South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-09-12
Revelations "a Vile egoA ASSs5

Edith Fairfax climbed into the
seat beside me while Mrs. Durkee
volleyed directions after her. As the
car rolled down the road we heard
a last shrill injunction:
Don't forget the
The last word was lost in the noise
of the engine.
'If that woman doesn't land her
self and the rest of us in a sanitarium
instead Of at the dinner table tonight
it won't be her fault" Edith said,
with distinct irritation in her crisp
tones.
Her manner of speech again
brought forcibly TO my mind the
great change which her war work
abroad had made in her. She had
left the country a gently bred, rath-
er helpless. rather frivolous southern
girl, with the soft, drawing voice Of
the type. She had returned keyed
up to efficiency above the average,
with crisp-clipped accents, some
thing akin to the speech of the Eng
lish women with whom she had been
thrown in her work, and with an in
definable cool hardness about her
made no reply for a few sec
onds, pretending to be engrossed
with the mechanism of the car. Her
little critical speech had Jared upon
me, although, mentally, I had been
making identically the same COM
ment. But I feel toward little Mrs
Durkee as one does to a beloved rel
alive. 1 can criticise her myself men
tally. can see where she was al fault.
but I don't care to listen to unfavor-
able comment upon her from any
one else. Besides. the little woman
was atOning royalty for the uncon-
scious unkindness and bad judgment
Of her choice decorations for Leila s
room, and it did not seem just club
| by" on Edith's part TO comment,
even jestingly. upon the furry caused
by that change in the plans Of Her
Fluffiness.
L think the worst is over" said
sedately at last. The draperies are
all ready to put up, her dinner is
practically ready, except for the last
things. and I think she will be all
/ right by dinner time. It's been rath-
er a tense day for her, changing
things at the last minute"
It's been rather tense for the rest
Of US Also Edith answered, but I
haven't observed you or me or Mrs.
Underwood flying around like head
less fowls
Possibly because we haven't the
responsibility Of the whole thing
resting on our shoulder" 1 rejoined,
with as careless a manner as l could
manage, but I felt Edith's quick turn
and searching glance at me, and /
knew that she had missed nothing
Of the annoyance 1 was trying TO
conceal
She made no answer TO my little
speech, but a few yards further on
she spoke quickly, with an air Of
resolution. as II the utterance of the
words were something she had been
debating with herself.
There's one thing I want yoU 20
know" she said, and I fancied that
her breath was a bit uneven. This
excursion with you was not of my
{
I must &C. l know that you are go
ing TO meet Di-your husband-and
I can imagine that with this mix-up
over at your house 10 explain 10 him
YOU won't want any outsiders around.
But II you'u just drop me at the
delicatessen on the way 10 the sta
ton. and pick me up again at the
florists on your way home III have
all the errands done, except the Sc
lection Of the flowers. I want your
help in that. and so does Mrs. Dur
kee"
II was lucky that I had a clear
street IN front OF me as I listened 10
this speech, for I don't think I had
any idea of what I was doing. II
astounded and offended me. although
I gave the girl credit for the desire
20 play fair. which was evidently the
incentive for her words.
The cool assumption that Dicky
would be unpleasant over the house,
the quickly caught-back syllable Of
"Di." and the substitution OF your
husband" irritated me. Above al.
the memory, which Will never leave
me while I have the power 10 re-
member. OF this girls scathing words
20 me. You pretend 10 love him,
but you do not love him as I dot
these combined 20 make my fight for
self-control a fierce. racking battle.
accomplished II, however, and
managed TO appear casually protest
ing in my answer.
There isn't the slightest reason
why you shouldn't so 10 the station
with me-" I said, then laughed light
" You surely don't think I am so
inexperienced as 10 leave Dicl1y in