New Britain herald., 1921-08-04


to the floor of the car.
If j had not been so worried l
should have had hard work to keep
smile back at this action, so char
acteristic of Dicky. He had been
angry enought to destroy them utterly,
but a canny something in the back
of his brain had made him crush IN
| stead of tear them and throw them
ito the carafloor from which they could
| be retrieved again, rather than to the
Winds That he meant me to see
| them later | was as sure as l was of
| the fact that he wished at this in
slant dramatically to indicate his de-
| termination never to look at the let
| eer again.
1t was my cue, I knew. I wonder
how many wives have studied their
hubands moods until they know
when it is safe to offer comment or
sympathy, or when it is wiser to keep
still. That Dicky might snap his an
swer at me 1 was well aware. but 1
also knew that he needed the outlet
which question of mine might give
him.
bad news, dear?" 1 asked quietly.
Dicky laughed unpleasantly.
!, Bad news - he reported with a
1
what you call bad ~news. OF course,
nobodys dead. but I might as well
be, in fact I'd just IS soon be dead
if what this letter indicates is true.
It's the beginning of the end for me,
all right -
Deep Dependency.
| Genuinely alarmed, 1 mechanically
| slackened the pace of the car, and
| glanced at him apprehensively. l
had heard similar speeches from his
| lips, but never one with such real
| feeling underneath it.
Wont you tell me about it. dear?"
| 1 asked softly.
"Oh, for goodness sake let me
] alone ~ he exclaimed pettishly. II
| that isn't a woman all over ! Give
you an inkling that there's trouble
| somewhere and you're like rabbit
| dog-there's no getting you off the
| trail until you've run it down. l
should think you'd LEARN after while
| that you can't butt into every thing
| that happens and be the cheerful lit
/ tie Fix-it-up. There are few things
| in the world that are beyond your aid
| and this happens to be one of 'em.'
/ AS he began this little TRADE I in
creased the speed Of the car, trying
] not to listen to 1T. I knew it almost
| by heart, for it is a form Of letting off
steam to relieve the tension of his
| own nerves in which he frequently
f, INDUCES. I know that he does not
| mean a hundredth part of what he
says, but it is that infinitesimal per
cent which always rankles like the
| tiny splinter lying at the base Of
! tester.
i
| 4 burst of speed, which served two
purposes. It gave vent to my own
4 irritation, and it diverted Dicky's at
tention.
What the devil are you trying to
do?" he Numbered. do you want to
i have this thing turn a somersault or
climb a tree? Don't you know you
: can't drive like that with this kind of
car? You're likely to kill both of US -
Il well - I drawled demure1y-for
despite my irritation at his rudeness
was secretly glad Of the opening he
had given me-fWeren't you saying
just now that you might as we'll be
i dead? And, of course, I wouldn't
want to live on without you. What
would ever become of me if 1 couldn't
| have my character formed by such in
teresting monologues as you have just
been giving me - .-
1 could feel Dicky's eyes staring
| amazedly at my carefully averted
| face. Then heard reluctant
| chuckle.
Eyes suppose I ought to live sc
as to improve your mind he said
| Then, With a quick reaction to 6
dependency which I had never be
fore seen in him, he added: But thi;
is no laughing matter, I can tell you
wish you'd stop the car and lool
over this blasted thing
He picked up the crumpled letter
from the floor of the car and begar
smoothing it out.