South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-16

fanxious 10 get mold Of you He said
\ Do was very important. I'm sorry 20
take him away. Mr. Smithers, but
/ ''Oh. understand perfectly" Mr.
I Smithers said graciOusly, and when
I we N2rerc out of earshOt Dicky said
I with a wide grin.
/ Il suppose that call Of Mather's
was the one he put in yesterday"
/ "Of course I returned demurely
Ne faithful spousel" Dicky ex-
/ claimed dramatically. you have
saved my life. and YOU shall be re
/ Warded. Little YOU know your good
/ fortune. You think YOU married an
/ ordinary man, but let me beg 10 in
I form YOU that YOU are best mans
wife. or viii be when old Aft jumps
over the broOmstick"
At Dicky's atrocioUs pun / caught
my breath in startled recognition Of
| the meaning Of Alfred Durkee's
I query to Leila. This must be the
thing which he had expected ner 10
tell me. a little warning voice in
( my subcOnsciOusness made me dis
semble for moment
Please translate into United
. States. DicSy." I said laughing. Il
haven't the slightest idea Of what
you mean"
He looked at me quizzically
NOW ] wonder if you're really
dense or are just pretending for
some unknown reason of your own"
ne said shTewdly. However, I'll
I elucidate Firstly, Meester Alfred
Durkee, Esq. is to be married. Ergo.
he is to be n bridegroom. Secondly,
he needs a best man Thirdly. 1 am
or he says 1 am. his best friend.
Ergo, / am chosen 10 be II! The
whole works. His best man! QuOd
90 demOnstrandumi Do you see?"
II see L returned, inUOluntariiy
laughing at his ridiculous farrago
with it's jumbled mixture OF terms,
but secretly more disturbed at his
news than / would have cared TO let
any one perceive. For. Of course.
knew, as did we all. that Edith Fair
fax was 10 be her sisters maid OF
honor. and L could not rise above
the foolish feminine feeling that 1
could not bear 10 see my husband so
closely and Economically associated
with her. as he would be in the re-
lation Of best man and maid OF
honor at a wedding.
But / saw that Dicky was elated
at the news. that Tor some reason
he was pleased as Punch because
Alfred had givtn hi mthe honor, and
1 resolved that 1 would let no fool
ish Jealous thought of mine disturb
him.
How splendid" I forced as much
enthusiasm into my tone as I could
manage. This means a trip south
for you, doesn't it?"
He looked at me quizzicalIy, his
eyes dancing. L saw that he was IN
one of his teasing moods, and 1 pre-
pared to discount everything he
said.
cor course" hreturned. Don't
you wish that you were I? l really
feel very sorry 70 ryOu, poor dear,
indeed / do. condemned to the rain
and snow and sleet W.T. always get up
here in the spring, while 1 bask in
the sunshine and roses and straw
berries and watermelons OF North
Carolina"
you must he contemplating an
extended stay" I commented Ce-
murely. Il never have been south.
but L have always been led to sup
pose that roses and Strawberries are
not due for several weeks to come
in the CarOlinas. and watermtlons-
are you really going to be gone so
I long from home. Dicky, dear?"
He suddenly stretched his arms
Of man held up by a midnight ma
rauder, calmly ignoring the scandal
lied amusement OF two women on
the other side OF the street.
Don't shoot! III come down, d"
he quoted
'Dicltyl" I protested IN a whisper
! Do stop! See! those women are look
ing at YOU"
What a treat they're havingl'' he
retOrted. iii give them another"
To my horror. he lowered his
arms. faced the women, both OF
|, whom were known only by sight to
me. swept of his hat and made them
q low obcisance savOriug more OF
. feudal times than il did OF the pres
ent day. Then he turned 70 me and
offered me his arm with cOurtly
grace. bur with such a devil Of
amusement in his eyes that 1 felt
p compelled to take IL for Of what
, worse thing he might do next. And
: "a I walked down the street In this
ridiculous fashion / was sure that
the report Of my husbands probable
] access to some hidden store Of in
tOxicants was already on tht wing
b. in Marvin. He shot a sly look at
, me rs we turned the corner OF our
5 own street.
Mad by me?" he coaxed.
r You know better" ] returned.
giving hts arm a little squeeze. And.
b indeed, his good humor was infec-
g tous I have always found IL i'm
( possible TO be angry with Dicky
2 when he is one Of his IRRESPONSIBLE