The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-28

mother and the father whom / had
never known, who was worse than
dead to me.
AS we entered the doors of the
Sydenham had one of my swift, I'M
reasoning premonitions that 1 would
hear disagreeable news. / tried to
shake it off, but the impression
strengthened as l watched Dicky hur-
rying across the lobby to the desk to
register.
I saw him in earnest colloquey with
the clerk, then. with a face express
ing annoyance and dismayed wonder,
he came swiftly back toward me.
what is the matter, Dicky?" / ask
ed, excitedly, clutching his arm; ais
your mother i'll? What has happen
ed?"
He shook off my hand impatient1y.
Don't be an idiot, Madge," he said
GROSSLY, "just because you know how;
there's nothing the matter with moth
err, except her usual brand of blasted
foo1ishness. She simply checked out
yesterday, and left without leaving any
address,
I sank blankIy into the nearest chair,
and looked at him in open consterna-
ton.
'eW11yi Whatever do you suppose
made her do such a thfng?"
do you think I'm a mind reader?"
demanded Dicky truculently. How do
you suppose / know what she's taken
it into her head to do? There's no use
standing here. come on up to our room
and we'll get busy on the telephone.
mo use unpacRing until we find out
what mothers up to, I suppose" he
threw back over his shoulder as he
.aook down the receiver. "Don't stand
there staring though, sit down and be
comfortable.
Lillian Knows Nothing.
I knew the number he would call
even before heard him give it to the
telephone girl. 1t was Lillians. If it
had been a predicament of my own 1,
would have called Lillian just as
Dfcky had, although | had known her
a SO much shorter time than had he.
People turned instfnctively to Lillian
Underwood for help in an emergency.
Her GOODNESS, her resourcefuiness. her
ready wit, above all her spontaneous
willingness to help, made her a tower
of strength
/ listened breathlessly to Dicly's
himself and Lillian, who evidently had
answered the phone herself. I could
tell by his questions and answers that
Lillian did not know anything of his
mothers whereabouts.
"rll have Madge call you up as soon
as I get the house." he said finally
and hanging up the receiver turned
to me with an annoyed frown on his
face.
"I.ii says she hasn't a ghost of an
idea what has happened" he explain
ed hurriedly .She thinks she may
have gone out home to Marvin. Says
she called on mother twice while we
were gone: once the day after we left,
when mother received her very cor
daily, and again the day before yes
terday, when the mater froze her stiff.
She said mother seemed to be in a
terrible wax about something.
Suppose you call the house, Madge,
you can make Katie understand better
than / can. / suppose. of course. she
and Jim are back by this time.
'tOh. yes" I returned. as I went to
the telephone. you know they were
side of a week.
EOCaIGu AZ LAST
Dfeky Tnuttered something uncom-
r1imentary concerning the ability OF
any blasted pot wa1loper' to keep a |
promise, but I pretended not TO hear
him. I resented his language concerns |
ing Katie, who had proved my very
good friend. but had no wish to add /
to Dicky's annoyance. |
To my relief it was Katie's voice |
that came to my ear over the tele-
phone. I had feared that IL my moth |
err law were indeed at the Marvin /
house she might answer the phone, /
and I had no desire to hear the brunt /
of her iispleasure. IL she were. as
Lillian described her. ain wax over |
something" /
But Katies tones were not her usual l
ones. fun of caroiling light -hearted-
ness. Instead of the familiar, ooh. /
aTissis Graham IS dot your so gladl" /
with which she vas wont to greet a |
cali OF mine over the telephone, her
answer was low and cautioux ayAAj