Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-08
What Marsden's Letter Meant to
Dicky.

Dlcky.
That something tar out OF the Or
dinary had happened to Dicky, the
news OF which was contained in the
letter he was smoothing out, was
sure. was certain OF something
else also, that whatever revelation
the letter contained, ! did not wish
to learn it on the public highway.
Therefore, l did not stop the car,
as he had suggested. but sent it
along at undiminished speed, speak
ing quickly. pleadingly, as | did SO.
"Oh, Dicky, please! We're almost
at the farm. I'll just give these
sulphur candles to Mrs. Ticer-
she's waiting for them, you know
and then let's go up on our hill. We
shan't be disturbed there, and you
can tell ME all about it,
"Oh, OF course, il Mrs. Ticer's
sulphur candles are OF more import
ance than my affairsH he began
ruffily, but my ear caught all intona-
ton of relief beneath his crustiness,
and ] knew that he in reality ap-
proved my suggestion.
It's No Use"
] did not answer hiIn-indeed, did
not speak again until we had turned
into the neglected, grass-grown
driveway OF the Dacey place, had
delivered the sulphur candles to Mrs.
Ticer, and then turned the car up
an old weedy cow-patch leading
past the barn to the pasture land on
the hillside. AS we reached it, |
parked the car in sucl, fashion that
the exquisitely etched view of roll
ing mea dows. woodland and church.
spired-village, with the ocean at the
end, should face my beauty loving
husband and comfort him, or at
least distract his attention.
But he only gave it his unusual
tribute of a long, silent, admiring
look, then turned back TO me with
a gesture which savored somewhat
OF actual despair What could
Marsden have written to make my
Peter Pan look like this?
It's no use, Madge.' Dicky said
heavily. "The only use can see
for this view is for me to do it over
and over again, and 80 around with
the little pictures under my arm
pcddling them. Look at thisP ~
He held out the crumpled pages
Of Marsden's letter to me.
DO You Wonder?
I scanned them curiously, seeing
what | always saw in Marsdens 5
letters. short typewriter page, die
tated to his stenographer. for office
inspection and record, and then a
letter written in his own rather &C.
centric chirography for Dickys
eyes alone, letter OF inside expla-
nation. intimtae, confidential, highly
indisereet ii it fell into certain
hands, but safe for Dicky-who
counts Marsden as one OF his best
friends-always destroyedd his prl-.
vate letters as soon as he had read
them.
took Up the official letter first.
"My Dear Mr.. Graham: | re-
gret to inform you that Mr..
Pennington is not satisfied with the
illustrations you have made for his
forthcoming book, In That Day.
We have vainly tried in every way
to alter his decision, but he abso-
lutely refuses to consider them, say
ing that they do not correctly inter-
pret the spirit OF his novel. As you
will no doubt remember, our agree
ment provided that Mr.. Penning-
tons approval was necessary Tor
the acceptance Of the illustrations.
l wish you would come into the
office that we may talk the matter
over. Please advise if you can
come in Monday. Mr.. Pennington
will be out of the city until then.
and, OF course, it is necessary that
he be at the conference. Cordially
yours,
"STEPHEN MARSDEN."
I put the page down, looking at
my husband with sympathetic,
frightened understanding OF his feel-
ing upon the receipt OF the letter.
! remember so we'll how frankly
overjoyed Dicky had been when
Marsden had given him the Penning-