New Britain herald., 1916-01-12
The Aftermath.


 voice was as smooth as ever. I told myself as I listened that I should never overcome my dislike and fear of this man,
 Yes" I said shortly
 "Ah, I thought you would be at home by this time," he went on. Made up my mind to chance it any way before I went home. Just want ed to tell you that you needn't be afraid of my saying anything about your losing your rings. Of course, you know I couldn't help seeing your hand when I was standing by the taxi door, and that yarn of having lest nothing of value didn't go down with yours truly. I'm too old bird to swallow that story. But mum's S the word. my dear. I'd cut my tongue out before I'd say anything. That will be our little secret yours and minc. I'm delighted to share something with you, if it's only a secret.'
 I stood in absolute silence when he had finished. For a minute at least I could think of no reply to make to him. One thing was clear to me, however. On no account must he be permitted to think that he shared any secret with me, or had any hoid, however slight, upon me
 T don't understand you.' I said at last. "I have lost no rings. The orlE cnes I own are my engagement ana wedding rings and they are upon my hand at this moment You d1d not see them on my hand when you sa" me at the door of the restaurant, because they were in my mesh bag. By ;cfo that were too tight, and l had to take off the rings preparatory to puttlng on my gloves" =,
 ''V-ery clever, upon my "oru. The smooth voice at the other end of the telephone held Q note rf 1nockery now. You'll do, decidedly. I didn't think you had it in you. Girls with saintly Puritan faces like yours shouldn't be able to tell such good ones on such short notice. Where did you get your practice?''
 A Tempting Thought.
 The insolence of him! The insuf- ferable insolence. How I wished I had the power to strike from his face the mocking smile I knew it must wear What was it Jack had said of this man:
 T haven't even the privilege of knocking him down without making things worse for you.'
 But there was a man who did have that privilege. I knew that careless @ s Dicky might be, much as he liked the Underwoods. I could arouse his anger against Harry Underwood if I wished to do so. I made up my mind to tread very carefully, but to take no more of the kind of talk he was giving me.
 MT Underwood" My voice sur prised myself, it was so angry. Do you mean to say that you doubt my word ?"
 That you have your rings he in- terrupted. "Oh, no. I understand you must have found them. But that you did not lose them for time this morning-tell that to the marines, my dear. not your Uncle Dudley But don't you care, I'll never mention St to Dicky, 'pon my honor. even if you are the crossest little lady I know
 For a moment a sudden wild terl- tation came to me. I dreaded mex pressibly to tell Dicky that I had talk en off my wedding and engagement rings because I did not want my Cou- 1 sin Jack to guess that I was married before our dinner should be over. Why not accept the goods the gods 1 provided. treat Harry Underwood more courteously, and accept his promise. never to speak of the incl dent?
 "Scc You Later.'' But in another instant sanity camc back to me. I knew instin ctively that Harry Underwood was not an hon. orable man. His own wife, careless and | rough. and displeasing to me as she was, yet had possessed the womanlv kindness to warn me against him saying he imagined himself in love with every new face. and that he would probably as she expressed it, 1 make violent love to me at every oD- portunity.''
 No. better, far better to risk Dicky's | certain anger than to put myself. ever l so slightly, in the power of this man. On the other hand, I desired to avoid an open break with Lillian | Gales husband until at least the af- ternoon at their home should be over. So I tried to make my voice less angry, as ] said.
 "Mr. Underwood, you are talking the most arrant nonsense You may mention anything to Dicky you wish. l have nothing to conceal from him. By the way. is he at your home now , He asked me to call him up there. It must be past your dinner time, Is it not?' To my great relief he dropped his 1 mocking tone, and became the court eous gentleman he could be when it pleased him to play the role. "Pl2v the role' to my mind were just the | words to use. Harry Underwood had only the veneer of a gentleman. Un- derneath I felt that he was composed l of very coarse material
 Yes, Dicky is at our place." he | said "He was there when I left I | had to go out on an errand, and Lii agreed to hold dinner for me few