre is getting a bit warped these days. I do not rec ognize some of the impulses that come to me.
 But Mrs. Underwood appeared smoothly unconscious of any hidden ! meaning in my words. She coun- tered easily.
 "Oh, am so sorry they came there l and awakened you. They had ben threatening to do it for an hour be- fore they went, but kept an eye on them. Then some new people came in, and in getting them I lost sight of Dicky and Harry for a minute. When-I turned to where I had left them, they had gone. I wouldn't have had this happen for worlds 1 Were they much under the weather | when they reached your home, and l were you frightened?"
 l I fear I am getting to be an ac- l complished evader of the truth. I fiatter myself my voice did not hold 1 single tremor as I answered.: 1 "Why, you see I didn't see MT. l Underwood at all, so I don't know what state he was in and 1t would be rather silly to be frightened by l ones own husband, wouldn't it? Be- sides, I didn't notice anything about Dicky except that he was in un- usually high spirits and determined that I should return with them. And think he was a trif1e annoyed be-
 cause refused, when he went away"
 How long ago did they leave?"
 Li1lian's voice held note of sharp
 ness.
 less" I replied.
 in five. I do hope nothing has hap
 pened to them, they are such reckless
 scatter brains when they are to-
 gether."
 "Please Telephone Me" I felt something clutch at my heart
 This woman might simply be paying
 me back in my own coin, this might
 be only little stinging dart which
 she meant should stick in my brain but I did not think so. I gave her ar
 unwilling mental tribute. She seem
 ed too big woman to frighten an other woman needlessly. Besides he
 voice held real anxiety.
 My common sense told me that o
 all the silly things in the worl'
 this worrying over a few minutes un
 explained delay of two full-grown mel
 was the silliest. But here was Lillian
 Gale, experienced woman of tn ! world, plainly anxious, while I, wh
 had always prided myself upon m . boise. was really frightened But | made m my mind that Mrs. Under