The Glenwood post., 1923-07-12

"I'm in the devil Of a nx."
"Are your Her tome was sympa-
thetic, but there was in 1t no tincture
of surprise. She was accustomed to
crises. Life In The Custard Cup pro-
duced them In abundance.
"Come right on in," she invited
cordially. land well talk 1t over"
mo, can't sit down. I'm supposed
to be on my Job, but dropped in for
a minute, because Lorene wouldn't be
around. 1 didn't want her to hear
of It," Dick Chase paused, as If
hardly knowing where to begin on the
perplexity that had brought him to
Number At. Mrs Penf1eld waited in
silence.
Presently the young mans gravity
was broken by whimsical smile
"Say, Mrs. Penz1e. you're willing
should marry Lorene. aren't your"
my dear boy" she smiled back,
you've got my consent and my bless
ing. believe you'll make Lorene
happy; and II you don't, I'll be bout
the first feller on your trail"
"You bet I'm going to try to save
you that trouble" he said, with re-
turning seriousness. "But the ques-
tion is. VIII 1 ever get LoreneT'
my goodness, you don't mean
you've quarreledr'
Thunder. no. That might be sim
pier. Thered be chance that we
might get out here under the pepper
tree and make It up. No. it's Mrs
Percy"
But, surely" she expostulated
"surely you aren't taking a nervous.
selfish woman SO seriously. Hasn't
she IN income Of her own?"
"Yes. but it's small. Unless she
earns something herself, she can't
live the way she's been living. Lo-
rene has denied herself to give her
stepmother comfort and laziness-
some Idea Of obligation to her fathers
memory, I suppose. And so"
Good land, Mrs. Percy'n get used
to 1t. It may be wrench at first,
but"
Mrs. Penzie, you don't understand.
The point is that she's getting Lo-
rene. Working on her sympathy and
conscience. Why, at this very minute
we're further from being married
than we were two months ago-con-
found It'll"
"Tell me about it."
He /. ughed. at Is reasonable re-
quest. was rather figuring that
you'd take one word and make ten
out of it. Well YOU know, Mrs. Per-
cy's thought up various silly schemes
to make it unpleasant And now it's
her right side. She says she's par
TALLY lost the use Of it." He broke
off, staring gloomily at the wall. Mrs.
Penfield watched him, but said moth
ing.
"You can see what that MEANS" he
continued. Constant care, and she
can't afford nurse or companion.
Only stony-hearted girl would leave
her; only q brute would ask the
stony-hearted girl to do 1t, either.
Tears; upbraiding; general chaos!"
II didn't know about her-her
helplessness" began Mrs. Penfield
gently.
know about It! He turned and
confronted her in swift indignation.
Nobody knew about 1t till two days
ago. She claims she hasn't been feel
ing well for long time, but she's en-
dured in silence. We've been trying
to have her consult doctor. but she
won't listen to it-says we've no right
to annoy an afflicted woman when she
Io tn
But you think there's-no doubt"
insinuated Mrs. Penfield slowly.
II think there's no doubt but that
she's making the whole thing up" ex-
ploded the young man. "What l
thought maybe you'd do, Mrs. Penzie,
is to look us over from the stand
point of an outsider and tell us how
to act"
She smiled. "I can't tell you on the
minute, but I'll see If I can think out
anything. I'll go over tomorrow, and
mebbe I'll get line on It. You come
around sometime soon, and I'll re
port"
He held out his hand. THANK you.
You're my mother, Mrs. Penzie, but
~ pCl you uAOAA AA4OW A. ACNSh
had one that could remember-till
now"
Before she could speak. he was
gone.
The next day Mrs. Penfield crowded
her work rs much as possible. that
there might be time In the afternoon
for call on Mrs. Percy.
"Lettie," she called into the back
yard, won't you please pick me bout
three Of them pretty caterpillars off'r
the willow tree? Put 'em in this here
envelope, and be careful you don't
squeeze EN-"
A little later Mrs. Penfleld set forth
gingerly concealing under her worr
jacket the envelope which contained
the three scraps Of furry life. She
stopped first at Mrs. Sanders.
Don't you want to run in to Mrs
Percy's with mel? she inquired. "l
understand she amt well. and seems