South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-27


voice Quavered on the word as sic
came unsteady forward into the
Twins room, Miss Sonnet towering
discreetly in the door Of the bed
room.
"Mothert" Mrs. Braithwaite
rustled forward and took her moth
or into her arms Dicky turned 10
the big man al his side.
My wife. Edwin. Msdge, are you
F PREPARED 10 hold your breath in rev
7 erence2 This is Your brother-in-
I law. the celebrated the distinguish
ed. the noted. the famous. the emf
nent-'
Get your thesaurus. Dicky; you'll
run out Of woods with another
/ breath" DR.. Braithwaite gave him
I a push and took my hand.
You look as if YOU had heard has
mailman rant before. You know ne
really ought TO be in a straitjacket
/ half the time"
I should not dream of disputing
/ your diagnosis, Dr. Braithwaite,"
said demurely, and / am very glad
I 10 see you. Will you 20 10 your
room FIRST or come 10 see Mother
/ Graham"
II will see Mother Graham at
/ once. If you please. As for your
! hospitality. 1 am afraid that. much
I as it grieves US, we shall have 10
/ forego it, But / will let my wife
I explain"
] followed him into the bedroom
. l. 81
/ disappeared. wondering what he
/ meant But I had not long to wait.
\ Ny mother-in-law suffered his hearty
/ kiss and embrace. then faced him
stormily.
See here. Edwin" she said as i'm
peratively as if he were an unruly
boy instead of a surgeon with ma
tion-wide reputation What does
this nonsense Of Harriets mean?
She tells me that you are not going
10 stay here at all. that YOU even
had your luncheon before you
/ came"
/ felt little throb Of guilty relief
at the thought that / would not
have 20 undergo the weeks strain
of entertaining these critical rela-
tives Of Dicky's But it vanished as
1 looked at the distress on my
mother-in- laws face.
II am awfully sorry, mother" the
big man stammered, but am
afraid il is all true. You see. every
minute almost OF this week before
we sail is taken up with important
/ engagements for me. and we have
taken a suite Of rooms at the Clinton
so that the people whom 1 have to
see can come there. ! have 10 spend
/ a day in Boston, and"
HE is to go one day TO Wash
ington, a terribly important confer
ence with high officials" put in
Harriet AS for luncheon, Edwin
couldn't eat a thing at breakfast,
one of his headach and so, when
we got off the train. / didn't dare
let him wait another minute for
something TO eat
But. Harriet" her mother pro-
tested weakly couldn't you stay
here ,"
Why. mother" her daughter
carolled proudly, you know Edwin
needs me constantly. He would for
get every appointment he had and
go to dinner without a collar if l
were not there TO look after him.
No. TT be with you every minute l
can. but I simply cannot stay here.
1t is impossible
] cast a furtive glance at the big
surgeon 10 see if what his wife as
serted so proudly were really so.
What I saw made me ashamed Of
my ungraciOus doubt. lie was
smiling lovingly at his wife. and her
eyes were rejecting the love light
in his. Evidently theJ were thor
ough comrades as well as lovers.
But as 1 looked NJ my mOther-in-
laws white face. saw the proud Gle
lips working pitifully in ar attempt
az self-control watched her furtive
dabbing at her tear-nIled eyes, 1 told
myself passiOnately hat wifely de-
vction was Of course. most admir-
able. but that it could he decidedly
overdone.
saw very little OF Dicky's sister
and her husband during the week
they spent in New York before sail
ing for France. True. Harriet spent
some portion of every day with her
mother but ate at our taole only
once. always hurrying back To the
hotel TO oversee the menu OF her
beloved Edwin.
Reasoning that IN similar situa-
ton I should not care for the pres
ence OF an outsider. I left the moth
er and daughter alone together As
much as ] could without appearing
rude 1 think they both appre-
ciated my action. although. with
their customary reserve, they said
: very little 10 me.
Or Brathwaite came twice curing
the week 10 see US. each time max
ing a hurried call Harriet appear
ed 20 wish 10 impress US with The
Importance OF these visits from so
, busy and distinguished a man. But
the noted surgeon himself was simple
and unaffected i'm his manner.
One thing troubled me. ! had 03ne
nothing. said nothing &C furtler Miss