The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-06-17
REVELATIONS
OF A WIFE

She didn't make it easy for me, how
ever, and / couldn't blame her. She had
asked me to dismiss Cousin Agatha and
take care of her myself. voicing her
yearning for a daughters care in such
pitiful words that 1t had wrung my heart
to refuse her request. Knowing nothing
of my promise to Lillian, she, OF course.
couldn't understand my refusal. and she
had ever since consistently shown her
dispieasure.
"Make 1t Brief"
where is Katie?" she demanded when
strength to speak finally came back to
her. IT thought Agatha always arranged
for her to be within call when she went
for her walks Has she dared to dis
obey when she knows the danger 1 run
in being left aIone?"
I was relieved to observe some of the
old truculence in her voice and manner.
Mother Graham, meek and gentle. is a
person I don't understand, and for whose
health and very life / fear. When she
exhibits her old arrogance I feel as if
she had been granted new lease on
life.
Katie isn't to blame" returned
quietly SIS was at ueT post. BuL
told her 1 would come to you instead"
May / ask the reason for this sudden
interest in me?"
Her tone held a sneering, icy formal
ity that chilled me as a sudden dash of
ice water in my face might have done.
But / was determined that no resent
ment on her part should deter me from
clearing up the misunderstanding be-
tween us.
'I have been waiting outside your door
with Katie every day for a week. an
swered. watching for the first summons
you gave
She interrupted me ruthlessly. but her
manner had lost its icy dignity-had be-
come staccatto, oueruIous
"oh. come to the pointr' she snapped.
Don't go all around Robin Hoods barn.
What is it you want?"
! leaned toward her, making my voice
ana words as earnestly impressive as I
could.
Il want you to listen to me without
prejudice while / tell you why / had to
refuse your request the other day. Oh,
mother, please don't refuse More than
you know depends upon your answerr'
l thought I saw a startled, questioning
@-NNoAA
in an instant, and for a long minute she
lay quietly staring into space, her ewes
hard and cold. When she spoke the
same chill sounded in her words.
II will listen, but make 1t brief" she
said.
Mother. dear" began desperately.
Tor my mother-in-law's expression as
she lay there listening to me was con-
ducive to anything but caImness. the
reason had to refuse your request to
take care of you the other day was
because / already had given my prom
Use to assist Mrs. Underwood in some
work
Il know all about that" she answer
ed wearily and contemptuously. "Rich-
ard told me 70 her historical draw
ings. If you consider that a reason e,r
asking me to listen to you, I really
must beg you not to annoy me with
the thing further
But you don't know all about it,
returned hurriediy. 1.-THE excuse Dicky
gave you is only pretext to cover
some most important work for Mrs.
Underwood OF which Dicky knows
nothing, and must know nothing. 1t
isn't my secret, but Mrs. Underwood's.
therefore could not tell you about it
when we talked together before. But
l have begged permission of Mrs. I'm
derwood to tell you, and she has now
granted it, provided"
faltered my voice trailed off into
silence, for my mother -in-law had
turned her eyes toward me, and the
expression in them frightened me it was
so contemporary indignant.
Provided, l suppose, that l promise
an a stack of bibles not to run and
tattle what you tell me-" she snapped.
I kept my poise with difficulty.
Provided only that you give your
simple word not to let anyone, even
Dicky, suspect that 1 tell youu.H
Bitterness of Spirit.
1t is an unusual en- aa shrd shrsh
Especially Richard. you mean" she
said shrewdly and disagreeably, and
then she lay silent and grim for fully
three minutes, which seemed as many
hours to me. l knew that every i'm
perious impulse of her nature was urg-
ing her to refuse hearing to me- But
also knew that her natural curiosity
was Juggling at her will from another
direction. Which would win / hadn't
the slightest idea. And Cousin A
gatha's feet must even now be nearing
home.