The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-12

ably VI o CLOCK IN the afternoon
when they arrive. Katie can attend to
them perfectly well. Tell her so. Get
her out on her trip and keep her mind
off the trunks. for heavens sake"
Having thus shifted his responsible
tiles to my shoulders, Dicky blitnely
hung up the receiver. I turned to his
mother.
'Wen!" she demanded.
He is going out now to attend to
the trunks" said.
There! I knew he had forgotten
them" she exclaimed, with a little
malicious feminine triumph running
through her tones. when Will they
be here?"
Not before noon at the earliest" I
repeated Dicky's words in as matter
of-fact way as possible. Probably
not until to o'clock in the after
noon. We might as we'll start on our
trip. Katie is perfectly capable of at
tending to them"
My mother in-law frowned 1 could
see that she was hesitating between
the desire to get out into the city and
the wish to see that her belongings
had not been hurt in any way.
"Are you sure your maid is perfect
ly honest?" she demanded at last. I
gave a quick, involuntary glance to-
ward the kitchen door. l knew Katie
was not above listening to conversa-
tons. 1 certainly did not wish her
to hear this one.
Sure of katie's Honesty.
Mrs. Graham followed my look.
The door is closed she said quickly.
Il was sure of that before I spoke"
could not resist a little mental trib-
ute to my mother-in-law sang froid.
You have not answered my ques-
tion," she persisted. Are you sure
she is honest?'
The incident of the lavalliere flash
ed into my brain. Upon my unex-
pected return to the apartment one
day 1 discovered that Katie had been
rummaging in my trunk evidently with
the intention of finding and examin-
ing a beautiful black pearl set in a
lavalliere, which was Dicky's wedding
present to me.
1 had proved to my own satisfac-
ton later that Katie had only wanted
to look at and handle the beautiful
ornament. 1 solved not to prejudice
my mother in laws mind against The
girl by speaking of the incident.
Il am sue of her honesty I ss:d
firmly. Il do not think you need to
worry in the least
How long has she been in your ser
vice?" she asked significantly.
In mine only short time-less than
two weeks" 1 returned. But she mad
very good recommends ton from the
woman with whom she had last work
ed, and, besides, two or three years
ago, she kept hoasa for group OF
artists, of whom DIcky was one. he
knows that she can be trusted with
any amount of money"
1 remembered the story of Dicky's
ten dollar bill which Katie carried for
three years that she might restore it
to him.
Il wouldn't trust Dickys judgment
on the virtues of a cat his mother
returned caustically. But I suppose
there is nothing to be done but to
trust her" she went on. There can't
always be some one in the apartment
to watch her. She can't get into the
trunks without the keys unless she is
an accomplished sneak InleI, ana
hardly think she is that l think we
had better start on our trip. How
soon will you be ready?"
Il am afraid it will be half an hour
before 1 can start" l said apologet-
ically.
That will be all right my mother
in-law returned good humoredly. She
was evidently much pleased at the
prospect of the trip.
But as I rapidly dressed 1 heard
again her contemptuOus comment.
81 wouldn't trust Dicky's judgment to
the virtues of a cat and 1 reflected
grimly that my mother-in-law prob
ably did not think much of her sons
judgment in selecting a wife, either.
Continued tomorrow