New Britain herald., 1917-06-22
Why Did Diclky Say Don't Worry
 About the Price?"


 For a moment the French millin-
 cry room at Hambel's went black be-
 fore my eyes. Then the mist cleared, and I again saw the face of Edith"
 the girl from Virginia. her flower-Nke
 face upturned to Dtcky's beneath the
 blue hat had wished to purchase.
 drew a little nearer to them as if
 fascinated. They were so engrossed in each other that they noticed
 nothing. The girl was speaking. and I felt that must hear what she said. r. But you ought not to get this one. Dicky,'. she said, and in her voice there was the familiarity of long in- timate friendship. T am afraid you're an awfully extravagant boy" Don't worry about tho price," There was the trace of irritation in Dicky's voice that always appears when any one tries to limit his ex- penditure. "The hat just suits you: it will be perfectly stunning with that white suit with the blue trimmings, and 1t Is the last word in modishness, or I'm no judge. We'll take it. The seleswoman hovered over him. pencil In hand. and distinctly heard Ddcky give her his studio address. Then. as he took out his billbook to pay for the hat, I turned and. re- 1 gardless of what the saleswoman who had waited upon me might think, rushed toward the seclusion of the | waiting room.
 My world had fallen in ruins around me, and felt that I must reach some place where I could face my misery. Then the thought of Mrs. Durkee made mo pause. What could say to her?
 A Toll From Temperament. But the actual physical illness l which was fast overwhelming mo soon made me forget almost the exist ence of my little neighbor. stumbled ] through the waiting room to the door l of the room marked Rest" The l white-capped attendant rose to meet l me, exclaimed as she saw my face and then silently and helpfully guided l my footsteps into an inner room and handed me over to. a trained nurse. grasped her hands wildly.
 II am Mrs. Graham stammered.
 'Tell Mrs. Durkee outside" Then I tainted dead away. | When I came to myself again I was lying on a cot, there was a strong smell of hartshorn in the air and Mrs. Durkee's frightened face was beside l that of the nurse.
 1 ''Dicky!" I said feebly. 1 "Ill telephone for him right away" I Mrs. Durkee said, but at the horror stricken ''No! NO!' which burst from
 me she stopped and stared at me open-mputhed. s.
 'Is she delirious?" I heard her ask the nurse fearfully, as closed my
 eyes again, and I felt the nurses 1 careful, steady fingers upon my pulse.
 "No," the nurse replied, "nor is she
 some kind. Let her rest now. She
 will be all right in a few minutes. 1 But don't bother her with questions" l My gratitude to the woman for her
 cheerful sanity can never be measured 1 in words. l clung to her hand and
 pulled her down to me.
 Tell her to go and eat her luncheon" whispered, 'and then to. l come back here for me. I'll try to
 go to sleep for a little while. But she 1 mustn't telephone my husband until
 give her permission
 I could her Mrs. Durkee's expostu- l lation, and her gradual yielding to 1 the persuasion of the nurse. Then 1 through helf-closed eyes I saw her slip a bill into the nurses hand with the injunction to get me ',coffee, broth, anything she needs" and with a | troubled backward look at me she l went out of the room.
 Is Nfadge's Dream" Over?
 With a sigh of relief I turned my face to the wall The nurse bent over mo again. and spoke evenly. steadily. \