Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-13
Why Madge Was Startled at Sight
of the Guide,


Dicky made record time on the lit
tie trip whose destination | sus-
pected to be the railroad ticket Of
flee, came back into the house as
surreptitiously as he had left it and
went directly to our room. His
usual luck was with him, for his
mother sewed on placidly, supposing
him to be packing, and it was only
when he passed the window I over
looked, for, the second time in re-
turning that l ventured to make any
change in my own position which
might attract the keen observation
of my mother law.
Il think I'll go to see how Dicky
is getting along" | remarked, casual
ly. rising and putting up my work,
That's the first sensible thing I've
heard you say today" his mother re-
torted. You'll probably find him
wrapping his golf sticks in his dress
shirts. wish you'd keep him busy
long enough for me to go down TO
the ticket office and back"
Dicky's Ruse.
ooh, Motherp | exclaimed, bit
startled, and wondering if Dicky
really, had been ahead of her. do
you think that's wise? Are you
strong enough YETI"
"Fiddlesticks" she retorted tartly.
81 walked farther than that yester-
day, and you know it. And I'd &C
there if l had to crawl III teach
that boy he can't pull the wool over
my eyes, not as long as l have my
five senses intact"
Il don't think he tries to, Mother"
l said Loyalty, but observing a su5-
picious glance turned in my direc-
ton, | added hastily: "But I'll cn
gage to keep him safe until yo,
come back. Shall I take Junior
with me-"
Richard Second will come with
me- his grandmother replied. lofti'y,
and I hurried out of the room, lest
| betray my . amusement at her
bumptiousness.
"Dickyw I rushed into our room,
and seized him by the sleeve to at
tract his attention, which was cen
tered frowningly on his trunk.
"Y our mother is going to the rail
road station right away"
He looked down at me with
twinkling eyes.
Haven't bit of faith in the old
mans ingenuity, have your" he
asked. and yet, I distinctly saw
you watching me when | beat it OFT
OF here this morning! Don't worry,
old dear! Those chaps down there
are my pals. She'll get an earft,.
about the reservations being piled
up. That's no kid. either. | was
the luckiest devil to get ours in. To-
day there isn't one ahead for
week, It's the rumor of the railroad
strike that has done it."
But you could have secured them
for -" I began.
"Granted-but didn't What
are you going to do about it," he
demanded, inpudently.
"This." With sudden impulse I
went over to him and kissed him.
I'm awfully glad you managed
things so we could have this little
excursion. I'll get through the
packing some way, aud | did want to
take this canoe trip before | went
back
A New Menace.
"Its something you'll remember
all your life" Dicky prophesied.
"and you'll be glad your husband
had sense enough to override you."
7 remembered his words. and
echoed them assentingly the next
when Dicky escorted me to
the boat landing upon the Lumbee
river about a mile away, where the
start with the canoes was to be made.
The stream was far different in
from those OF the north
with which I was acquainted. The
water was dark and sluggish, almost
gloomy, closely slladowed as it was
by a dense primeval growth of oak
and holly overhauging cypress. But
as we reached tive had started be-
fore sunrise-the first rays of the
sunlight TOUCHED it, gilded it, trans
formed it until I caught my breath
at its weird beauty. ] squeezed
Dicky's arm ecstaticallv. He smiled
down at me understandingly.
at 4I,n,,~1t ~ x,-a,11 he