Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-30

nave uctdlHcU me downtown ala not
show up. So ] phoncd dad to see Il
you were still there. He said you had
just that moment gone. ! was hoping
might be in time to do escort duty"
Thank you, she muttercd. But
she knew there was some other reason
for his question-some reason that con-
ccrned Dora.
MILTON INSISTS on SPEAKING rRI-
VATELY TO DORA. AND CYNTHIA
AIDS AND ABETS HIM.
CHAPTER l..
Whatever was on Millions mind Il
did not betray Itself in his manner.
He laughed great deal, and told 50
many good stories that Mrs. Living
stone decided She had never seen him
more entertaining than he VAS that
evening.
But she noticed that Gerald was not
eMeriinS himself 1" lie agreeable. His
hostess watched nj with some apprc-
hsnsion. He had been rather pale. She
thought when he had come in from
the dining-ruom. She wondered just
what the men had been talking about
in there. Curiosity was one ot her
strongest characteristics. and she de-
tcrmined TO ascertain what had de-
pressed stewart
Well" she ventured. YOU gentle
men did not linGer long over your
cigars tonight. did YOU? What was
the matter" Were there no interest
ing stories to tcll?'
Neither Of the men responded. and
Mr. Livingstone fel, /, incumben, upon
him 10 reply in the same jocosc tone
in which his wife had spoken.
II told them one amusing occur
renee in which the joke was on YOU.
my dear. he remarked However.
We will not repeat that little tale now"
Mrs. Livingstone was myStitied The
joke was on me-" she questioned. II
have not tho most remote idea what
you refer to, stephen"
Her husband mor+d uncomfortable.
oh. never mind my dear" Inc evaded.
It's not such a funny joke after all"
"sut insis, upon knowing what /,
Mas" Mrs. Livingstone persisted. ''If
YOU won't tell me one of these young
men must"
She glanced from Gerald to Milton.
Like other inVuiSitivc persons. she hid
her inSatiate curiosity behind laugh
ing dcmeanor.
Gerald turned I" cynthia AMI began
20 t:lk to her in a low voice Milton.
happening 10 he standing near the
library table. was left To his future
mo;her-in-law's mercy.
What story I'D my husband tell
YOU. Milton" she inquired conxingly.
Was il Joke OF me. AS he SAYS"
Milton spoke impctuousiy. Il do not
,hnh it WAS a joke ON you at ali. Il
there was any joke it Was rather on
some OF the rest OF us"
An Anxious Moment
Then he subsidized into silence. and.
in spite of his inuuisitor's urging. he
refused to add more TO his brief state
mcnt. Mrs. Livingstone. therefore.
trained her guns again upon her hus-
band.
stephen" shaking her finger at him.
tell me at once what you have been
saying 10 these boys about me-"
Nothing especial" Stephen Living
- @ > a in In
wife's eyes look he knew only TOO
we'll, he strove to crafty her inGuisi-
tive mood Il only told them" he ad-
mitted. of the amusing mistake YOU
made about certain scene you Wit
messed here in the hrelight several
weeks ago"
oh"
Mrs. Livings,onc's ejaculation was
abrupt. one might have wondered
whether i, was caused by what her
husband said or by the effect OF his
speech on the Quartet of young people.
Gerald Stewart sat as If turned To
stone. his eyes fixed on the floor. Mill
ton uttered "A smothcred exclamation
and threw his cigar end into the fire,
then. STOPPING over the flame. pre-
tended TO he interested in watching il
burn. Cynthia flushed and Dora shot
a startled look in her direction
Yet nobody asked for further ex-
PLANTATION. Some one must say some
rescue. She SAW that she had been
guilty of Il mistake in insisting on this
revelation. and she FASTENED IL repair
her error.
oh" with light laugh, that was
only trining ma;ter-an optical illu-
sion. you might call it. don't see
why you ever bothered TO tell any one
about il, stephen. And now. my dear
suppose that YOU and | 20 upstairs
and lie; these children have IL little
while together without our chapcron-
age
do not hurry. mother" Dora de-
INJURED. We children, as YOU call us
have nothing especial to say To one
ancth"r. You may as well stay her
With us"
But TO the establishment OF all
hearers. Milton spoke out suddenly:
Il heS your pardon. Dora. but there
is something want TO talk to YOU
ahont--if you are not too tired 10 give
me a few minutes"
Cynthia stood up. Gerald and Will
go over into the drawinE-room for q
while" she said.
You will not!' Dora contradic;ed
Milton can talk to me at some other
time. am tired and want to 20 to
bed early"
Dora" the mothers ejaculation was
fraught with disp!easure. Il am SUR
prised at YOU"
because told the absolute truth"
the girl laughed. well. Milton is ac-
customcd TO my engaging little ways
n he isn't. he may as we'll get acc,is-
toned 10 them now.
I'uto when MIR. and Mrs. Livingstone
had said goodnight and gone upstairs
Cynthia spoke Ia Gerald with an aiI-
thoritativc tone quite unusual in her.
'Gerald--come over into the draw
inE-room with me. please" she said.
I'm the drawing room She turned 10
him. her manner Softened.
Thank you. Gerald" she said for
following my lead. I really have moth
ing especial to say TO YOU | only
wanted to give Milton a chance to
speak alone with Dora can see that
he has something which he feels must
be said. That is the reason l got out
OF the way"
ITO Eo ropti,ua,