The Washington herald., 1920-08-28
The Marriage Mill
By Mildred X. Barbour
Copyright, 1920, BY The Wheeler
Syndicate, Incl
LIy-A sLIGHr MIscoxcEPTIoN.
Alison found a hearty welcome at

LIY-A SLIGHT MIsCoNCEPrioN.
Alison found a hearty welcome at
the Springs.
In answer to her telegram, Mrs.
Atherton was at the station to meet
.-her.
= MY dearest ehiIdr' she cried,
folding her slim daughter in her
q arms, How I've longed to see you!
Let me look at you"
She held the girl of at arms
length and serutinized her closely.
"Umm. A little paler than usual,
Allison. you don't look happy. Has
that wretched boy
"Oh. no, nothing is wrong. moth
.er We haven't quarreled," Alison
assured her glibly. Il just got lone
some for my mother-and here 1
am" she laughed, squeezing the
arm within her own ecstatically.
Until she had caught a glimpse Of
Mrs. AtheTton's smartly Gowned
sfigure on the platform and had per-
-ceived the food of wonderful light
that lit the mothers eyes as she
descended from the car. Alison had
not realized how sOTely she had
missed her daily companionshiP.
I'm so glad to be with you
again" she laughed gaily. "Oh,
how / missed you. And you're look
ing splendidly! Cousin Barbara
hasn't worried you a bit, judging
from your appearance. Where is
she. by the way?"
Waiting for you at the hotel,
She wouldn't admit it for the world,
but she was delighted when your
wire arrived saying you were com
ing. She's worn a new frOck and
ordered tea in her sitting room. But
pretend not to notice IL, and don't
mind il she says hOrrid things
about Lawrence. She doesn't mean
a word of it,"
What a conspiracy" laughed Al
ison. i feel as though ! were liv-
ing in a world of intrigue these
days. I wonder where anyone ever
got the idea that marriEe was a
nice. comfortable, pincushiony ex-
istence?"
Why do you say that" question
ed her mother apprehensivcly.
They We're stroIIinE up the broad,
shrub bordered path that led to the
hotel. Alison ficked at a clover
blossom with her sunshade before
answering
we'll" she temporized The
Osbornes spend most Of their time
trying to take Larry from me and
Cousin Barbara devoted the sum-
mer trying to take me from Larry"
What have the Osbornes done ."
demanded Mrs. AthertOn. You poor
child
Poor child nothing, scoffed her
daughter Indignantly. Leave it to
little Alison not to have anything
put over on her. as Larry would
say, I'm not an AthertOn and a
relative Of Cousin Barbara for moth
ing, Besides. Larry's ia mily isn't
actively disagreeable. But there 3
an atmosphere Of disapprovaI and
jealousy and resentment that fnaI-
" got on my nerves and with Myra
CunninEhams wedding over, there
was really nothing to keep me in
ManIewood longer"
Mrs AtherrOn nodded approval.
The cool elimination of AliSOn's
husband as a OBTAINING factor OC-
CURED to neither mother nor
daughter
There's Barbara" called Alison.
brandishin- her sunshade. Here's
the bad penny turned up again.
. Miss Wales came up to them StiII
Unsmiling, she extended a cold
cheek for the girls caress
I'm glad to see that you've come
TO your senses and left that young
houndeT.' she remarked with tight
lips
Alison. aEhast at the misConcep-
tton. cast A swift look over Miss
Wales shoulder At her mother.
who, flushing. placed a finger tn her
lips.