The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-28
Why Dir. Petit Took Madse To Lillian
Underwood and How He Said
"Good- by"

Underwood and ROW ne Sato
"Good-by."
Up TO the moment that DicIy and |
faced each other at the foot of the
stairs leading from the private dining
rooms of Ristori's, / would have as
serted confidently that | knew every
mood and tense of my husbands tenn
peramentaI nature. But his behavior
in the unusual combination Of circum-
stances surrounding our unexpected
meeting gave me glimpse Of him from
an entirely new standpoint.
He must have seen the cropping ges-
t1h-e with which l turned to Or. Petit.
must have heard the little heartbroken
cry gave when saw him come down
/ the stairs from what i was sure was
one of the private dining-rooms with
Edith Fairfax, the art student from
Virginia But whether ne read the
gesture and cry correctly at my
amazed wifely protest at his being
there with the girl, who, / was sure,
cared for him, or whether ne inter
! preted them as expressions. of dismay
on my part at his seeing me with DR..
Petit, whom he detested, l could not
determine
4
casual friendliness he smilingly bowed
ito me, made a careless gesture of
greeting to DR.. Petit. and with muir
INJURED word TO the. girl at his side,
drew her on toward the door.
| But 1 was certain that Dicky had
caught a swift glimpse of me before I
had seen him. His action was 800
deliberately natural to be absolutely
spontaneous. wondered whether un-
derneath his suave exterior there did
| not Turk a blazing wrath at DR.. Pet
| tit and me, which only his horror of
/ a scene enabled him to smother.
Thoughts That Trouble.
| And at the thought I discovered
something in my own nature which
didn't know was there. ] have al
ways had a little feeling of secret con-
tempt for the type of woman whose
! primitive mind gauges the strength of
her husbands love by his exhibitions
of jealousy. But I realized as l saw
my husband walk carelessly away from
me that WANTED him to be angry
at me for disregarding his wishes and
accepting DIR. Pettit's invitation to
luncheon before mis- departure for
South America. l felt almost as if
would rather Dicky had greeted me
with blows than with the airy indiffer-
enee he had exhibited For / feared
that the reason for his tolerance was
now at his side, walking away from
me, taking my husband with her.
There must have been something
about my demeanor far different from
that exhibited by Dicky, for 1 felt DR..
Pettit's hand upon my arm, steadying
me, pushing me ever so gently into
chair by the door.
"Sit down here for minute, he
said, and / subconsciously noted that
his tone was again that of the physi-
clan. with no trace Of the whirlwind
of emotion which had swept him but
few minutes before.
"oh! l must get away from here," I
whispered wildly, for with hysterical
injustice l felt as if DR.. Petit were
alone to blame for my suffering. If
he understood my feeling. he made no
sign, his voice retaining its cool, pro-
fessional tone
"of course" he assented. Il win
call a taxi at once. You will wish 10
go to Mrs. Underwood's 1 suppose
Shall 1 telephone her for you and see
if she's at home"
III WON'T De necessary, i spoke
with sudden vigor. for the very thought
of Lillian was like a stimulating
draught. she is never away on Mon
day 1t is one of the days she works
at home"
Very we'll"
The Parting.
He did not speak again until we
were seated in the taxi, for TO my sur
prise he had entered il with me- / felt
as if l couldn't bear his presence, and
yet could not protest against his com
ing with me.
Il would leave you to yourself, if I
dared" he said, as he seated himself
beside me, but in your present ner-
vous state you need some one with you
When you reach Mrs. Underwood. /
however, I'm sure you will be all right"
He put me in Lillian's care with the
same grave, impersonal manner, and
then bent toward me.
"Goodby, Mrs. Graham" he said,
quietly 81 have your fathers address
safe And / will do everything in my
power for him, no matter what comes
The words We're quiet, but they had
in them the quality of a vow. AS II
mel his eyes 1 saw that the man was
suffering, that he had read correctly
my aversion to his presence after our
meeting with Dicky and Edith Fairfax.
and was endeavoring to make his parts