New Britain herald., 1919-05-20
MY SOLDIER SWEETHEART
 Adele Continuation of REVELATIONS OF A WIFE

for there was nothing in Mr. Stock bridges manner to indicate that ne even remembered any unusual occu1a renee, and Alice Holcombe and | had with a worthless understanding, care fully avoided the subject of Mllly Stock bridges mania,
 Dicky Is Busy. But I couldn't help my own fore bodings, though I held them in stern leash. fearful lest Dicky should ob- serve my alarm. Fortunately, the whole ugly undercurrcnt of the even ing had escaped his notice. and I knew that he had carried away with him only favorable impressions of the affair, not the least pleasing of which I suspected, was the memory of Bess Dean in her flame colored gown. l couldn't resist sending a furtive, appealing look in Dickys direction, even as l answered my fathers ques- ton.
 "Why, l have nothing on at all of my own affairs, father" I returned. '1 don't know what Dicky has planned.'
 "Dicky has planned nothing." my husband retorted promptly Whats more, he will plan nothing for some sweet time to come. I'm working man, my dear, trying to make up for lost time. So if Dad wants you to do anything go ahead with my bessing 1 can't even invite you to meet me for dinner, for I've got an engage ment that I cant get out of" With an art editor, I suppose" The words snapped out almost without my own volition. The next 1 moment I would have given much to l have recalled them. But the memory l of the time when Dicky had made an l excuse of Engagements with art editors'' to cover other engagements to which he knew I would object was still with me, had been stirred by the old hateful phrase.
 A Rare Treat.
 "Yes, with an art editor, Worden, of Tarpen's," Dicky replied belliger- ently. "What of it?"
 The tone, the words, were brusque, rude, but I didn't resent them. In deed, I felt that I had in some measure deserved them. I tried to make amends.
 Absolutely nothing" laughed, trying to turn the incident off lightly
 And I can do whatever father wishes l with a clear conscience"
 ! I looked at my father Questioningly
 He smiled at me indulgently.
 Why, I am feeling so much better
 that I thought I should like to escort
 you on an outing! I haven't had the
 honor in long time, almost never,
 in fact
 There was a Quaver in his voice
 that reminded me of his long search
 for me, the daughter who had been
 lost to him for so many years. He
 had spoken truly. We had had very
 few outings together, yet to accom- pany him anywhere was a rare treat.
 "The Quester' of Broadway was a connoisseur of delights, an epicure of 1 food. Any affair of whcih he was host was sure to be perfectly ap- l pointed, to be full of a rare zest. l How wonderful, father!" I ex- claimed sincerely "I shall love to go. What time do you want to start?'
 "Td like to make a day of it if you
 don't mind" he said his thin face | flushing like a boys. "I thought we might go in for luncheon at--' he named one of the most exclusive res- | taurants in the city, Ego to a matinee of that play you spoke of the other l day-in fact I have the tickets-dine l Wn6T6VoI JOu CllOOoe, d1Iu lIl6ll Il you are tired, come homo, if not choose whatever you would like to do. It's 1 rather a special day with me; in fact, I'm celebrating"
 He didn't explain further. I saw 1 Dicky cast a quick glance at him, 1 recognized in my mother-in-law's S gaze a shrewd conjecture as to his l meaning.
 For myself, I didn't dare to hope what might be- meant by his words, and the elaborate costly day he had l planned, day such as I knew the present state of his finances did not