Omaha daily bee., 1922-06-05
MyNarriage
Problems
Adele csrrissn's Nss Phase a
Revelations of a Wife"
Why Msdge's Path in Katie Began
70 Tofter
tcopyright is22l


10 Totter.
Whether Allen Drake Jaw the low
appraisal which ] pu, upos his rather
banal pleasantrles, or tired OF the
game himself. do not know. Al,
any rate, he attempted no more badin-
age. Indeed, we did not exchange a
dozen words. aside from the eonven-
tional general talk OF the dinner table,
during the hours intervening between
his arrival and 10 o'clock, the hour
Lillian had named for the confer
ence."
When dinner was announced Allen
Drake and my father came down the
stairs together, absorbed in low
toned talk. ] had a swift impression
that there was something going on
out OF the habit OF even their ad-
venturous lives. And yet there had
been no opportunity ior Lillian TO tell
them anything OF the chain OF events
which had led her 10 summon them.
Was their attention busted with
some problem altogether different
IRON hers, or could it be possible that
when we came 10 lay our cards upon
the table, we should find that we all
were bidding the same suit,
! tingled with excitement as the
thought came 10 me, and all through
the dinner ] felt as though there
were something electric in the air.
could hardly constrain myself TO 81,
demurely in my place and to sustain
my small portion Of the table talk,
which Lillian and Allen Drake Kept
going ! guessed, more to keep my
mother-in-law interested than because
they wished to make conversation.
Katie Il Agitated.
Ny father. however, spoke rarely,
and almost in monosyllables, but as
he is often silent. his preoccupation
was apparently unnoticed. But !.
furtively watching him, wondered
what was worrying him. anxious for
the hours to 60 by and give me the
opportunity to tell him about the
mysterious man whom ! had met in
the delayed train beneath the East
river, realized with amazement that
another pair of eyes-Katie's-were
watching him as furtively as were
mine.
In addition, the girl appeared un-
accountably agitated whenever her
serving duties brought her near TO
him. She seemed actually to shrink
from handing him any of the deli !
cious dishes she had prepared for the
dinner. She acted for all the world,
l told myself, as might child who |
had committed some direful offense
against family laws, and expected
a blow every time she came within
reach of wrathful parental hand.
For the first time. Lillian's patent
suspicion of my little maid found an
echo in my heart. The girl certainly |
was acting in most suspicious
manner, if she were entirely inno-
cent Of completely in the deviltry
fathered by Smith at the Briggs |
farm, and Joe in the hospital.
/ looked around the table. fearful
lest the others had seen what l had
But apparently no one had noticed |
Katie at ALL Yet l knew Lillian we'll
enough to be certain that she, at
least, was cognizant of the girls
queer actions, no matter how absorb
ed she appeared to be in my mother
in-law's lament over the frost which
had nipped the asters in the prime OF
their blooming.
Sinister Undercurrents."
Nv thoughts few back TO the |
letter Mother Graham had written
me when I was in the Catskill
mountains, the letter which had told
of the girls "snooping"-my moth |
er-in-law's inelegant but expressive
word-around the house, and her
thorough cleaning of my fathers |
room, with her desperate fit of cry
ing afterward.
Mother Graham had insisted that
the girl had been hunting for some-
thing in my fathers room and had
failed to find it, hence her despair. |
Was it possible that later she had
I pulled myself together with a
remorseful look at the face of my
faithful little maid. / would not |
condemn her until / was compelled
to do so, I promised myself.
l was glad, indeed. when the din
ner was over, and l rose, with the |
signal to Katie to serve our alter
dinner coffee in the living-room. We
grouped ourselves around the. fire.
place, and my father bent to the
logs, tongs in hand, and arranged
them to his liking so that they be- |
gan to blaze merrily. A scene less |
suggestive of sinister melodramatic |
undercurrents could not well be |
imagined, but I think each of the
group around the fire-save my !
mother-in-law and Marion-was |
tense. watchful, uneasy.
"Time for bed, DEAR" Lillian
softly said to her small daughter,
after a few minutes before the fire.
Marion obediently climbed down i
from my fathers laa, where she had
been ensconced, kissed him good |
night, and crossed to her mother, for
the embrace which is always her
parting caress.
IF you'll excuse me-" my mother
in-law said with a poorly suppressed
yawn, II think I'll go upstairs. also.
I'm pretty tired tonight"
We all rose, of course, to speed
her on her way, and under cover of
the courtly good nights of my
father and Allen Drake. l heard
Liliian's murmured voice.
Careful! Face straight! Keep an
eye on Katie. Make an excuse to !
see her into bed yourself Don't let |
her come out OF her room while