South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-12
HAT HAPPENED TO MADGE AT
DICKY's DINNER.

AAtN 80 ~ iAsE
Harry UnderwOod's brilliant black
eyes looked down into mine. his
gayly. hooking voice sounded in my
ears. / had just told him that he was
10 take me in 10 dinner. and we were
leading the way into the quaint din
ing room OF the old Brennan house
DO 1 look as II / were strug-
CLING ?" ] laughed back and saw a
sudden expression OF bewilderment
in his eyes, followed instantly by a
fash OF triumph.
Everything that was cattishly
feminine In me leaped 70 life at
that look in the eyes OF the man
whom I detested. whom ] had even
feared. I could read plainly enough
in his eyes that ne thought the as
siduOus batteries he had always
paid me We're commencing 10 have
their result, that ] was beginning
10 recognize the dangerous fascina-
ton he was reputed 10 have for
women OF every station. -
had a swift, savage desire to
avenge the woman ne must have
made suffer, to hurt him as before
dinner he had wounded Lillian. his
wife. my dearest friend. because at
last she had chosen TO be herself and
10 put aside the mask OF rouge and
powder and dyed hair behind which
she had hidden her real countenance
for so many years at his behest
A curious feeling of freedom swept
over me. freedom TO do exactly as
pleased for at least this one eve
ming. Dicky. himself. by his de-
mand that I take some other dinner
partner than Mr.. Gordon had
thrown me into Mr. Underwood's
company. while his smiling assump-
lion that 1 heartily disliked Mr.. I'm
derwood had goaded me into plan
ming to make him change his mind
on the subject
The Spirit That Stirred.
As for Lillian had guessed
shrewdly long ago that wherever
Lillian Underwood's heart was ii
was not in the possession of this
man TO whom she was bound. with
whom she had always played the
game OF life fairly and squarely, no
matter what treatment he accorded
her Only a few months before.
wearied OF his cruel jibes or her ap-
pearance. shrinking from a repeti-
ton of them. she had asked me to
amuse Harry and to divert his mind
from his grievance. \ knew that
Lillian would understand and would
not care 20 what extent ] carried
on an apparent Irritation with her
husband.
So instead OF turning an impassive
face TO Mr. TTnderwood's next speech
listened with just the hint Of an
elusive mischievous smile twisting
my lips.
NO. you don't look very uncOm-
Portable. You look he caught his
breath as IL with some emotion too
strong for utterance and then said
"a trihe huskily:
'win you let me tell you how YOU
look TO me?'
I had to exercise all my self-cOn-
troll TO keep from laughing in his
face. He was such a pOseur. his
stimulation of emotion was so melo-
dramatic that wondered if he real
ly imagined I would be impressed
by it.
a spirit Of mischievous daring
stirred in me.
Don't tell me just now" I said
softly. Wait till after dinner
Afraid ." ne challenged.
'Perhas." 7 cOuntered
He gave my hand lying upon his
arm a swift. furtive pressure. and
released Il so quickly that there was
no possibility OF his being observed.
7 had no time to rebuke him. had
been so disposed. for we had almost
reached our places at the table.
do not remember much OF the
dinner over which Mother Graham.
Katie and 1 had worked so assidu-
ouslv That everything went off
smoothly as we had planned. that
from the Casaba melons which
were served first. TO the walnuts OF
the last course. everything was de-
licious i'm flavor and perfect in serv-
ice was gratefully but dimly
aware.
For I felt as II were on the
rink Of a volcano. Not because OF
Harry Underwood's elaborate show
Of attention TO me which I was pre-
tending to respond. much TO the dis
gust or my mother-in-law. but on
account OF the queer behavior OF
Robert Gordon.
Lillian. who was making a pitiful
brave attempt to bring 20 the occa-
sion all the airy brightness with
which she was wont 20 make any
gathering favored by her presence
"A success. secured only the hriefest
responses from him. although he
had taken her out 20 dinner. Some
times he made no answer at all 20
her remarks. evidently not hearing
them.
What Harry's Whisper Caused.
lie watched me almost constantly.
and so noticeably was his action that
7 saw everyone at the table was
7vare OF r. II was a gaze 70 set any
ones brain throbbing with wild con-
lectures. so mournful. SO elusive Il
was. The fantastic thought creased
my mind that this mysterious elder
.v friend OF my dead mother looked
ike a long famished man coming
suddenly In sight OF food.
Bv the time the dinner was over
was intensely nervous. Katie
served us our coffee in the hving
- ord vrhan I took mine my