New Britain herald., 1917-02-12
What Madge Told Dicky.

As rushed from the living room of
 the Marvin house, after my defiance
 of my mother-in-law, I heard Dicky
 call out after me. But I did not
 answer him. I could not, and as I
 stumbled into the shelter of my own
 room I locked the door after me.
 That detestable old woman!"
 muttered, forgetful, indeed not caring
 in the heat of my anger. that spoke
 of Dicky's mother. II hate her!
 How I hate herb
 For ringing in my ears were the
 words with which she had concluded
 her tirade against Robert Gordon. the
 mysterious elderly millionaire, who
 had known my mother.
 MT Gordon is madly in love with Margaret" she had said to Dicky, 1 "and if you do not look out you will have a scandal on your hands. l am not insinuating anything, but I cer- tainly think Margaret owes both you and me an explanation of the untruth :, she told us at the supper table the 1 night you introduced MT. Gordon to us."
 Underneath my anger there lay also
 the bitter consciousness that there was l at least a trif1e of justice in her un- l kind words. I had not told direct l untruth concerning Mir. Gordon's es- ] pionage on me previous to the time l when Dicky brought him to our table 1 at the Sydenhan; but I certainly had ! given both Dicky and his mother the impression that I hadn't seen MT. Cor don before when my mother-1n-laW
 called my attention to his intent scrutiny of me from his vantage point I of the next table to ours.
 How I regretted that during our so- 7, journ at the Cosgrove farmhouse In l the Catskill mountains I had not tolo l Dicky the whole truth concerning the ! queer actions of MT. Gordon, l had 1 had plenty of opportunity, but hao weakly let the explanation go by. 1 .sConfesston Is Good ] Dicky's step came swiftly up the stairs; his knock sounded on my door.
 *"MadRe. let me in,' he commonded' ru+ the note of tenderness in his voice
 was the influence that hurried my 1 fingers in the turning of the Key. 1 As opened the door he strode In
 past me, closed and locked the ooor
 again and turning caught me Ill HIS l arms . 1 Don't you dare to cry! ne s'orneo'
 1;ssinr my reddened eyelids. Aren't 1 YOU ever gong tO ScIo"SA 'o l ,i,d;sb outbursts? You know she l doesn't mean what she says Tn those ] tantru,rs of hers She simply Works i herself up to a point where she's ab- ] so1utelv irresponsible, and she has to ! explode or burst. You wouldn't like 1 to see a perfectly good mother-in- law 1 ,strewn in fragments all over the room, simply because she had restrained her 1 temper" he added, with the quick transition from hot anger to Whimsl- ! cal good-nature that always find so | bewildering in him.
 I struggled for composure. My ! mother-in-law's words had been too scathing. her insult too direct for me to look upon it as lightly as Dicky l could, but the knowledge that he had ] come directly after me, and that he 1 had no part in the resentment his
 m other showed made it easy for me
 to control myself.
 1 1T ought to remember that your i mother is an old woman, and an in 1 valid and not allow myself to get 1 angry at some of the unjust things she
 says" I returned, swallowing hard,
 50 we'll just forget all about it and l pretend 1t never happened"
 l "You darling!" Dicky exclaimed, drawing me closer, and for a moment or two I rested in his arms, gathering courage for the confession I meant l to make to him.
 1 "Dicky, dear" I murmured at last, ] there is something I want to tell you