New Britain herald., 1917-11-07
News For Theater6oery and Women Readers
OF A WIFE
 By
Why Madge Wanly Smiled at Dicky's
 Questioning.
By ADELE GARRISON

Why Madge Wanly Smiled at Dicl<y's Questioning.
 Dicky's voice came over the wire sharply. He was evidently agitated over something, and gathered from his manner that he wished any one rather than I had answered the tele- phone.
 "Where's Jim?" he demanded, with out waiting to ask how things were progressing with us. "I must speak to him directly"
 with a load of furniture" returned composedly. Hell be back here shortly for the last load of kitchen things, but he will hardly have time to call you up, for it's getting near noon, and have no desire to be here at that time. you know"
 Dicky evidently knew to what re- ferred, the ultimatum of our dis agreeable landlord. MT. Brennan, that the last one of our possessions must be out of his gate by the stroke of noon. He knew. also. that it was his own cavalier treatment of Mr. Brennan that had infuriated the man, but the knowledge didn't make his voice or manner any less acrid as he answered.:
 Well. it's up to you to be out of there at noon. that's all. Where's that other idiot, that William Trum- bull?"
 Right here." My own voice was ie 1rri a me. and I had still before my eyes tho photograph of Grace Draper which I had just discovered in the box William Trumbull had found pushed back behind the rafters in the attic.
 "Ten him to come to the phone then. He'll have to do."
 How William Answered.
 A sudden light broke upon me. Heedless Dicky had just remembered the box with it's contents of letters. photographs and mementos of Grace Draper and other feminine friends, which he had put behind the rafters for safe keeping. It was a box he did not wish me to see, and it was out of the question for him to leave it to the casual inQuisitiveness of the Brennan family. And if it were not away from the Brennan home be- fore noon he wouldn't be able to get 1t. Dicky was in a dilemma perplex- ing indeed. With a sudden malicious little impulse I spoke sweetly over the phone:
 Couldn't attend to anything you want done, Dicky? You know how cratic our Caliban is.''
 I knew William wouldn't under stand my allusion, so. felt safe in making 1t. Dicky's voice was embar- rassed as he answered:
 No, it's something you wouldn't understand. f. Only a man could do 1t. Let me have William, please, and will [ you ask. Katie whether she got my 1 shirts from the. laundry?"
 It was upon my lips to say: Yes, I i understand only too we'll" but i smothered it, sent William to the tele- l! phone, and started in search of Ka- 1 tie, although I knew the message was only a subterfuge to get me away i from the telephone. AS went I ] heard Williams voice in earnest re- assurance:
 "Oh, yes. I got that box. I hunted all over behind everything to see lOlHlH WdS lcIC bcU1lu. NO, SIT, don't think nobody teched it. It's right here. an I'm going to put 1t on the push cart the fust thing All right, I'll put it away where nobody'll disturb it. It'll be safe with me, Mr. Gramie."
 Evidently Dicky's relief at finding the box had been undisturbed was so great he forgot all about the message he had given me- At any rate when I returned from the kitchen, where Katie was busily doing the Hast things I found the receiver replaced on the hook, and William standing beside 1t like a sentinel
 1T know now what was in that box I found behind the rafters, Mis- Gramie." he said proudly. MT Gramie, he said. he had some draw ings in 1t he wouldn't lose for any, thing. Gee, I'm glad I found 1t tor him."
 I smiled wanly at the old fellows pride. and then bitterly at Dicky's