Omaha daily bee., 1920-03-12
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she was alone with her daughter,
Harriet Braithwaite would undergo
= merciless quizzing as to the mean
ing of the scene.
There was that between Katherine
on one side, Harriet and me on the
other, however, which must be ex-
planned before very long. Katherine
was too shrewd woman not to
suspect that this meeting the Braith-
waites at our home was not the ac-
cident l had made it appear. She
was justified in resenting the fact,
even though she did not understand
it, and saw by the expression in
her big brown eyes that her be-
wilderment at the bizarre situation
in which she found herself was be-
ginning to be punctuated with wrath.
Words of Understanding.
That Harriet Braithwaite read the
expression in her eyes correctly /
knew by the quick, shrewd glance
she flung at her. The next moment
the eyes of my sister-in-law met
mine, and there was q distinct
promise in the mthat she would do
her best to make things right with
Katherine as soon as she could.
blessed Marion for the digres-
sion she created at this moment by
dancing in, exclaiming:
"See who's come to see you. just
look herep
Behind her Katie walked proudly
leading Junior by the hand, an ador-
able, wide-eyed Junior, smiling en-
gagingly as Katherine knelt down
before him and tactfully made
friends with him. When he had
graciously allowed Katherine to
cuddle him and had obligingly aired
the half-dozen words Of his voca-
bulary and his collection of baby
airs and graces for her benefit he
slipped resolutely from her arms,
toddled over to his grandmother
and tugged at her skirt.
"G'anzie! 'Toryr' he demanded
imperiously.
For once I was grati6ed instead
of jealous at this preference for his
grandmother. 1t meant the de-
parture of Mother Graham from our
little group, and the opportunity for
the explanation which must be
made. .-.
"You will all excuse me, I am
sure" Mother Graham said proudly.
"You see, I almost always tell
Junior a story at this time, and he
is getting to expect it."
She led the little chap taway, and
for a tense moment after she had
gone Katherine looked steadily at
me, question insistent in her
brown eyes, but with no words upon
her lips.
my DEAR" Harriet struck in
There i. an explanation due you,
but it is I, not Margaret who should
make it. Will you listen to me
without comment, and forgive me,
if you can, afterward"
Katherine inclined her head grave
iy, but did not speak. AS for me, I
held my breath. How could a proud
woman like Harriet Braithwaite en-
dure making the confession of her
own weak imaginings which she
must contemplate.
When she spoke, however, it was
with such simplicity, such rare un-
derstanding, such royal apology,
that Katherine, tenderest of women,
capitulated long before she had fin
ished. With tears trembling upon
her eyelashes, she moved involun-
tarily toward the elder woman, and
the story was finished with the
three of US standing close together
with intertwined arms.
II told your husband this same
story, child" Harriet Braithwaite
finished, "and / believed was able
to remove that horrible obsessing
jealousy from his brain. I-I-think
perhaps you may be-happier-he-
cause Of this little ruse we have
played"
II am sure of it." Katherine said
softly, kissing her, then she raised
her eyes to mine, and there was full
forgiveness and understanding in
their depts.
Continued Tomorrow.)