New Britain herald., 1917-12-29
why AIadge Put Her Reluctance Aside
and went FOR walk with Dicky.

I & IL
Dicky came up the stairs two steps
Of bound, calling s'Madge. Madge,"
It the top OF his voice.
put up my hands swiftly and un-
naercifuliy pinched my cheeks into
some semblance of color, every vestige
OF which had left my face, at the
morbid thoughts that had come to
me al pondered the meaning OF
Cousin Agatha'S news. didn't wish
him to guess that suspected his
telephoning to break his. mysterious
engagement after carefully telling me
that he could not reach his friends
by phone
reached my door as his knock
sounded upon the panels, unlocked it
and threweit open. ,.
what Is it, Dicky?" strove hard
to make my voice sound natural, but
I'm afraid I didn't succeed very we'll,
for my husband looked at me keenly
SITS perfectly bully out" he said
to my relief not commenting upon
my appearance! as / was afraid no
would. tOf course it's cold, but do
believe thAse's hint Of spring In,
the air at last. And its about time,
too, Didn't i hear you say something
about having popped oysters tonight?
| Why don't you take q walk with me
down town there and get them?
Can't be too careful about them SO
late In the season; you know"
A Swift Decision.
IL I hadn't been SO unhappy
would have found it hard work to re-
press q smile at this speech OF my
husbands Dtckyl fancies himself an
expert Judge Of the freshness Of all
sea food, when the real truth Is that
he is absolutely at the mercy OF any
interruptions dealer who sees his
weakness and matters him accordingly.
Fortunately for our household, the
oyster men and the Ash men at the
docks at Marvin are honest, reliable
dealera But II did not particularly
care to accompan Dicky upon q pur-
chasing expedition. for knew by ex-
perience that the men often engaged
in furtive smiles at Dicky's boyish as
sumption OF edeep-sea lore.
OF course, however, / let no hint
fall Of my reluctance to go. Instead
I smiled up at him as brightly as
could
Il believe walk Is just what I
need for the headache I've felt coming
on for the last half hour" I said.
| and spoke only the truth. "I'll have
to speak to Katie about tonight.
| though, and get into my walking
SUIT. But Til be ready in twenty
| minutes"
! take all the time you want"
| picky said> generously. II haven't
half looked over the paper yet. I was
In such q hurry to get that note off
! that i left everything. even my break
4 fast half eaten. How would you like
| to get some steamed clans at that
| queer little dunap down at the harbor
I before we come back? know I'll
| be hungry by the time we get down
there"
What TroulAes Katie?
| a"I think 1t would be a very good
idea" replied. but had hard work
TO make my acquiescence cUrdial
! enough to escape Dicky's quick ohser-
/; walton. HIS mention OF the note
/ which he had 10 carefully explained
tho necessity Tor writing, was irrltat-
ins beyond measure to me in the
| light Of the knowledge I had that Ne
| had deliberately deceived me. He
/ had written no nots In his room and
! Cousin Agatha hadlto1d me Of seeing
! him In a telephone booth at the drug
| store. following his declaration that
1 he could not reach his friends by wire.
Al I went down to the Kitchen TO
500 Katie, I scourged my tremulons
! self intoea sctnblance Of calmness. No
| matter what this deception OF Dickys
portended, must mot let It ol1ect my
4 treatment Of him.
] have not many illnSf01ao, left cen.