New Britain herald., 1922-03-20
The Way Dicky Revealed Surprising
 Facts to Madgc

facts 10 Madgc.
 Dieky's rough nonsense with it. suppressed note Of dlspleasure--sup, pressed, I knew. because Of my in jury-effectually extinguishcd my lit- tie blaze of childish temper and gave me a desire to make amends to my husband for my churlishness. twisted swiftly around in his arms and put my palms on either side of his face.
 I'm sorry. Dieky." l said humbly 'T didn't mean 10 be horrid. but
 His first answer was a tightening of his arms about me, roughly tender kiss. Then he stared at me bit curiousy.
 Sometime in the course of the next hundred years or so," he said, with more than a touch of eXaspera- Non in his voice. I'm going to take d month or two off, and find out just what's iu the back of your bean con corning poor old Ede, that you froth at the mouth every time there's re- mark concerning anybody or anything in the same county with her. No you
 
 going to put you through any inquisi- tion now, I'm just registering a threat or promise. Whichever way you mean to view it, for future use. Is this the gown you want to put on ?"
 Madge Wonders
 His manner decisively dismissed Edith Fairfax from our conversational horizon and l was glad enough to pick up his cue.
 "As 1t is the only dress l have with me, 1t is Hobson's choice" l returned airily. And 1 don't need you now, dear My head is better, and it would be absurd for me to fuss over my toilet with this awful eye. Do go out and talk to MT. McDermott, and I'll follow in just few minutes"
 'Well-all right" Dicky assented reluctantly. But call me if you want anything"
 "Oh, surely" l returned, hoping that Dicky would not notice my fever ish eagerness to get him out of the room.
 For the revelation that he had given me concerning his knowledge of my antipathy to Edith Fairfax had shaken me deeply. I wondered if he had spoken as he had because of my little outburst, or If his odd little speech was the result of long and keen observation and deduction on his part, of my reactions toward Edith's name and presence. I shrank from the lat ter hypothesis fearfuly. It was as if IoI cv,II have been unde rthe scalpe of viv- sectionist
 I pulled myself together sharply as the rather thin tones of the little physician came to my ears. It was almost time for the supper to be served. I must not let Dicky suspect that my nervous outburst over Edith Fairfax had affected me beyond the moment.
 "Nothing Doing"
 It was but the work of two or three minutes for me to arrange my hair so as to cover my discolored forehead as much as possible, and slip on my gown. My mirror told me so sad d story that l dreaded to enter the sitting-room and encounter even the friendly eyes of Dicky and Dr. Me- dermott.
 I need not have feared, however. They rose perfunctorily when I en- tered. and the physician made his conventional professional inquiries. Then they returned as eager school boys might do to the animated con- versation in which they had been en- gagged when I entered, and which soon discovered to be composed wholly of active service "reminiscences. l might as we'll have been back rl Sag Harbor for any attention they paid to me, fact for which I was truly grateful Of course, they never omitted the perfunctory courtesies which to men like them are reflex ac- tions rather than thought ones, but beyond those, do not think either man had any actual knowledge of my presence at the table. It was Ibid you see?" and Do you remem- ber?" and Were you at" and all the other queries which one ex-servce man puts to another when they have a chance to talk undisturbed.
 l was most careful not to say or do anything which would break the spell. Like most of the real heroes of the war, Dicky would never talk of his experiences. I had mourned many times because l knew so little of his perils and riumphs-little more, in fact, than the newspaper public had been given in the war dispatches. But here, in confidential talk with the lit tie physician himself, as I guessed, a veteran with heroic field and hos pital service to his credit-Dicky had dropped the barrier, and was unwit- nngly revealing record which made