New Britain herald., 1917-10-08

Miss Fairfax's secret. l have no
right to tell it.
II thought Madge had guessed it
yesterday when she found letter in
my handwriting and that of Miss
Fairfax. But she chose to consider
it an ordinary love letter, and high
handedly demanded an explanation
which she didn't get" He ended his
sentence with a sort Of a snap. which
told me as I lay supposedly sleeping
in the next room that Dicky was still
held by the angry and obstinate mood
which had possessed him in the
morning.
But she'll get it before another
hour, or my name isn't Lillian Under
wood" Lillian said calmly. You
anointed young idiot, do you suppose
I'm going to let you wreck your hap
piness and Madges for the sake OF
keeping a secret for some half-baked
girl? It's an easily guessed secret at
that. If Madge hadn't been blinded
by being in love with you, she would
have seen it, too
She paused, and I lay breathlessly
wondering what was the work In
which Dicky was helping Miss Fair
fax, and of which Lillian appeared to
have confident knowledge.
"What More Natural?"
I didn't have long to wait Lillian
evidently had paused only to make
her next words more effective.
"Of course, you two heaven-born
geniuses are collaborating on a play"
she said.
I heard an angry surprised eX-
clamation from Dicky, then the sound
of chair being pushed back.
"There!" Lillian's voice was mock
ing. Now you've properly reg
listered establishment and rage. YOU'D
make a lovely film favorite, Dicky-
bird. Suppose you sit down calmly
now. and come to. 1 want to see
this tangle with Madge Strengthened
out, and I don't want to take all
night to do it either
II don't think Madge is worrying
herself much about me- Dicky re-,
Joined sulkily. Her performance
this afternoon shows that
My heart leaped at the hurt note
which betrayed itself in his voice.
1t was another assurance that he still
cared for me.
Sometimes. Dicky, I have hard
work to keep from shaking you!"
Lillian retorted. by your own adj
mission Madge found supposed
love letter of yours to Miss Fairfax,
and you refused her an explanation
of it. Now pausing to consider just
what kind of a row you would have
raised If you found such a letter to
Madge. I'll wager you left home in
some kind of temper fit this morning.
You say DR.. Petit is going to the
same city in South America where
Madge's father is? What more
natural that he should call her up,
ocL hor To Inn wit ciI
him any messages she wished de-
hvered to her father. In the state of
mind in which you probably left
her, you ought to be thankful she
didn't go clear to South America with
him, instead of only to luncheon"
st know" Dicky admitted, with
one of the quick transitions from OBJ
stinacy to penitence which are so
characteristic Of him. II was three
or four kinds of a beast, but one
think I can't understand in Madge.
and that's that she should dine with
a man of whose friendship with her
I've given her cause to know 1 dis
approve.
"You can't get it through your
head even yet that what's sauce for
the gander-" Lillian began. but I
could stand 1t no longer. I slipped
out Of bed, gathered Lillian's warm
negligee closer around me. and fairly
ran into the room to Dicky's side.
To Snatch Mt Happiness.
"Dicky," I half sobbed, IT can't, let
; you think I would have gone If you
hadn't treated my demand for an
explanation about that letter so
So"
| The sound of a softly closing door
! interrupted nv sentence Lillian had
| slipped out leaving us along together.
! Dicky, with a little exclamation at
! once fierce and loving, gathered me
! into his arms and there, against his
| heart: I sobbed out the story of my
! luncheon.
| No, not quite all. I didn't tell HIM
| Of DR.. Pettit's impassioned declara-
! ton to me nor of his accusations
against Dicky. I knew that the young
! physician was hardly responsible for
| his utterances when he made them.
! and l felt that I couldn't spoil these
moments of reconciliation with a
recital which would be sure to inflame
| my husbands anger anew.
I realized also that this reconcilia-
ton would be only one Of many If
Dicky and I logged on down our
martial highway. The time had pas
sed when I had hoped for more
stability in my husband. had
| learned to snatch at happiness as
| it passed me- without questioning too
! closely into the duration OF it's stay.
| And yet my heart leaped high at
the love In Dickys eyes, and I felt
again he Is the only man in all the
world for me.
n1rc0N1,c cCnOOI