New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-03-01
The Voice of the Woman Who An
swercd the Telephone in Dicky's
Studio.

Studio.
"Margaret!" my mother-in-law's
tone was almost tragic. Richard
has gone off with my trunk checks"
why, of course, he has I re-
turned, wondering a little at her
anxious tone. 81 suppose he expects
to give them to an eXpressman, and
have the trunks brought up this
morning"
Richard never remembered any
thing in his Iife,'' said his mother
tartly "Those trunks ought to be
here before I go for the day
"Oh, I don't think it would be pos
sible for them to arrive before we
have to start, even if Dicky gives
them to an expressman right away,
os 1 am sure he will do.
1t seemed queer to be defending
Dicky to his mother, but L felt a
curious little thrill of resentment that
she should criticise him. [ sometimes
may Judge Dicky harshly myself, but
T don't care to hear criticism of him
from any other lips, even those of his
mother.
''Richard will carry those checks in
his pocket until he comes home again,
| If he is lucky enough not to lose
them" said his mother decidedly. Il
| wish you would telephone him at his
studio and remind him that they
must be looked AFTER
| Obediently I went to the telephone.
| I knew Dicky had had plenty of time
| to get to the studio, as it was but
short walk from our apartment.
| madison Square 1894" l said IN
! 70,
| Der"
When the answer came l almost
| dropped the receiver in my surprise.
| Tt was not Dicky's voice that came to
my ears but that of a stranger,
woman's voice. rich and musical.
'Yes?'' with the rising infection,
this is Mr.. Graham's studio. He has
not yet reached here. What message
shall I give him, please, when he
comes in?
please ask him to call up his
hcme." Then [ hung up the re-
! ceiver and turned from the telephone,
putting down my agitation with
| firm hand until I could be alone.
"Dicky has not yet reached the
| studio,' I said to his mother calmly.
| 81 think very probably he has gone
| first to see an expressman about your
! trunks. If you will pardon me, [
| have a few things to attend to before
We start on our trip. Is there any
| thing I can do for yOu?"
No, thank you" Mrs Graham's
| tone was still the cold, courteous one
that she used in addressing me. Il
suppose I can ring for Katie when I
am ready to have my dress fastened.'
| ooh! by all means" returned. T
Thought bitterly of the little services
used to perform for my own mother.
How gladly 7 would anticipate the
wants of Dicky's mother if she would
OILY show me affection instead of the
il1-concealed aversion with which she
regarded me.
Miss Grace Draper?
My mother-in-Iaw went into her
room and l. walking swiftly to mine,
closed and locked the door behind me-
7 threw myself face downward on the
bed, my favorite posture when I wish
to think things out.
The voice of the woman at the
studio haunted me. 1t was strange,
but familiar, and I could not remem-
Der where 7 had heard it.
What was a woman doing in Dicky's
studio at this time in the morning,
anyway? I knew that Dicky en-
ployed feminine models, but I also
knew that he always made it a point
te be at the studio before the model
was due to arrive.
81 suppose [ am an awful crank, -
he had laughed once, "but no models
rummaging among my things for
mine"
I knew that Dicky employed no
secretary, or at least he had told me
that he did not. I had heard him
laughingly promise himself that when
his income reached $4,000 a year he
/ would hire one.
All at once the solution of the mys-
terry dawned upon me. The rich
musical voice belonged TO Grace
Draper, the beautiful girl whom
! Dicky had seen first on a train on our
! mem orable trip to Marvin.
. He had not rested until he had
. found out her identity. She was just
the type that he wished for a model
but he had feared that he could not
get her to consent to pose for him
The Veriest Nonsense.
1t had turned out, however, that
her whole life was conferred in he1
ambition to become artist She
had gladly accepted Dickys PROPOSE
ton to pay her literally for the hours
she spent in posing for him, and to
give her the use of his studio and the
benefit of his help and instruction al
9 | ether times
Why had not Dicky told me that
she was at the studio? The questi or
- ranked in the back of my brain.
That was not my main concern
= however. What swept me with 6
sudden primitive emotion, which
| ST no ,1to