Omaha daily bee., 1920-03-13
My HEART and
| NV HUSBAND
The Thought that Troubled Madge
After the BraithWaites Left.
BY ADELE GARRISON

A1tcr the bIdlCHWdltcS LcIC.
The Braithwaite's left the next
morning, Harriet's face swept clear
of the lines which had shadowed it
for so many months. Her big, gen.
ial husband was wholly ignorant of
the little drama which had been
played around him as the central
figure, and would always remain in
ignorance of it. There was no pos
sible obstacle now to their finishing
their days in the perfect comrade-
ship and understanding which had
always characterized their union.
Their train was an early one, so
l had Katie get them a special
breakfast, thus avoiding any further
| meeting between them and Jack and
Katherine. Jack had behaved Won
derfully at last, but thought there
was no use tempting Fate when
matters could be so easily arranged.
"Goodby," the big doctor doomed,
as he wrung my hand at parting.
You're just about the finest little
hostess going. | never had bet
ter time in my life
His wife said nothing, but the
grip of her arms as they went
around me and the kiss she gave
me told me that my august sister
in-law would not forget the small
part 1 had had in clearing up the
problem which had given her SO
much anguished speculation, and
that I had made a friend worth
having.
Dicky's Comment.
l confess that | dreaded meeting
Katherine that morning. The even
ing before, after Jacks explosion
and apology, there had been no
chance for me to see katherine
alone. DR.. Braithwaite and Dicky
had seized the conversational ball
had had kept it in the, air all
through dinner and the evening fol-
lowing. 1t took the keenest atten-
ton of every one, to follow them,
state of affairs which | suspected
both men meant to bring about.
Without dreaming of that which lay
beneath the surface, they sensed a
strained and dynamic situation, and
exerted all their diplomatic powers,
no mean possession in either of
them, to ease matters.
Didn't your husband cover him
self with glory tonight?" Dicky had
demanded when, after ushering our
guests to their rooms, my husband
and I strolled across the lawn to
the room Mrs. Durkee had put at
our disposal while our own home
was so crowded with guests.
Indeed you did, and I thank you,"
I had responded demurely.
Madge's Resolution.
"Say, weren't you absorbed with
grief tonight because you hadn't
copped dear Jack long ago when he
was squiffly about you" This was
Dicky's next remark, so boyish in
its whimsicality that | overlooked
the coarseness of the reference.
There's a delicate considerate lad
for you. Didn't he stage nice jeal-
Gus performance there with old Ed
win? l never did anything as bad
as that, now did 2"
l wondered if his conscience had
been prodded by the sight of Jacks
ridiculous exhibition, and knew that
I must answer his query with the
utmost care.
"Of course, not, goose! l said
soothingly, squeezing his arm, and
fastened to change the subject
with a comment upon the frailty of
Katherine's appearance.
She'll look worse than that by
the time she gets through humoring
that gink," Dicky returned, and II
saw that the old animosity against
Jack was peeping through the layer
of liking which he had carefully
built up for my brother-cousin after
the signal service Jack had done
him. "Take it from me old dear,
Katherine's the kind of girl who
breaks under heartache. And the
queer thing about it is that Jacks
simply mad about her. But he'll
kill her with that icy-I-am-supreme-
let-no-one-dispute-me sort of man
ner. Somebody ought to kick some
sense into him. ! would if I knew
him we'll enough"
I did not reply, for I surmised that
Dicky meant me by the vague some
body" he had mentioned, and I GER
tainlX did not see my way clear to
Kicking sense into Jack" But
resolved to watch matters carefully