New Britain herald., 1917-02-10

l Gordon, the elderly man of mystery, ] whose admiration for me- as expressed 1 to her, she so strongly resented, Dicky 1 spoke, coldly, judiciously:
 "Is that all you have to say mother?' he asked. l She looked at him in amazement l Are you lost to all decency that you do not resent such extravagant praise and admiration of your wife from the lips of another man?" she demanded, and then in the same | breath went on rapidly:
 "But that is not all. What crazy l idea the man has in his head l do not know, but he talked largely or l millions, with no one to leave them to- l of Margaret's being the only link pe- tween him and the friends he loVeo so dearly in his youth, and or ms desire to see her take the place Tn the world to which she Is entltseu. | Whether he means to turn over some 1 of his millions to her now, or VIII them to her at his death do not 1 know"
 of course that is utter nonsense, said Dicky frowning. You must have misunderstood him, mother"
 'I did nothing of the kind!' re- torted my mother-in-law. And 1 certainly did not misunderstood him when he wanted to know the date or your return and Margarets favorite flowers, and all that pot, so he could get one of the private rooms of the 1 Sydenham, have 1t decorated with her favorfte flo1ers and colors. and give a supper party there to welcome her home"
 what" Dicky exclaimed. and al- though I did not speak. I was equally astonished at the vagaries of this I mysterious man.
 Dicky Not Wholly Displeased.
 'I thought that would astonish you. Richard!" my mother-in-law returned, with a grim, triumphant smile. You
 know now why I left the Sydenham without waiting for your return. could not stand the mans wild talk
 any longer. I felt that it was an
 insult to you to remain where l could
 see him."
 AS she closed with virtuous sniff . l clouuent of a painful duty well per formed. Dicky threw back his head
 and laughed loudly. Both his mother and I gazed open-mouthed at him, but " while she was evidently horror stricken at his temerity, my hear1 lleaped with relief that he was taking her revelations without the anger . had feared.
 U Well, mother" he said at last, 'yo, l. are certainly the original filter a s windmills. But when you feel it in T 1 cumbent upon you again to defend my honor, don't take it to heart quit' 8 so tragically. That poor old duffer a - the Sydenham doesn't mean any harm e AS near as can find out he mus tt have been head over heels in love witt tt Madge's mother when she was a girl d And I am sure don't wonder at hin tt if Madge looks as much like he1 n mother as the old boy says she does. 7. He stopped to blow me @ kiss, whicf = I returned regardless of the icy lool - with which my mother-in-law was re # garding me.
 "Of course, he's probably gettins t into his dotage when he talks abou r, leaving his money to Madge, but hi .- private supper party wasn't such {
 bad idea. In fact, I don't know bu
 I would have enjoyed that myself If the lonesome old chap wants t
 spend some of his extra mazums
 giving parties for Madge because sh' looks like her mother l don't knov ' as I have any kick coming
 Madge Refuses to Explain.
 How grateful I was to Dicky fo . this little speech he will never know s I knew that he distinctly did not relisl l, his mothers revelations concerning $ the elderly millionaires extravagan e admiration of me, and his extraordin : ary plans for my entertainment ant : future. But he had kept his req e thoughts to himself. and had ranged . himself against his mother for m. S sake.
 0 Her next words shattered all thu = relief had felt at Dicky's champion r ship of MI. Gordon.
 s "Richard you are perfectly hope = less.' she snapped. ''The man may s have been in love with Margaret S mother I do not doubt that he was
 but have YOU never heard of sucl
 men falling in love with the daughters
 of the women they once loved hope flessly?'
 . Don't make the poor man out z potential Mormon, mother!" Dick,
 jibed.
 "Jeer at your old mother if yol
 wish, Richard,' his mother went or
 icily. "hut let me tell you that MT
 Gordon madly in love with Margare
 and if you do not look out you will
 have scandal on your hands"
 You are going at bit too far 1T
 your excitement mother,' Dicky sait
 sterny "You may not realize it, bu
 you are insinuating that there migh
 be a possibility of Madge's returning
 the mans admiration
 "I am not insinuating anything.
 his mother returned white-lipped witt
 anger, "but I certainly think Margare
 owes both you and me an explanation
 of the untruth she told us at thu ..Z NEW 3