The Holly chieftain., 1922-11-09
V-ContInu~d.

nave tOld every one OF these women
that cock-and-bull story with which
she had come home. 1t might be all
over town. OF course, in that case he
could turn Lulu out-shOuld do so, in
fact. Still the story would be all over
town.
Dwight" said Lulu, 81 want Min
ian's address,"
Going to write to him!" Ina cried
incredulously.
81 want to ask him for the proofs
that Dwight wanted"
"My dear Lulu" Dwight said impa-
tiently, you are not the one to write.
Have you no delicacyf"
Lulu smiled-a strange smile, orig
mating and dying in one corner of
her mouth.
"Yes," she said $50 much delicacy
that l want to be sure whether I'm
married or not"
Dwight cleared his throat with
movement which seemed to use his
shoulders for the purpose.
81 myself will take this up with my
brother" he said Il will write to
him about it."
Lulu sprang to her feet. write to
him now" she cried.
"Really," said Dwight, lifting his
brOws.
"Now-nOw Lulu said. She moved
about, collecting writing materials
from their casual Judgments on shelf
and table. She set all before him
and stood by him. Write him now,"
she said again.
"My dear Lulu, don't be absurd"
She said: "Ina, help me. If 1t
was Dwight-and they didn't know
whether he had another wife, or not,
and you wanted to ask him-oh, don't
you see? Help me-"
Ina was not yet the woman to cry
for Justice for Its own sake, nor even
to stand by another woman. She was
primitive, and her instinct was to
look to her own male merely.
"Well," she said, "of course. But
why not let Dwight do 1t in his owp
wayf Wouldn't that be better?"
She put it to her sister fairly:
Now, no matter what Dwight's way
was. wouldn't that be better7
"Mother!" said Lulu. She looked
irresolutely toward her mother. But
Mrs. Bett was eating caradmom seeds
with exceeding gusto. and Lulu looked
away. Caught by the gesture, Mrs.
Bett voiced her grievance.
"Lulie," she said, "Set down: Take
off your hat, why don't you?"
Lulu turned upon Dwight quiet
face which he had never seen before.
you write that letter to Ninian,"
she said, "and you make him tell you
so you'll understand. know he
spoke the truth. But / want you to
| know"
'M-m." said Dwight "And then
suppose you're going to tell 1t all
over tOwn-as soon as you have the
proofs"
''Tm going to tell 1t all over town"
said Lulu, ''just as 1t is-unless you
write to him now"
"Lulu!" cried Ina. "Oh, you
wouldn't"
81 would" said Lulu. II will"
Dwight was sobered. This un-
imagined Lulu looked capable of 1t.
But then he sneered.
"And get turned out of this house.
as you would be2"
Dwight" J" cried his Ina. "Oh, you
/ wouldn'tw
II would" said Dwight. 81 will.
Lulu knows it."
II shall tell what l know and then
leave your house anyway" said Lulu
"unless you get Ninian's word. And
want you should write him now"
Leave your mother7 And Ina?" he
asked.
Leave everything" said Lulu.
"Oh, Dwight" said Ina, I'VE can't
get along without Lulu" She did not
say in what particulars, but Dwight
| knew.
Dwight looked at Lulu, an upward,
sidewise LOOK, with a manner of peer
ing out to see II she meant 1t. And
| he saw.
He shrugged, pursed his lips crook
edly, rolled his head to signify the in
expressible. "Isn't that like wom-
an7' he demanded. He rose. "Rather
than let you in for show of temper"
he said grandly, I'D do anything"
| he wrote the letter. addressed It.,
his hand elaborately curved in secrecy
about the envelope. pocketed 1t.
"Ina and I'll walk down with you
to mail it," said Lulu.
Dwight hesitated frowned. His Ina
watched him with consulting brows.
II was going" said Dwight, "to pro-
pose little stroll before bedtime"
He roved about the room. "Where's
| my beautiful straw hat? There's moth
ing like brisk walk to induce sound,
restful Sleep" he told them. He
| hummed a bar.
you'll be all right. mother?" Lulu
| asked.
Mrs. Bett did not look up. "These
cardamon hev got little mite too