South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-23

Why had Bess Dean come to Cold
Spring?
The question puzzled me as II
sauntered along the curving road
with Junior clinging tightly TO my
hand. while Marion and the girl
with whom my thoughts were occu-
pied walked behind us.
That, whatever her motive, she
was bent upon making herself
agreeable to every one l knew from
the effort she was putting forth 10
entertain Marion-the child was in
a gale Of laughter before we had
gone a few yards And a distinct
effort on my former colleagues part
I knew it 10 be. for she is one of
those hers-successful in the
more material sense of pedagogy
who rule their pupils with martinez
discipline. al stage star perform
ances in the line Of final examina-
tions. but who detest their charges
cordially, and are the object of an
equally arden. hatred upon the part
Of their victims think the word is
q legitimate one That she was
bored ain ost 10 extinction"-a
phrase I used frequently TO hear
upon her Hps-by Marion, I had no
doubt. and her assiduous attention
10 the child made more insistent the
question lurking beneath the hos
pitable attitude I had forced myself
10 adopt toward her.
Madge's Wish.
That Dicky was somewhere in her
scheme of things l was sure. but /
ACQUITTED her OF any deep-seated in
terest in him. She is of altogether
too cool-blooded, too -centered a
nature 10 let any man sway her in
terest or her emotions to any great
extent. 1 finally decided that the
story she had told me of reading my
description Of the region, and de-
Gliding 10 come up was true as far as
il went. but I was sure that the de-
sire TO avenge her vanity-her rul-
ing weakness-of the wound given
it by Dicky's refusal to let her pose
for him. a refusal for which she
Justly held me responsible, had a
great deal TO DO with her CHOICE OF
this particular portion of the Cat
skills for the last two weeks Of her
vacation.
And 1 was more than sure that
she would not rest until she had ac-
complshed the object that had
brought her There was no melo-
drama in Bess Dean. I need fear
nothing startling as the result Of her
visit, but l knew that until she left
the section there would be a success
sion Of petty pin-pricks for me, with
the more than possibility of some
bizarre and humiliating episode
which should involve Dicky
Civilization and the usages of po-
lite society are terribly in the way
sometimes. If I could have follow
ed my primitive instinct and spoken
my real thoughts / would have turn
ed upon her, CURLY babe her stop
pretending 10 like Marion. and told
her that entertaining her at the Cos
grove house was an impOssibility.
Instead, l jointed smilingly in the
conversation from time to time. and
when we saw Dicky lounging at the
gate waiting for us. lifted my voice
and called him 10 hurry TO meet her.
as II she were a long-lost sister.
"This Is Too Much"
Dicky is 10 be counted on in every
social emergency. He always gauges
correctly the mentality and temper
ament of each person he meets, and
tempers his greeting accordingly. To
Miss Dean he was gay. flamboyant,
exaggerated, as at my call. and after
swift look at her, he Strengthened
from his lounging position and strobe
swiftly toward US.
1T is 1t isn't. 1t can't be. but il
1 q al
pressiveness calculated to make any
woman unused TO him believe that
he had been thinking of nothing save
her since he had last seen her.
He held out both his hands as he
spoke. and took her entirely willing
ones within his with an apparently
/ fervent pressure. But ] have seen
him give exactly the same greeting
! 10 many women in the years since
I married him, some attractive,
some distinctly the opposite, some
positive studio freaks. 1 knew that
il meant absolutely nothing but his
instructive reading of the vanity Of
/ the women he had thus greeted.
/ And also caught a humorous. half
dismayed lifting OF his eyebrows
4 across Bess Deans unconscious
head, a marital signal. which meant:
I Whatever shall we do with her."
Ii was not with Dicky's reactions
1 that I was concerned just then, but
with Bess Deans. l was curious 10
see how she took Dicky's greeting Of
her, and my opinion OF her acute
{ ness mounted several degrees as
saw that she recognized It's exact
! worth.
She tipped her head saucily TO one
side and surveyed him with a quiz
zical glance.
You're quite overpowered. aren't
you ," she said. with a malicious
little smile. DO you think you can
stand the happy shock OF knowing
+ that I'm going 20 stay two weeks IL
4 / can find some one 10 take me-"
Two weeks" Dicky echoed. This
is too much-happiness," he finish
cd. after a mischievous pause. But
let us not stand here for all the
yokels 20 gaze at our blissful re-
union. Prithree. come with me 10
yonder seat beneath the forest mon
arch and relate 20 me the tale OF
your adventures and conquests since
I saw you last Good wife" loftily
TO me, with what was intended as an
I imitation or a mediaval husband.