Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-12-11
The Way Lillian Came to Madge's
Rescue.

NCSSuC.
Well, girls, what do you say to a
little spin before we go home"
Dlcky threw the words carelessly
over his shoulder to Lillian and me
seated in the tonneau. Major Grant
lands machine with its owner, Mrs.
Durkee, Alfred and Edith and Leila
Fairfax was already out of sight
down the Long Beach road. | sur
missed that Dicky had purposely
waited until the others were out of
sight before proposing this amend
ment to his original plan of taking
me directly home.
I'D love it," | said promptly, and
Lillian also assented enthusiastical
| saw him smile systematically, al
most triumphantIy, then he turned
the car around and soon shot out of
the Long Beach road and headed
east on the wide boulevard which
runs almost the whole length of
Long Island.
Something i'll his manner remind
ed me of small boy planning some
prank, but ] philosophically remind
cd myself that it would be time
enough to worry about it when he
should himself spring his joke, what
ever it was. Therefore / gave my
self up to the enjoyment of the ride,
feeling but one drawback to my en-
joyment. and that the conviction I
had that Lillian was watching me
intently, though covertly."
That her scrutiny had something
to do with Major Grantland | was as
sure as was that | was beginning
to feel a little resentful Of her
patent disapproval of my renewed
:"nuair+ arceship with the young Of
fcer. l was no child in leading
strings-I told myself with absurd
heat--that my every word and &C
ton as we'll as those of the young
officer should be watched so capti-
ously. ! had the grace to- be
ashamed of myself, however, even as
my irritation welled within me, and
with the swift passing of few more
miles through the pleasant summer
air | began to feel quite tranquil
again.
But I had reckoned without
Dicky. He drew up the machine by
the side of the boulevard when we
had put 10 or II miles between us
and the Long Beach road, and turn
ed to us, his eyes dancing, but with
little set line about his lips, which |
told me that he had evolved some |
purpose which he was determined to |
q ont
"Now that we've gotten rid OF the |
bunch, what do you say to our drop
ping into 'Ye Olde Tavern and hav-
ing a quiet little meal ourselves
saw the childishness of his plan
in an instant, felt the resentment |
against him of an hour before COM
ing back to me. He meant to make
Major Grantland think that after
fatigue as an excuse for not
joining the crowd in dinner at the
beach I had seized the opportunity
to dine with my husband and Lii
liam as soon as his back was turned.
And yet, | hesitated to object to
Dicky's plan, for I realized that he
would be furiously angry if l re-
fused to aid him in his infantile. plan
for getting even" If only Lillian
but | feared that she. because OF
her seemingly absurd prejudice
against the officer, would abet
Dicky in his plan, instead of him
iering him.
/ had misjudged her, however. as
realized with the first words she
uttered in reply to the proposal,
words that were more hurried than
her wont in her patent endeavor to
save me the embarrassment OF either
in or denying my hus-
,and's suggestion.
what an anointed idiot you are,
lear hearth she apostrophized him
oratorically. Didn't you hear
Madge say back there she wasn't
Up to dining out. She ought to be
n bed this minute, and she would be
+ this wonderful air hadn't beguiled
ne out of my seven senses. You
urn this machine around, pronto,~
md start in the direction of home
md mother. Well leave 'Ye Olde
Tavern flat this trip, my Dicky-
bird, unless you want another yard
ong doctor bill. Remember, this is
he first day Madge has been out
1oors."