New Britain herald., 1922-07-05

much money in it,l although the N
 wards are sometimes quite satsfac tory, but"
 "oh ! Ia loveAto '" cried i'm retuously, Then I stopped abrupt, al recollection brought by the quick gances, evidently involuntary, which Lillian and my father both shot al me. l knew instim,tively that in their minds was the saspe question which had sprung into mine chilling my enthusiasm in my newly discovered power.
 What would DAcky say?
 Is Madge Not Desired At the
 COnflcrcnce? | Lillian saved tAe day for me, as al- ways,
 With her quicA perceptions. she had seen how my enfhusiastic response to Allen Drake's request that l help him | in his code work had been chilled by the sudden thohstnt of Dicky's certain reaction to such' a proposition. And she knew, of cuurse, that did not wish Allen Drake to see my dismay. II wished lata3r to rescind my prom
 se, I could htaire plausible excuse ready. All thtse things I was sure were back Of fner drawing comment
 "Just-a-noment, Allen, dear. I'm this prima d0nnas' manager, if any body should hppen 10 ask you. and she haint goin7 in no new profesh un- less l say so And you'll have to come across handsome with my bit first So we'll sign no contract today. Resides, We haven't any time for dating up new stars. Do yot realize that we've got a stffish bit of work cut out for us in the next few days getting line on some of the names Madge has decod- cd for us9 This chap. Warden, for instance. Isn't he the one"
 A knock oni 1.-the door startled us all It was q, majestic knock, a knock that plainly meant business with not the slightest nons1nse about it, knock which We all knew could come only from my august mother-in-law.
 You're flight" Mir. Drake said in a low tone, with a delft movement gatheringt upi the papers on the table and depoeifitng them in his breast pocket. When can we confer? To- morrow nsrrning, Chief"
 Haze You Forsotteno"
 My fathe,- had moved toward the door and had his hand on the knob.
 Yes lse4 said laconically. Then he threw opentthe door, and my mother in-law-nkaAestic but for wonder, good natl&ed--confronted us
 Have you all forgotten it's dinner time?" she demanded Dinners been ready a quarter of an hour I told that ape of ks Katie to call you, and she had. But when l went .nto the kitchen just now she was sit Ing with herAapron over her head and said she wasAafraid to come up here for fear somebne'd say she was list ening at doors. I'm glad somebody's put the prope.' fear into her. But you'd better hurry down. Nothing will be fit to edt''
 She turned swept majestically iway, and Lillian, called after her re- assuringly: "Can' the roll in three minutes, and ,weln all answer present"
 Very well.s'' ca me the dignified an- 'wer, and Lillian. turned to us.
 That gives Num. two minutes for ,rinking she ,sestimated. Come Llong Madge."
 spurred by the thought of Mother Graham being kepd waiting for her llnner, with the lawful congealing of fer mood which tsuch a catastrophe inevitably entails, we were downstairs n second or tvap less than the ap- pointed time, andAmet my father and Allen Drake at the, dining-room door.
 Madge Is Disappointed
 Pipe katie,' LiIAan whispered, and he sight of my tamperamental little maid was one calculated to bring a mile to the most .serious face. She had deciHfef that our tardi- ess was a deliberate insult to her inner, and katie'st offended dignity s something marvellous to behold. tatuesque and forAidding, she stood n the door leading ta tbe kitchen with he manner of a pason, varder watch ng the inmates file>in to.supper. And rhen we were seared she moved round the table with stately mien, 'assing the dishes as if.they were war
 
 felt an almost 6rresistible desire o giggle, and in suhdlnng it was breed to adopt an unusually sombre xpression. That the others shared ny dilemma, I knew from their own olemn behavior and the result was n almost silent meal fhrom which we scaped with universal sigh of re- ef to the living-room, where the in- ispensable Jerry Ticerj had built a lazing wood fire.
 What have you plannedk to do to- 1orrow, Margaret?' my mother-in- aW asked.
 My heart descended rapidly in the eneral direction of my walking shoes. he next morning would see,athe con- erence of my father, Lilliar. and Allen brake over the names (Which I had ecoded. I guessed that, there would e set in motion a system of espionage pon the persons whose names I had and everything ,iHauisitive nd adventurous within meA longed to e present to see the settingkin motion f the machine. But I did lnrf know hat l was expected to be present. here had been many other confer nee of these three to whichu had not cen invited.
 I cast furtive look around, the lrcle to see if my mother-irNlaw's uestion had aroused any menta pro- est But each of the three uas look lg in some direction other than,riine, neither intentionally or not, | could | on nevertheless was borne in upon le that my presence at they next lorning's conference, was forNsom