New Britain herald., 1923-05-23
Tho MaS Res bean iielne,l Make
Mrs. nuFkee Comfortable


Despite ms personal dislike Of Rsss
Dean, I Was distinctly glad n see her
upon the nuFkee vsFanda when the
little mistress 81 the house and ]
alightsd from The taxi which had
brought as from the station,
In the first place, nay old neighhaF
needed something drastic "a take her
mind or the ordeal which Dr, Fox,
hams advice made imminent And
that Ress Deans prestnee vas dis
agreeable enough IA her % put any
thing else temporarily out Of her
mind, | knew from the account she
had given me ~ that young wem-
ans various activities and her own
wrath concerning them,
In the second place. ! was anxious
70 get hFst-hani knowledge Of the
desnieahle little game my former
school colleague was playing as a sop
10 her vanity, ! had scored decided
ly in the contest 0f wits and Wills
which we had waged IN the catskills
without any one save ourselves. lAl-
Han and nirky being the wiser, That
she had not forgiven me for that
time | was sure, and | wondered II
her resentfHl chaerin over her humil-
iating exit from the mountain resort
might not have something 10 do with
her pursuit Of Alfred burkee, and
consequent annoyance Of Leila. who
she knew. was my very dear friend.
Madgc Il "EorearmcJ."
But whatever her motive, I fiattored
my self that ! could block her little
game provided could observe her
tactics. and feryently hoped that
she would stay for dinner and the
evening that might see for myself
Just what she was doing 10 upset |
Leila's peace Of mind.
Honesty compelled r,r 10 acSnowl- !
edge still another motive for wishing
closely TO observe tho girl who had |
tried unnecessarily 20 make me ri
diculous while she was staying at Mrs. |
Cosgrove's mountain home.
From the odd demeanor OF both |
Dicky and Alfred Durkee the night
before at our little Jazz party. when
Leila had spoken Bess Deans name,
] surmised that Dicky was keeping
something concerning her from me.
something which he knew would
anger me. In watching for clues 10
her Vaccinations against Leila, l
might discover something pertinent to
myself At least, ] resolved that
knowing her as ! did. | would he fore
warned and forearmed against the
subtle trickery in which she was so
adept.
SO il was that with a savage little
recognition of the heights Of n.y.
pocrisy to which all feminine creatures
can ascend. | helped Mrs. Durkee up
the steps and set upon my own lips
the companion smile to the apparent
ly friendly one which Her Fluffincss
bestowed upon Bess Dean.
"Oh were you trying to make me
hear YOU" she said. isn't it lucky.
Madge, that we came Just as we did
1t would have been too bad il we had
missed you.
'IIl Unlock the Door
I'm sure Madge never would have !
the shock Bess Dean ,
laughed, with i, saucy moue at me
over Mrs. Durkce's shouder-she had
rushed to the little woman and
rasped her in a hearty embrace as
soon as she reached the top of the
steps, ..
II should have been desolated, in
Iced" / returned, still smiling but
ooking steadily, significantly at her.
Il quite counted upon seeing you
ne how attentive you have been to
1er, and ! want you to know how ] !
alue your thoughtfuness. Any kind !,
Tess to the Durkee family count a ,
iindness to. me-" I
How touching :" she gibed And
suppose the contrary holds good \
lso?" !,
Exactly" ] saitl~ shortly Y
Mercy on us - she piped in h
falsetto How / shall
ave to mind my step But, Sweet Il
a charmngly apologc- -
ic gesture to Mrs, Durkee as with
or am still around the little wom-
MS waist she drew her to the
oor--"how shockingly forgetful both
ladge and | are to be gassing like
his when you must he cold. Give
le your key. III unlock the door
| watched her furtivcly, curiously,
nd with grudging admiration dur
TX the next few minutes. Without
cling especially obtrusivc, she en-
lopcd little Mrs. Durkec in a wad- l.
cd coverlet of kindly attention. She
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