The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-05-08

/ given both Dicky and his mother the
| impression that [ never had seen Mr.
Gordon before when my mother in-laN
| called my attention to his intent scrut.
| my of me from his vantage point o.!
| the next table to ours.
+ How I regretted that during our So.
| journ at the Cosgrove farmhouse IL
the Catskill mountains 1 had not tod
Dicky the whole truth concerning the
queer actions of Mr.. Gordon. l had
| had plenty of opportunity, but l had
| weakly let the explanation go by.
"Confession Is Good"
Dicky's step came quickly up thu
stairs; his knock sounded on my door
"Madge. let me in" he commanded
but the note of tenderness in his voice
was the influence that hurried my fin
gers in the turning of the key.
AS I opened the door he strobe in
past me. closed and locked the dou
again, and turning caught me in hi.
arms.
Don't you dare to cry." he stOrme3
kissing my Redeemed eyelids. "Arent
you ever going to get used to mother,
childish outbursts? You know sh'
doesn't mean what she says in thos,
tantrums of hers. She simply work:
herself up to a point where she's ali.
solutely irresponsible, and she has /.
explode or bust. You wouldn't like I.
see a perfectly good mother in law
strewn in fragments all over the room
simply because she had restrained hel
temper" he added with the quick tran
sition from hot anger to whimsca
good-nature that I always find so be-
wildering in him.
1 struggled for composurc. NJ
mother in laws words had been To-
scathing, her insult too direct for M
to look upon it as lightly as Dick
could, but the knowledge that he haC
come directly after me, and that h,
had no part in the resentment hi
mother showed. made it easy for me t,
control myself.
II ought to remember that youl
mother is an old woman, and an in
valid, and not allow myself to get an
CRY at some of the unjust things she
says" L returned. swallowing hard
$50 We'll just forget all about it ana
pretend it never happened"
you darling!" Dicky exclaimed
drawing me closer, and for a momen'
or two | rested in his arms, gatherinf
courage for the confession I meant t
make to him.
'Dicky dear" I murmured at las
there is something / want to tell yo
about this miserable business, some
thing ought to have told you beforC
but 1 kept putting it off,
Dicky held me off from him an,
looked at me quizzically. "Confessio'
is good for the soul" he quoted, "sC
unburden your dreadful secret
He drew me to an easy chair anC
sat down, holding me in his arm
as If l were a little child. "Now fol
it," he said, smiling tenderly at me.
"You Don't Know AL"
ut isn't so very terrible" I smilej
at him treasured by his tenderness
at is only that without telling you =
deliberate untruth l gave both vol
and your mother the impression that
had never seen Mr.. Gordon before tina;
night at the Sydenham"
as that all?" Knocked Dicky WHY
knew that the moment you spoke
you did that night You're as trans
parent as a child. my dear. and be-
sides, your elderly friend let the cat
out of the bag when he said he feaFed
he had annoyed you by trying TO t'ad
out your identity. ] knew you mus
have seen him somewhere"
You don't know ALL" I persisted
and then without reservation ] to'o
him frankly the whole story OF MI
Gordon's spying on me. Beginning WIZ
the hour in the Sydenham woman
parlor when first saw him gazing
me from the doorway through the j,
cidents at the the tea room where la
liam and I lunched, and at the IA iif' 10
station, down to the story Jim mad I''
me of Mr.. Gordon's bribtng OF. ~.
taxi driver TO ascertain my identity
omitted nothing.
When / had finished, Dickys ta''
had lost is quizzical look. He was
'frowning, not angrily, but as II p'"
zIed.
Don't think I blame you one Dill Il.
said, slowly, but it looks to me as =,
mothers dope might be right, as Il
the cid guy is smitten with you aiIer
ALL
(To Be Continued -