South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-28
Why Madge's Faith in Kate Began

To TOtter.
Whether Allen Drake saw the low
appraisal which put upon his
rather banaI pleasantries. or tired
of the game himself, do not know.
At any rate he attempted no more
badinage. Indeed, we did not ex-
change a dozen words, aside from
the cOnvential general talk of the
dinner table, during the hours inter
vening between his arrival and 10
O'Clock, the hour Lillian had named
for the conference"
When dinner was announced Allen
Drake and my father came down
the stairs together. absorbed in low
toned talk. 1 had 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 for Lillian 10
tell them anything of the chain OF
events which had led her to summon
them. Was their attention busted
with some problem altogether diff
ferent from hers. or could it be
possible that when we came to lay
our cards upon the table. we should
ind that we all were bidding from
the same suit?
tingled with excitement as the
thought came 10 me, and all through
the dinner l felt as though there
were something electric in the air,
l could hardly Constrain myself 10
sit demurely in my place and to sus-
tain my small portion OF the table
talk. which Lillian and Allen Drake
kept going. I guessed. more TO keep
my mother-in-law interested than
because they wished TO make con-
VerSatiOn.
Katie Is Agitated.
Ny father. however. spoke rarely
and almost in mOnosyllables, but as
he is often silent his preoccu patton
was apparently unnoticed. But /,
furtively watching him. wondering
what was worrying him, anxious for
the hours 10 go by and give me the
opportunity TO tell him about the
mysterious man whom l 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 10 shrink
from handing him any Of the deli
cious dishes she had prepared for
the dinner She acted for all the
world. I told myself, as might a
child who had committed some dire
full offence against family laws. and
expected a blow every time he came
within reach Of a wrathful parental
hand.
For the first time. Lillian's patent
suspicion OF my little serving maid
found an echo in my heart. The
girl certainly was acting IN a most
suspicious manner. if she were en-
tirely innocent or completely in the
deviltry fathered by Smith az the
Briggs farm. and Joe in the hospital.
looked around the table. fearful
lest the others had seen what I had.
But apparently no one had noticed
Katie at all Yet I knew Lillian
we'll enough 10 be certain that she
at least, was cognizant OF the girls
queer actions, no matter how alb
scrbed she appeared TO be in my
mother-in-laws lament over the
frost which had nipped the asters in
the prime OF their blooming.
Sinister Undercurrents."
Ny thoughts few back 10 the let
ter Mother Graham had written me
when was in the Catskill noun
s,f,s ska 1e-ta- u-bgoh ~ go -
the girls shopping mother
in-law's inelegant but expressive
word-around the house. and her
thorough cleaning OF my fathers
room, with her desperate III Of cry
ing afterward
Mother Graham had insisted that
the girl had been hunting for some
thing in my fathers room and had
failed 20 find il. hence h,r disTair.