South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-01-12
WHY MADGE DID HER BEST TO
HUNIOR HARRY UNDERWOOD.
TndorWOOd' Please ''

Mr. Underwood. Please"
slipped my arm as adroitly as
possible from Harry Underwood
OBTAINING hand and swung around
facing him. j was frankly in doubt
as 90 whether or not I should be
able TO keep him from attracting at
tention 10 as when I should toll him,
as / must. that l couldn't possibly
go 20 the little midnight supper he
had proposed Always whimsically
unreasonable at best. ne had been
drinking far TOO much before ! en-
cOuntered him, ana I dreaded i'm
measurably the wordy controversy
I saw before me
He swept me a low exaggerated
bow. so low that ! feared for his
balance As he raised his head and
body again his eyes were cleaning
with hooking mischief
It's no use. lady fair" ne said.
a masterful note underneath the
gayety Of his manner Il know
what you're going 10 hand me-the
usual bunk OF how UNNECESSARILY
grateful YOU are to me. and that
you'll remember me in your little
prayers. but that your Puritan con
science wouldn't allow you to take
snack of something 10 eat with
me at this wftching hour, even il
YOU we're starving TO death which
upon my word I believe you are"
"DOu't Fret Yourself
"Nonesense," interrupted as
crisply as I could enunciate the
word. "On the contrary / am not
in the least. hungry. And you're
perfectly right In your assumption
that I am not going TO take sup
per with you. You ought 10 have
known better than to ask me. In
stead. 7 am going to the nearest
telephone to find out what has be
come OF Lillian. am afraid some
thing has happened 70 her"
Don't fret yourself about old
Lii" he returned confidently. There
never was a tight corner yet that
she couldn't wriggle out Of. Just
save an your worry for me. I'm
the boy that's i'm bad. Here I've
been dreaming and thinking about
YOU every hour of the "a. for days
and days. and when do run across
YOU, and am able to save YOU un-
pleasantness, you call me down for
trying to take care Of you and get
YOU something TO eat And the
Lord only knows what I've let my
self i'm for,
His tone was rueful. and for a
moment / felt a twinge of COM
FUNCTION because the truth of his
words was undeniable; he had saved
"a decided risk 10 himself He had
me unDleasantness-a more-at a
decided risk 20 himself But a quick
glance at him banished all thought
OF compunction. He had almost
reached the stage Of INVESTIGATION
dubbed "maudlin"-this self-pity
was evidently a preliminary symp-
tom-and I must get rid of him at
the earliest possible moment
The Right Moment
Ny feeling was complicated by a
very real alarm for Lillian. 1t wasn't
like her TO delay in keeping any
engagement, and I knew that she
considered this appointment with
me CT the most vital Importance.
And ] hotly resented the careless
assurance concerning her safety just
expressed by the man to whom she
had been q loyal wife for SO many
years.
I realized. however that ] must
conceal my resentment, must man
age TO mislead the irresponsible man
beside me--in Dicky's parlance.
string him along and keep him
guessing L could manage TO
elude him.
took % step toward him as if
impaulsively. and spoke with q ca
joling infection for which ] hated
myself.
ct did not mean to offend you.
] said with an assumption of re-
gret and repentance. And have
changed my mind. ] viii be glad to
go with YOU and get something to
eat. But e"
But me not butts he quoted. The
eayety returning 10 his eyes and I
saw with little spasm Of anger
at my stupidity. that his maudlin
self-pity and sentimentalitv had
been assumed, that his mood was