New Britain herald., 1915-12-28

| at Dicky he could not have looked | more surprised than he did when I said I had dinner engagement for l Sunday, and, therefore, could not ac- | cept Lillian Gales invitation. Mrs. Underwood's face also held a l look of astonishment but I could | read also in her expressive features that she thought I was simply pre- tending an engagement in order not tc accept her invitation.
 "A. dinner engagement.' Dicky calculated at last. ''Why Madge, you must be mistaken. We haven't any dinner engagement for that day.
 His face was beginning to reflect Lillian Gales doubt of my sincerity. Much as I dreaded reminding Dicky anew of Jack Bickett's return from the wilderness I saw that there was nothing else for me to do.
 I knew that he would be angry, but I hoped that he would wait until Lillian went away before indulging in one of his paroxysms of temper.
 You haven't any" tried to speak as calmly as I could. 'There is no reason why you cannot accept Mrs. Underwood's invitation if you wish. But do you remember the letter I re- ceived week ago saying an old friend of mine whom had not seen for a year would reach the city next Sunday, and wished an engagement for dinner? There is no way in which i can postpone or get out of the en- gagement, for there is no way I can reach my friend before Sunday"
 had purposely avoided using the words "he" or him. hoping that Dicky would not say anything to be- tray the identity of the "friend' who was returning from the wilds. But I reckoned without Dicky. Either he was so angry that he recklessly dis regarded Mrs. Underwood's presence, or else his friendship for her was so close that it did not matter to him whether or not she knew of our differences.
 "Oh, the gorilla with the mumps!" Dicky gave the short, scornful, little laugh which I had learned to dread as one of the preliminaries of a scene. 1T had forgotten all about him. And so he really arrives on Sunday, and you expect to welcome him. How very touching!'
 Iil Speaks Plainly.
 Dicky was fast working himself into rage. Lillian Gale evidently knew the signs as we'll as I did, for she hur- riedly began to fasten on her cloak, which she had opened on account of the heat of the room.
 'I really must be going" she mur- mured, starting for the door, but Dicky adroitly slipped between it and her.
 Talk about your romance. Lil.' he sneered, "what do you think about this one for a best seller?"
 "Oh, Dicky!" I gasped, my cheeks scarlet with humulation at this scene before Mrs. Underwood, of all people. But Dicky paid no more attention to me than if I had been the chair in which I was sitting.
 Beautiful highbrow heroine," he went on, has fearful parting with gallant hero more noted for his size than his beauty. He's gone a whole year. Heroine. forgets him, marries another man. Now he comes back, heroine has to meet him and break the news that she is another's. Isn't it romantic?"
 Lillian looked at him steadily for a moment, as if she were debating some course of action. Then she suddenly
 
 toward him, took him by the shoul- ders and shook him slightly.
 Look here, my Dicky bird,'' she said, and her tones were like icicles. 1T didn't want to listen to this, and I beg your wife's pardon for being here, but now that you've compelled me to listen to you, you're going to hear me for little while.''
 Dicky looked at her open-m outhed. exactly like a small boy being re- proved by his mother.
 You're getting to be about the limit with this temper of yours," she tegan. "Of course, I know you were as spoiled a lad as anybody could be, but that's no reason now that you are man why you should kick up rumpus any time something doesn't go just to suit your royal highness."
 "See here, Lil!" Dicky began to speak wrathfully.
 "Shut up till I'm through talking she admonished him roughly. If I had not been so angry ana hu- initiated ] could have laughed aloud at the promptness with which Dicl1y closed his mouth.
 I'm going to tell you some things for your own good. You proba bly, won't ever speak to me again, but I can't help that. Do you remember the time you threw 8 heavy candle stick at that tramp you had posing for i ycu. and it took all the rest of us ] could scrape together to pay the l fellows hospital bills and bribe him not to have you arrested? Of course 1 you didn't intend it should hit him ] over the eye and lay his scalp open :; 1 you just threw the first thing that 1 came to your hand when you had worked yourself into a temper I saw Dicky steal 8 shame-fac aced 1 glance at me. I knew he was think ] ing of the night he had thrown cut 1 glass vase nf mine tn the dnnr and