New Britain herald., 1922-04-05
The Sight That Met Madse's Eyes
 On thr Wood Road.


 On tho Wood Road.
 Like many another adventurer. tn, further Journeyed in my search fol temporary freedom. the less joyous and free I felt.
 At Southampton l began to wonder how things were going at home. Tho Shinnecock hills were robbed of theil lure by qualms as to the worry which my unexplained absence might cause Lillian and my mother -in- Jaw, and al Good Ground a new and terrifying thought struck me sauarely. Suppose because ot worry caused by my ab- sence. the watch always kept upor Junior should be relaxed and he meet with some accident--an accident thai would be my fault
 My little excursion into the realms of what is so touchingly known among our ultra-modern circles as living ones own life," stopped abruptly right there. turned the car around SC swiftly that I almost rammed an un- offending countryman driving the other way. Heedless alike of his in. dignant glare and his shouted objurga ton, but with a nasty glance over my shoulder for the possible proximity of . traffic officer, I sped back over the road I had come, with only one thought in my mind-to reach home as quickly as possible.
 Irrsistibly my own actions and re- actions reminded me of those of the small boy of tradition who runs away from home. only to find himself drawn back again by hundred pulling cords. The small boys's grouch often starts with a parental whipping. mine had it's inception in coniugal tongue lashing-I stopped my mental com parisons with a jerk. For while the small boy had to return submissive, I had no intention, I told myself firmly, of yielding to Dicky's absurd demand when I should see him again.
 And yet
 Homeward Bo'uN.
 Most women are kittle cattle when 1t comes to following any line of con. duct which comes in conflict with their affections. I have found that out be- fore in my own experience. and the fact was borne in upon me more and more forcibly as l retraced the road along which ] had rushed with such fury and freedom of spirit but few minutes before.
 For try to keep them elsewhere as would. my thoughts kept straying back to Dicky. What had he done when I dashed away after his brutal remark?
 I knew subconsciously. indeed con- sciously if I would permit myself to admit it. that he had not meant a single syllable that he uttered. No doubt, if the after time ever came in which we could discuss the thing calmly. Dicky would deny in perfect good faith that he ever had uttered such words. But he would remember them keenly enough in that first min ute of my departure. knew him well enough for that, and tried to picture his probable action. Would he make any effort to follow me, or would be be so angry that he would return home. not caring for the time being whether or not I met with an acci- dent?
 A sign flashed across my vision:
 Village in ts or So ranptcl."
 slowed down the car because I had to make decision as to my route n the next few blocks I could taAe t,,o winding wood road back to the farm, O. could continue straight throut h Southampton and Waterfall to an. other direct road past the farmhouse. The latter route was shorter, straighter and better road. but somc- thing in my heart which I would not confess to myself, made me turn back into the wood road.
 Madge Is Worried.
 But if l had cherished secret hope that I might meet Dicky coming after me, 1t was doomed to disappoint- ment, for though I slowed down my pace, in the fear that I might meet his car on some of tho dangerous curves of the road and precipitate tlre accident which I had courted but short time before, I met neither Dickv nor any other human being. The solitude of the woods. the freedom from ompanionship which I had craved was mine in full degree, and l felt unutterably lonely and miser- able.
 There was no room in my heart now for anger, although the dying embers of my temper did give an eN- piring flare or two at the thought that after all Dicky might be sulkin, at home, waiting to empty the Niels Of righteous triumphant wrath upon my returning head. But crowding every other emotion out was fear-insiston nt, unreasoning fear, growing stronger every minute-that my husband had started in search of me, and tha. be cause of his haste, he had met wJh an accident, thus sending the boomerang