Middletown transcript., 1917-04-14
CHAPTER II-continued.

She came up to him and, at arms
length, touched him with cautious
finger-tips. "And do, please, there's
dear boy" she pleaded, hurry as fast
as you can, and then come down ana
be as nice as you can"-she hesitated
Especially to Hermione Woodruff.
She thinks you're a wonder and l
don't want her to be disappointed
"The widdy?" he asked. "Sure I'll
be nice to her"
She looked after him rather dubious
ly as he disappeared in the direction
Of her husbands bathroom. There was
q sort of hilarious contentment ABOUT
him which filled her with misglvlngs.
Well, they we're justified!
According to Violet Williamson's &C
count, given confdentially in the draw
ing-room afterward, it was really Her
mione's fault. "She just wouldn't let
Rodney alone-would keep talking
about crimes and LombrOso and
psychiatric laboratories-Tn bet she'd
got hold of a paper Of his somewhere
and read it. Anyway, at last she
said, 4 believe Doctor Randolph would
agree with me- He was talking to
me then, but maybe that isn't why
she did it. Well, and Rodney straight
ened up and said, "Is that Randolph,
the alienistY You see he hadn't
caught his name when they were IN
troduced. And that's how it started.
Hermione was game-TN admit that.
She listened and kept looking inter
ested, and every now and then said
something. Sometimes they'd take the
trouble to smile and say Yes, indeed J
politely, you know, but other times
they wouldn't pay any attention at all,
Just roll along over her and Smash
her flat-like what's his name-Jug-
gernaut."
"You don't need to tell me that"
said Frederick. "All l didn't know
was how it started. Didn't sit there
and watch for mortal hour, not able
to do q thing? l tried to signal to
Martin, but of course he wasn't oppo-
site to me, and
"He did all he could, really" Violet
assured her. 81 told him to so to
the rescue, and he did, bravely. But
what with Hermione being so nifty
about getting frozen out, and Martin
himself being so interested in what
they were shouting at each other
because it was frightfully interest
ing, you know, if you don't have TO
pretend you understood it-why, there
wasn't much he could do"
In the light of this disaster, she
was rather glad the men fingered in
the dining-room as long as they did
glad that Hermione had ordered her
car for ten and took the odd girl with
her. She made no effort to resist the
departure of the others, with reason
able promptitude, in their train.
When, after the front door had closed
for the last time, Martin released a
long yawn, she told him to run along
to bed: she wanted to talk to Rodney,
who was to spend the night while his
own clothes were drying out in the
laundry.
"Good night, old chap!" said Martin
in accents of lively commiseration,
'Tm glad I'm not in for what you are"
Rodney found q pipe, sat down
astride a spindling little chair, settled
his elbows comfortably on the back OF
it. and then asked his sister what Mar
tin had meant-what was he in for!
Frederica, curled up in q corner OF
the sofa, looked at him at first with
wry pucker between her eyebrows
then with a smile, and finally answered
his question. Nothing" she said. u
mean, / was going to scold you, but
I'm not"
Then, "Oh, l was furious with you
an hour ago." she went on. "Td made
such a really beautiful plan for you
and then sat and watched you in that
thoroughgoing way of yours kicking
it all to bits. The plan was, OF course
to marry you off to Hermione WOOD
ruff"
He turned this over in his deliberate
way, during. the process oI Dio"ins
two or three smoke rings, began
gradually to grin, and said at last
.aThat was some plan. little sister
How do you think of things like that
You ought to write romances for the
magazines"
II don't know" she objected. III
reasonableness counted for anything
in things like that, it was a pretty
good plan. It would have to be some
body like Hermione. You can't ge'
on at all with young girls
T don't know" said Rodney
"whether Mrs. Woodruff knows what
she wants or not, but do. She wants
run for her money. And she'll wan
n nice. tame trick husband to manage
things for her and be Johnny-On-the
spot whenever she wants him. Ant
if the man happened to be me J!
Frederick stretched her slim arms
outward. Thoughtful-faced, she made
no commente unless there was one II
the deliberate way in which she turned
her rings, one at time, so that thu
brilliant masses Of gems were inside