New Britain herald., 1916-01-20
How Madge Led Harry Underwood on
 to Defeat

The discovery brought back to me all my smouldering resentment
 against Mrs. Underwood I found it
 always lay underneath the liking for her, which I could not help feeling on every occasion
 l did not stop to consider that Diclty, as a dinner guest, had only
 offered q charming courtesy to one of his oldest friends. l only knew
 that my jealousy of this woman, my
 anger against her-primitive emotions of which l was ashamed-were
 struggling to have their way with me. If I had followed my instincts at
 that moment I would have torn the
 roses from their vases and tramplcd
 them underfoot.
 But the veneer of civilization is a
 wonderful thing. It enabled me to mask my feelings. l waited for a
 moment before I answered Mrs Un- dcrwood's remark. bending over the blossoms as if in admiration of them
 'Dicl1y is always thoughtful, isn't he?' I said calmly, "and these are unusually beautiful. They give just the right touch to this room, those and your gown.
 Lillian was wearing a flame -colored gown, daringly cut. It was an even ing gown, and I secretly criticised the bad taste that had made her put it on in the afternoon. but I understood the reason for it when I saw her wonder ful living room Even her silly makeup could not spoil the effect of that gown against the white and scar let of the room.
 Mrs. Underwood gave me a quick, curious glance.
 "Oh. the gown, Of course, it goes with the room but it's horrible for the afternoon. To tell you the truth, I'm too lazy to change again. As we are all going out this evening" and there are only you and Dicky here, I thought I'd just dress once and for an"
 She hesitated for a moment, as if choosing what words she would utter.
 Some time I'm going to have a talkfest with you" she said slowly Not today, you're too upset, but you've got two or three utterly erroneous ideas planted in that pretty cranium of yours which I think it's ID to me to weed out
 T say, Lii, stop gabbing clothes lver there, and give Us some after l inner music. I want a chance to 1 ak to Mrs Graham myself. .'sssA. a.r
 As Mrs. Underwood moved toward l he piano in response to her husbands I forgot even my usual tread of Harry Underwood in my , 7onder over his Wife's words.
 Was the woman clairvoyant? How lid she know I was upset? I had fought that I had most cleverly con- ,caled the ravages of the tears and smotion that had marred my reunion airner with my cousin, Jack Bickett. ' What had Dicky told her? It was ike my husband I thought bitterly, to babble everything he knew to this old friend who appeared to count for so much in his life. But even Dic<y did not know of the mornings hap penings I was fairly puzzled
 Dicky and Lii.
 And what did she mean bN erro- neous ideas in my brain? r gave it ur. It was too great problem for my head with it's dull aching. Be sides Harry Underwood was coming 1 toward me, and I felt that I needed 1; all my faculties to deal with him.
 'So you scor-r-n mo in your efforts 1 tC keep your se-cc-r-re-t, mo proud 1 beauty, he said in clever imitation of | the william in a third-rate melodrama Why did you say you had met me-"
 why not?" l countered cOOlly. I i was anything but calm underneath, , however. Not for good deal would 1 I have Dicky know about the events l of the morning before I had time to l tell him myself.
 I was glad, indeed. that Lillians i music was drowning the sound of our 1 conversation. She was playing a gay l little hunting song, one of Mendels- 1 sohn's songs without words playing l 1t with spirit and expression, which ] made up for the evident lack of I |, chnic she possessed.
 Diclly was turning her music de- | votedly. He had rushed to her side | as soon as she had seated herself at l tie piano. The sight made me realize 1 anew how inconsistent my husband | was.
 I could imagine his amazement and 1 his wrath if I were to show my jealous 1 rain at his attentions to this old | friend of his. And yet. he had made l scene after scene about Jack Bickett, l my cousin, whom I had seen only once l sirce his return from South America 1 after years absence.
 "Why, Go Ahead!''
 Well you're a plucky little devil. ] I will say that for you Harry Un- | derwood's mocking voice drew me hack from the two at tho piano. You're going on the theory, how ever, that Dicky isn't jealous. that he believes comfortably, as I do, that what's sauce for the goose iS sauce ] for the gander, and vice versa. He 1 nodded his head meaningly toward | Lillian and Dicky at the piano. Don't you think it. Old Dicky is regular brave man. He doesn't mind a bit himself, in per- fectly platonic way, of course, but | he'd eat up alive a pretty little wife l that let her glances rest too often on coucipc loo nod