Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-30
"II AT15. I wish you to stop this at once

"KAT1E, I wish you to stop this at once
N You must control yourself" Katie
looked up. startled I had never spoken in
that manner to her before But ! knew
enough NJ her chldlike temperament to
realize that It was the only way to stop
her tears.
| you must stop crying, batho your eyes
and bo ready to serve things when l call
you"
I had decided not to take Lillian Gales
advice and send Katie TO bed on the pre-
text Of a toothache Frank and Daisy
! Lester in all probability would be our guests
| again. II Katie remained In my employ
she would have to sec Frank Lester some
time. She might as well begin at once.
Katie was obstinate, however.
"Oh, Mssis Graham" she sobbed, "I
| told you dot Meester Lestaire he so bad
man. 'fraid Of him. do not want to SEQ
| him"
walked over TO her, took her by the
! shoulders and looked at her quietly for
moment The ruse succeeded. She stopped
crying and looked Mt mo in amazement
Don't he an idiot. Katie" I said aharplv
Mr.. Lester is married lie has wife and
little baby His wife is with him tonight
He probably has forgotten all about YOU, or
that he ever frightened you. He was a
bad man, know, but he cannot hurt YOU
now You arc hero with me, In my house
II you obey mo will take care of you"
A VERY ABLE AID
Katie often surprises me with her au,cl,
changes from sadness to gayety She wiped
her eyes and broke into one of her in
fcctinus giggles
"o-oh!" she said. "Meester Lestare he
married. Now he have to behave, his wife
she give him good--leecling no fraid
now fix you tings. l go wash face, put
powder on. all joost like Meesis Under
wood she added, with an implsh grin.
katie you must never speak In that
manner of any guest Of mine" said stern
"; but Katie had vanished into her room
ard the reproof was wasted.
] went into tho living room and managed
to get word aside with Lillian Gale
'kato is all right She will serve with
out any trouble. Can you warn Mr.. Lester
NOT to betray, by word or glance, that
he has ever seen her hefore?"
Trust Frank" replied Mrs. Underwood
shortly. 'Ie could meet his murdered
fathers ghost, IL he had one without tho
culver Of an eyelash, But I'll tell him.
anyway, just for the pleasure Of letting
hlm know am next. How did you ever
manage KatIe?"
"Oh, she wasn't hard to manage" re-
turned lightly, ! had n purely feminine
satisfaction in having reduced Katie 70
sanity after Lillian Gale had failed. She
seemed so eminently capable in all dIrec-
ai''llA. w men i came IN 10 speak tO npr |
had drawn her away from group COM
posed of herself, Dicky and Mr.. Lester.
They were discussing some problem of their
profession, and Lillian Gale, with her forcl-
bic words and animated gestures, held the
center of the stage. Both men were listen
Ing to her with undoubted respect for her
opinions They We're standing now, and |
thought I could detect in both of them an
impntence ut my interruption of their
chat
In an armchair in the corner little Mrs
Lester sat, as If on Il throne, with Harry
Underwood in an attitude of exaggerated
homage before her.
UNDERWOOD BEGINS HIS CAMPAIGN
felt suddenly out Of 1t all, lonely.
These people were nothing to me. I said
to myself. They were not my kind.
had sudden Inconsistencies for the quiet
monotony of my life before 1 married
Dicky l thought of the few social even
ings I had spent in the days before l met
Dioky, little dinners with the principals
and teachers I had known. when / had
been the center of things, when my opin-
ions had been deferred to, as Lillian Gales
were now.
"oh, Mrs. Graham. please come over here
and help mo squolch this awful man"
Little Mrs Lester. all smiles and dmpIes |
called to me from her corner At her call |
Mrs. Underwood, with an air of relief |
moved back to her discussion with Dicky |
and Mr.. Lester, and there was nothing |
left for me to do but to go to Mrs. Lesters |
side
As came toward them Harry Underwood |
turned toward me and bowed low. his hand |
upon his heart.
Pardon me for the suggestion, o gra- |
cous lady" he said, but you look as If you
had swallowed the vinegar cruet. Do not be |
so crooel tub muh. Why don't you do as |
does this fairy at my left-smle upon
me?"
Mrs. Lester gIggled again. isn't he aw-
'ul?' she querled. Hes been making love
to mo terribly lie quite frlghtens me. If
he doesn't stop 1t right away I'm going to
tell his wife"
You don't need to take that trouble"