New Britain herald., 1923-04-18
Why Did Dcky Hurry Out Ahead of the Others?

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 The instant the words Bless Dcan' escaped Lcila's lips l saw she wished with all her heart that she could take them back again, For, on tho second, Dicky swung round in his ehalr-ho was facing Leila and mo with his back to the restaurant-and sent a swift glance down the crowded room,
 That Leila knew much if not every thing of BCss Deans pursuit of Dicky during our Catskill Mountains sojourn. was made patent by her embarrassed intake of breath which had all the ef- feet of sigh of regret
 Alfred shot warning look at Leila and--from the vantage point Of his seat next to Dicky--included an ap- praising look at me. What he saw there was reflected in the plying gleam mirrored in his eyes. He turned 10 Dicky and, with his palm playfully placed before Dicky's eyes, swung him around by firm pressure against his check until he faced us, then dropped his hand on Dicky's shoulder and held him firmly, as he exclaimed:
 None of that. my greedy Dicky- bird. Lamp the lovely ladies right and left before you, and be eternally grateful that they deign to look at you"
 4 Subdued Dinner Party.
 Cut it 7" Dicky's voice was quiver- ing through modulated to q whisper. But as if Dicky had not spoken, AL fred ran on with the lit of arrant non sense in his voice:
 "Consider the beauteous lady who lets you call her wife. Every mascu- line eye in this emporium of epicur- can delights is dazzled by the imper- ishable pulchritude of her imperial loveliness. Were I she I would have heaved a platter at your traitorous head that second you tore your wretched eyes from her face and let them-ah 7. he gasped Here's the antipasta :"
 Seeing the astonished expression on my face, for we had not ordered indeed, the waiter had not been near us since he had seated us at the table Alfred threw back his head and laughed aloud while Leila explained:
 "Everything was ordered before we arrived-you should have heard the struggle Alfred had over the telephone to make them under"
 T can imagine it !" Dicky rubbed his cheek ruefnlly But had it been a moonlight night-Venicc-a gondola ---maiden fair to sec"
 My good man." Alfrcd's voice was far softer than the look he shot at Dicky. ''well do you know that for travelling afar you have me lashed to the well-known mast. But heave-to. Dicky- bird, and peck at this wondrous antipasta. Yet leave due room for the viands that are yet to come"
 It was with very evident relief on the faces of each of us that we busied ourselves with the antipasta, but did justice to all the other dishes of the really delicious dinner Alfred had ordered and which was served in the nearest to silence I have ever known fall upon those inveterate iokers, Dicky and Alfred. Only when we sat back in the languorous comfort which good dinner, rounded off by perfect coffee. makes possible even in a res taurant, did the pail lift from our spirits.
 That had not been unduly troubled by Leila's thoughtless eX. clamation about Bess Dean, was the simple truth. but Dicky-who had as- sured me he had not seen Bess Dean since those summer days when she forced herself upon us at the Cos groves'-seemed worried.
 Why" I asked myself, and then dismissed the unworthy thought
 "TuIn to the Left But I could not so easily banish from my mind the uneasiness under which Leila palpaby was aborng. That this had its foundation in what Leila had as yet had no opportunity to tell me, was sure, but l also knew that it had been heightened-and ] wondered whether the two had any connection--by the unfortunate ap- pearance of the woman whom l had not vet been able to see well enough to decide whether she really was Bess Dean or only some one who looked