New Britain herald., 1918-02-25
OF A WIFE
What Madge Saw and Heard While
 Waiting in the Library.

Never in my life have I approached a, task with such distaste, a, dislike bordering upon terror, as was my portion when I entered the room of the Public Library devoted to the exhibition of valuable theatrical relics
 Ostensibly l was a student of dramatic history: In reality I was waiting at Lillian's request for Harry Underwood.
 It had taken all my affection for Lillian, all my conscience as to the service in which I had enlisted under her direction, to nerve myself for the task which confronted me. I both loathed and feared Harry Underwood, and the feeling wasn't lesSened by the fact that at times in our acquaintance I had been swayed by the almost hypnotic fascination which was his l when he chose to exercise it.
 I walked through the room, which so early had only the library attend ants in it, and selected the standing desk which best commanded the 1 whole of the room. The sloping sur | face of the desk was covered with | copies of plays which had been used ! by prominent theatrical stars, and I 1 reasoned that if I were correct in the l theory that I had given Lillian Harry 1 Underwood, indefatigable collector of l things theatrical as he had always l been- would sooner or later make his l way to that desk.
 Two Lowered Voices. l was prepared to wait indefinitely. to come again and again to the 1 library upon the chance of the en- l counter with him which Lillian so ] earnestly desired. But as the minutes and then the hours of that first 1 morning wore away I was appalled, by l the tedium of the waiting.
 l Fearing to attract attention by stay ! ing in one place I moved from one | desk to another, until within a few | minutes of noon. I found myself at a desk near one of the entrance doors- l in fact, the opened door shielded one l corner Of the desk.
 I was thankful, indeed, for this I shelter, when from the corridor out | side the clear notes of a voice l knew 1 and dreaded fell upon my ears.
 "So this is the dump where you waste your time, is it?'' Grace Draper said unpleasantly. 1T don't under 1 stand it Harry. There isn't a pretty 1 girl in the place.
 | Perhaps I'm fed up on pretty | girls" Harry Underwood's deep voice draw1ed lazily. i've been dancing l pretty close attendance on one of the most beautiful of the species, you know, my dear"
 'I know nothing of the kind" she retorted, but I do know that if you l don't get move on in certain drec-
 tions you'll find your flow of pocket
 money diminishing soon. Those people
 aren't paying you for doing nothing you know, and nothing exactly sums
 up your activities odate''
 She lowered her voice, although as
 far as she knew there was no one
 within hearing of them. But every
 word was audible to me, hudd1ec
 against the table behind the shelter
 or the door, and making myself a:
 small as possible as I bent assiduously
 over the old theatrical program be
 fore me.
 "Oh, cut it out,' Harry Underwood
 growled "Pll get busy when I ge
 good and ready, and I won't b'
 nagged about it. I've a notion tt l chuck the whole thing. anyway" SHouloH anvlSe you 10 dO that
 my friend" There was a new note il
 the girls still subdued voice, a dis
 tnct note of menace. Not as Ions as I know what do about your littl adventure with darling Paw-PaW.' - She drawIed the last word out sheer i ingly, and there was venom in tn 1 information with which she spoke jt
 l felt my heart skip a, beat. For in 1 I 1n TJ-
 Of whom she spoke was my oW1
 father, whose fate was shrouded il