New Britain herald., 1921-03-29

self would I ieopardizo her health. Dicky had not put the matter to me for decision. but I had an intuition that he would not attempt to see tho people who had bought the house until after he had talked further with me. | must be ready to back him up in his decision to get the place back. Then I must find some place for Lillian near us, for the summer at least. To me, alarmed as l was by my own observation of Lillian's physical weakness, and Dicky's re- my friend from the consequences of her collapse. the most imperative task confronting me was protecting my friend from tn consequences of her own reckless expenditure of time and strength.
 I bathed and dressed quickly. Hear ing no one astir in the house, l won dered apprehensively whether Dicky might not have been mistaken in his optimism concerning Katie's remain ing with us. But when I had de- scended the stairs I hear the mur- mcr of voices in the dining room.
 opened the door upon Lillian, Marion and Dicky at breakfast. with Katie serving them as serenely as if her tantrum of yesterday never had been.
 Well, look who's here - Dicky exclaimed, getting to his feet.
 Good morning, everybody" I re- turned sedately. Katie, are those really some of your sour milk pam cakes that l see? I hope you haven't baked them all for these people.
 .I Realize My Condition.'
 Knowing my little maid as l do, swiftly decided at my first glimpse of her that my best course would be absolutely to ignore the happenings of the day before. That I was justi- fled in my course, Katie's embar- rassed happy giggle proved.
 Sure ting :" she enrolled happily. "Dey shoost de kind you always say so goot. Me. I got plenty out in kitchen. Want some now or have your fruit and cereal first ?''
 Just grapefruit, no cereal Katie, not with those pancakes coming" returned pleasantly. Then sat down in the chair Dicky pulled out for me and looked attentively at Lil- Han. She had a rested look. as if she had had a good nights sleep, but her face was slightly flushed. and I guessed that she had been having an argument of some sort with Dicky.
 Have you finished your breakfast, sweetheart" ?" she asked her small daughter, and at the child's affirma- tive. she added: Then don't you want to run over to see Auntie Dur kee for few minutes?"
 Marion frapturously assented. and skinned out of the room with her mothers eyes fondly following her. When the door had closed behind her. Lillian turned to me, lowering her voice so that even so assidous a listener as Katie would have had no chance to -overhear her.
 "The Dicky- bird chirps." she drawIed, that he is going to make an effort to get back this house from the people to whom he sold it. Cross questioning of the youth has elicited the fact that one reason for his ac- tion is the fear that I will get hard ening of the arteries or heart failure or fallen arches or something of the sort If I help you to go home-hunting, to say nothing of moving.
 Now. laying aside the fact that never in this world will he get this place out of the clutches of that dame who was here yesterday-I'H lay you ten to one on that Dicky- there still remains this which I'd like your assistance. Nadge, in getting through his skull:
 "I realize just as much as you do, better. my own condition. It is for that reason, for one thing, that I am planning to move to the country, and get out of the whirl of things. I want to buy a little place, and I want it near you, but I don't want it in Marvin. for reasons which I do not care to go into now. So you will please not upset the apple cart on