Omaha daily bee., 1919-04-30
Why Madge Crept Downstairs to
See What Dicky Was Doing.

As I walked swiftly down the hall
to the staircase l heard Dicky's
voice from the door of the library.
"Madge, oh, MadgeP he called soft
ly. | knew he was afraid of awaken
ing the other members OF the house
hold, by this time asleep.
| ignored the call absolutely, hur-
rying up the steps as fast as
could. Ny husbands voice sounded
again, this time with a peremptory
note through its softness.
Come here, you little idiot"
Through all my cold anger a note
of that voice tugged at my heart,
pleaded with me to turn. But the
affront he had given me was too
fresh. l steeled my heart and went
steadily onward.
Then go to the -" The closing
of the library door cut off the con-
clusion of the sentence, uttered with
angry information. And l was actual
ly glad of the gruff tone. I was so
angry that l wished no quick re-
pentance of Dicky's to be able to
mitigate my wrath. .....
1t isn't very often that / allow
myself to be swept by such a white
hot fame of anger as consumed me
when | finally reached my room
and locked the door behind me.
Usually | can control myself, and
before | have reached the unreason-
ing stage my common sense comes
to the rescue.
But in the half-hour following my
tempestuous exit from the library |
gave no heed to the warning little
voice that told me | was jeopardiz-
ing the success of Mr.. Stockbridge's
carefully laid plans by thus anger
ing Dicky. | knew that he was per-
fectly capable of throwing up the
whole engagement if he let his tenn
per get sufficiently the better of
him, but | didn't care. So intense
was my anger and pride, that ! be-
lieve ! could have stood aside and
seen him destroy everything | cher
ished, save only my baby, without
deigning to utter word of protest.
Papers Being Tossed Around.
heard him come upstairs and go
to his room. then the familiar sounds
of papers being tossed around, sure
sign that Dicky was hunting some
thing he had mislaid. Then he came
out of his room, closing the door
behind him, and went downstairs.
My curiosity began to get the bet
ter of my wrath. Was he so angry
that he meant to take the last train
into the city and stay there during
the whole of the next days planned
festivities? l listened intently for
the sound of the closing outer door,
but it didn't come, and after a long
interval opened my door and soft
1y crept downstairs and into a
corner of the hall from which l
could see the library door. 1t was
almost closed, so that | could not
see into the room, but I could hear
a constant, rustling of paper, which
was distinctly neither the turning
pages of book, magazine or news
paper, and it was punctuated by
queer, soft, swishing sound, the
meaning of which l could not guess.
Madge Investigates.
Thoroughly mystified, / crept
back upstairs. thankful at least that
he had no thought of leaving the
house. But what in the world was
the meaning of his queer perform
ance in the library?
There was no use in specializing,
however, so | turned my attention to
getting ready for the work and fes-
tivities of the next day and evening.
| much feared that | would not need
any preparation for the latter, but
| doggedly went forward upon the
assumption that somehow things
would turn out all right. / put all
the accessories of my evening toilet
into a dress case, leaving it open,
that the last thing before leaving the
house in the morning I might lay
in my gown and cloak. Mrs. Stock
bridge, who seemed bent upon show
ing me how sweet and considerate
she could be when she tried, had
written me dear little note offer