New Britain herald., 1923-06-13
Why Madge Was ahle tn nlsiTass Ieila's Ihnughis From Her
 0sn Problem

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 l had spent a tense quarter nt an hour in the ehoTl 10 convince Leila DuTkes that her husband did not care for Resa Dean, except as he would admire any pretty and witty girl But at her direct appeal ia me 10 convince her nf Aifred's truth, l fiinehed for a conscience stricken second, although ! WAS able ia keep Leila in ignorance of my feeiiHg,
 Tor ! was far from sure inst how strong was Altrsd's admiration of Bess Deans nndeniahly good looks, keen mentality and fascinating little ways While I had heeH annoyed al Dieky's attentions ia the giFl in heea tic days which l remembered only too clearly, vel 1 had known m" Peter Pan far too well to he jealous nf him where Ress Dean was concerned, nut while l was reasonably sure that Leila had as little to fear as l, yet ] could not rid myself of lingering little doubt concerning Alfreds real fcel- ings.
 But sehooled my face and voice SO that no hint Of my doubt should escape me. and answered Leila with a convincing air Of sincerity,
 Madgr sal,cs Her Conscience
 "If all you need io make you the happiest woman alive is my assur- ance that you have no real cause to hate Bess Dean, you'd better get out your banners to celebrate" said, Now. let me bathe your face and put on your shoes. You don't want to let Alfred know that you have been crying
 pnrposely made my voice brus- que to conceal my own emotion at the sight of the joyous relief which had flooded her face at my assurance She was so eminently child-liko in her. unquestioning belief of all I had told her, that chilled with the fear Of having ulled her into false secur- ity.
 But salved my conscience with the reflection that almost any deceit , was iustifable in her condition Of mind and body. and steelcd my will to the resolve that l would make my assurance of Alfred's essential tidel- ity come true if I had to half-kill him in the process. She smiled up at me ioyously. and made a pathetic attempt to arrange her hair. n 'No, indeed. he mustn't see l have been crying" she assented. 'I--l suppose l ought to tell hin,-- She broke off after a shy glance at me, with the color flooding her face and neck.
 Poor. Poor Mother .''
 Don't tell him anything just now. I advised lacing her shoes, I'll tell i you why when I've played lady's maid ! for a few minutes"
 That her curiosity would be aroused by my words, knew, for l had ut- tered them with that purpose, and ;. noted with satisfaction that while bathed her face and rearranged her hair. she appeared to be debating something with herself. Al last ] had succeeded in direrting her attention, I said to myself with 3 humorous re- membrance of hearing the expression used by q phychologist lecturing on children's management, And when she was restored to her usual dainty appearance, she finished my analogy by saying naively:
 Now. will you tell me why"
 "Because Alfred will bc so sorrow full tonight that he won't be able to I think of anything else save his moth CT. And you must he brave and help him
 put my arm around her as spoke and felt my heart constrict with pity as her slight figure trcm- bled and shrank closer to me,
 "Oh, Madge What is it t"'
 Tn the fewest words ] could mus ter. told her of her mother-in laws mysterious silment which she had | kept from the knowledge of her son and daughter Jaw for fear Of Wor- rying them, of her visit with mo to Dr. Foxham, of his verdict that an operation would probably be neces- sary, and of the fact that Alfred was even now closeted with his mother, after had told him at her request of her plight.
 "Oh. poor, poor Mother v Leila