New Britain herald., 1921-12-09

fashion than he had just used. My | heart was singing with cruel rlatiou Hs 1 listened tn l}oss Deans ruturt. 1 eIauon that wUs augmented hy tho . Knowledge which 1 knew she ulso 1 possessed, that both Mir. CosRroye and 1 Fred had heard every word nf . DicNy's speech before departing on l their trip 10 the shore for the fish and tackle
 Flow well you tell it." she laughed, l "Madgc, don't you believe word l he's saying 1 would he no true i lady friend to you if I didn't tell you 1 that he's simply trying To square himself with you, | didn't mean to 1 give him away but since he's 50 un- gallant I'm going to spill the beans. i He was trying To hold my hand all | the way but l thought Of you, dcarie, and repcll-ll-ed him. But hc needs discipIining, and stern eye kept on ] him."
 Madgc Rcioiccs.
 "Il discipline nlm," I promised, laughing, when I get him home" "Yes, I'll bet she'll put salt on my broken head, just on account of you, Bess Dean,' Dicky groancd in mock terror. Say, I'll wait hundred years to get even with you for stir ring up Madge's awful jealousy like this!"
 Then we all laughed, and if there was slightly hollow sound to our mirth there was no one but outselves to hear it, As if by psychic un- spoken consent We stopped the ban diage and talked of the carefully i'm personal things which are always such refuge in a strained situation until Fred and his father came back with the fish and the poles.
 By the time we reached home we were all so physically weary that l do not think any mental emotion mattered to any of us And then Dicky and I were in our own shack, and I gently pushed him into a big chaE and brought a pillow for his head
 q didn't fuss when there were people around" I said determincdy, but you may as well submit with a good grace now. I'm going to take care of that head if l have to tie you hand and foot to do it."
 All right" he growled yet there was tenderness in his voice. But if fall asleep while you fussing and you wake me up, the angels in their infinite mercy help you"
 Pooh! who's afraid? I mocked as I lighted my canned heat stove, put on my tiny tea kettle of water aud prepared basin and gauge and ,lress- ings And, indeed, my heart was lighter than it had been since Bess Dean appeared at the boarding house I never had been actually jealous oi her, never really feared her, but she had made me most uncomfortable, and I rejoiced at her discomlitnre, and at my own surmise that she would find some ruse to advance the date of her departure.
 While l waited for the water to boil and then cool again, Dicky told me of the information Kronish had given him.
 "Docs Lillian Know?"
 "Knonish didn't know smiths plans, I am certain of that But he was the Man Friday who did what ever he was told. Smith told him to- night to swear that he had been in the inn since before dinner, when in reality Kronish knew that he was gone for two hours before the trooper was brought in and that when he did come back, secretly by a rear path, he was sweating, winded, as If he had been running, and his clothing was in a frightful state of dishevel- ment, as if he had been crawling on the ground, which, of course, we know he had. It seems he always kept a complete wordrobe at the inn, and loom to himself there, so he could change at any time. Hes bird that chap! Wonder what's at the bottom of all this. Do you suppose Lillian knows?''
 "I haven't the slightest idea" re- piled truthfully. When she gave me the badge she told be she had hunch I might need it, but she said that she was not speaking from any knowledge, just from intuition
 Not from any specific knowledge of this case, perhaps Dicky reJolned sagely, but I'll bet she has some background somewhere against which this will show up. Trust old Lii for having all the threads or getting them. But you keep out of it all you can. If there's got to be any saving of the world let the other fellow do it for change. Isn't that water right let?"
 N"Just,' I pronounced upon inVestl- gation, and proceeded with the wash ing and dressing of his head, finding that it was indeed but slight wound, which required only the attention l could give 1t. Dicky squirmed and swore, raved at my awllwardness, threatened to put on the bandages himself-registcring all the usual masculine stunts in such circlm- stances-but when the ordeal was finished he drew me down on his knee, kissed me warmly, then held me off. looking at me quizzically,
 You little devil.' he said, "l meant to pay you back tonight for the way you've been throwing me at 1 Bess Deean's head l was going to give you good dose of your own medicine, let you wonder if l really had succumbed to the ladys charms. But you were such a trump down there that I just couldn't. Kiss me