Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-15

Mrs. Hooper had walked from a long,
heavy sleep. induced by the potion which
the doctor had given her to drink. She
had opened her eyes and lay forNa long
time staring out into the darkness, try
ing to remember what mad happened be-
fore she had gone to sleep. That it was
night and not morning she knew because
of the quiet and darkness. Then she
recalled family that after the doctor had
gone she had taken Off her clothes and
slipped on her kimono, drank the liquid
he mad left In the glass and lain down
on the couch to rest She felt as II she
had been asleep d long time. She got
up and switched on the light and looked
at the little clock ticking away OF her
desk. 1t was half past twelve. She had
gone to sleep without preparing dinner
Poor Miss Ring-she supposed Helen had
given her something to eat out of the
ice box, but she felt very much ashamed
of having neglected the woman upon
whom she was 80 desperately depending
to save Bettys life. She put on her
slippers, fastened up her hair and hur-
ried out into tho hall. There was a strip
Of light under the door Of the sick room.
She knocked lightly when she heard MisA
Ring moving about inside.
I'm so sorry, Miss Ring" she began,
as the nurse opened a tiny crack In the
door, II went to sleep and you have had
no dinner. Can l bring you something
now?"
why, I've had a lovely dinner"
whispered the nurse. Helen fixed II on
the tray and left It on the kitchen table
and / slipped down and brought it up.
The doctor told her he had put you to
all M
a tray for me to eat but that she must
not come upstairs with it. But she gave
me a hot dinner. not the cold lunch that
the doctor said would be downstairs for
me. so l don't want anything. thank
you"
The nurse shut the door quietly so as
not to disturb her little patient
Mrs, Hooper continued on her way
downstairs wondering II Helen had ac-
tually cooked that dinner that she had
prepared before she went upstairs with
the doctor She and Roger were sound
asleep. Tiptoeing through the dining
room. she found evidence Of their having
spent the evening there studying, but
every sign of dinner had been carefully
cleared away. The dishes had all been
washed and the kitchen was in perfect
order. She proceeded TO the pantry and
opened the ice box. There was not the
least doubt that the dinner had been
cooked. served, eaten and everything put
away after It, quite as well apparently,
as she could have done it herself She
poured out a glass Of milk. aud put
some bread and butter and jam on
small tray and carried 1t out to the
kitchen table feeling hungry enough to
enjoy a light supper. She certainly felt
thrill Of satisfaction ut this evidence
that Helen had met the emergency so
well. She couid very easily have side
stepped as Mrs. Hooper herself had ex-
pected she had done, and have just gath
cred some cold food from the ice box
for herself and Roger and served Miss
Ring likewise, as the doctor had told
her TO do. Instead OF that some instinct
of pride had moved her 10 carry out
her mothers program and prepare dinner
quite as usual II certainly looked 20 II
Henry were wrong when he suggested
that the children had no initiative, but
she remembered that 1t was Of Roger
and not Helen that he mplained most.
II was Mrs. Hoo <r herself who believed
that Helen would never be a good house
keeper because she hated details, but she
was so pleased with her evenings work
that she was more Inclined than ever to
believe she had been doing her an In
Justice.
After she had washed up her dishes and
put them. quietly, away so as not to dis
turb Roger and Helen, who were sleep
ing go near the kitchen. She went to
the back door and was surprised to find
II unfaGtened. She looked out into the
yard and saw the long length Of garden
hose which should have been rolled up
and put in the basement The door
from the yard into the laundry was wide
open. and the garden tools were stand
ing In a careless knot against the back
stairs. Evidently Roger had neglected
to make his rounds and put things away
for the night She remembered with a