South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-08-23

sounded imperiously in our ears.
Il think you nave said quite
enough. Richard. she said, with ICY
dignity. 'Vyill YOU kindly telegraph
Eliza beth that ] shall start for her
home tomorrow The children are
IN school now. so it Will not DE so
trying on me Z certainly shall not
stay ir q home where 7 am fouted
as r have been this morning
The oiz house seemed very lonely
to me after my mother-in-law
abrupt departure. 7 had not dream
go that = could possibly miss the old
or woman-s companionship. espe-
cially after her hateful behavior con-
corning my refusal Of the school
position
But when she had left IN disni-
ned d~udgeon. for q visit with her
daughter. Elizabeth. 7 realized that
had come 20 like her % depend
upon her companionship more than
] had thought possible. II the coun-
Try had not been so beautiful 7
would have proposed going hack 90
the city. But the tall hedges inclos-
ing the old place were so fresh and
green. the rolling woodland view
from my chamber windows so rest
ful my beds of dahlias. cosmos.
m~ariEolds and ~uasturtiums So bril-
liant that I could not bring myself
TO leave IL.
II } had not had the vague un-
easiness concerning DickN ] could
have been perfectly happy in spite
of the loneliness The cat and the
puppy Dicky had brought 10 me kept
close 10 me AN day long. Katie
waited on me hand and foot. and T
had time for the intimate associa-
tiou with the woods and fields that
had loneed for since my babyhood
But my uneasinesS concerning
Dicky's friendship with Grace
Draper. his beautiful protege. was
deepening To real alarm and
I had nothing more tangible than
the neighborhood gossip. which 7
had so thoroughly-repulsed when II
was offered me by Mrs. Hoch and
her daughter. But Dicky was be
coming more and more distract. and
when he would allow nothing TO
keep him from taking the morning
train on which Miss Draper travelled
TO the studio. ] remembered that
when we had first come 10 Marvin
he had taken any forenoon train he
happened 10 choose.
The second morning after his
mothers departure. Dicky almost
missed kissing me goodbye in his
mad haste TO catch his train. He
rushed out Of the door after "A most
p%erfunctory peck at my cheek. and
] saw him almost running down the
little lane bordered with wild flow
ers that led across lots 10 the rail
road station
Il cannot hear This any longer 7
muttered TO myself, ~clenching my
hands. as ] saw the Hochs. mother
and daughter. watching him from
their screened porch, and imagined
their satirical comments on his
eaCerness 70 make the train.
I sat listlessly on the veranda for
an hour Then the ringing Of the
telephone reused me As Z took
down the receiver heard the dron-
ing OF the long distance operator
us this Marvin 9712" and at my
Affirmative answer the husky voice
OF Lillian Underwood.
Hello. my dear" Her voice had
the comforting warmth which II had
held for me ever since the memoir
able day when by her library fire we
had resurrected the secret which her
past life and Dicky's shared. We
had buried it again. smoothed out all
our Misunderstanding in the process
and had been sworn friends ever
since.
"Oh. Mrs. Underwood" Ny voice
was almost a peal OF JOY. II am so
glad TO hear your voice