New Britain herald., 1918-05-09
For 7hedter80erS and Women Readers
ENLATl0NS OF A WIFE
BY
BY ADELE GARRISON

have some chickens, beauties, ready
to go on the fire this instant They
were ordered for lot of people VINO
came in unexpectedly a little while
ago-not my regular customers, un-
derstand-and I'll just steal one or
those for you. They are pigs anyway,
it won't hurt them to wait a little!
And now what else do you want? IL
you are so hungry, you won't want to
wait long. What you bet now, l re-
member Just what you like? Shall l
tell you?"
please dol" 7 said enthusiastically,
but inwardIy I was coolly dissecting
and appraising the little speech she
had just made.
There was a false ring to 1t. Nine.
Hofer was q shreWd woman, with an
eye to main chance. 1t wasn't like
her to Inconvenience large party for
the benefit of one patron. Either she
was telling falsehood in order to
hatter me-son1ething which for some
| reason or other I didn't believe-or
! she was giving me the fowl on &C.
| count of some concealed motive of her
| own.
| A Feat of Memory.
[ had it! She couldn't refuse to
ing suspicion, but she could hurry my
luncheon so as to get me away from
the place as soon as possible. Even
as / listened to her | was resolving to
linger as long as | could over the
| luncheon.
you will WISH" Nine. Hofer was
saying ref1ectively-two fingers at her
forehead in a palpable attempt to
register absorbed thought-"new po-
tatoes from Virginia, creamed, fresh
asparagus tips, right from our own
bed, a salad of romaine, watercress
and chives, some large strawberries
with the stems, and a pot of coffee
with those little cakes-you remem-
ber?'
81 remembered perfectly" I said,
and indeed, the menu she recited was
a familiar one to me. The dishes
were especial favorites of Dicky's and
mine. 1t was a more elaborate and
expensive luncheon than l had
planned, but although the dishes Were
all those which required little time for
cooking, could linger over SO bounte-
Gus a luncheon Indefinitely.
sharpcned Wits.
THAT will do splendidly." / said.
"And now I'll freshen up bit while
I'm waiting, if you don't mind"
I started toward the house as if it
We're the most natural thing for me to
lead the way. Nine. Hofer muttered
an exclamation beneath her breath,
which only suspicion-sharpened ears
like mine could have heard. The next
M ent she had caught stsp with me-
and was smiling broadly, a smile that
I was sure hid anger, perhaps fear.
II will take you to my own bath
room,' she said cOnfidentially. "These
people here today are running all over
the place, and it will be pleasanter
for you in my own apartment. Just
come round this way
She started around the side Of the
house. But I affected not to hear her.
GLOW pretty the place is this year.
I exclaimed. Are the big hall and
dining as quaint as ever? l
must have a look at them. really
have been fairly HON esick for the
place."
I ran lightly up the steps and into
the wide hall with as good an imita-
ton of feminine impetuosity as I
could muster. And as | reached the
arched entrance into the dining-room
I saw why Nine Hofer had tried to
get me to come around to the side
door.
For if ever a delegation from the
Fatherland sat in council it was the
party of perhaps eight men and two
women who surrounded a large table
made up for the occasion in the rear
of the room. They were talking gut
turally in their native tongue, but as
entered one of the men said some