New Britain herald., 1923-06-08
The several Things Alfred Put Up
to- Madge

20" Nsdge
Fhe inconsistency Of the areragi
man Is something fer admlflng con
Temptation upon the part 81 the fem
thine mind, which for so long ha
horne the stigma o. meRopoliEiRl
that quality Every married woman
knows This, hut never had th'
knowledge more eanVineinEly present
sd 70 me- than tn Alfred purkee'i
worried remark concerning Leila't
probable reaction q the news ~ hel
TnotheFsin-law's mysterious ailment
"she is SO nerl ausly upset" he had
said, that am afraid this will make
her really ~"
"non,t Worry About Leila"
I wondered n he could not see the
reason for Leila'a morhidness and
then dismissed the thought with a
silent tribute 20 AlfFedS mentality
His perceptions were Ear too acute for
him not 20 know what his growing
friendship with Ress Dean was max
ing his wife unhappy But ] guessed
that he cherished a lofty masculine
idea Of not humoring Leila IN what he
would term "silly notions" Yet az
the same time he could be seriously
concerned al the possible effect which
the news I had Just given him might
have upon her.
My knowledge OF the real situation
sharpensd my voice, ] am afraid, as
! answered Alfred.
Don't worry about Leila" said.
-shell rise 20 the occasion beautiful
~, as she always does. II will"
The taxi In which we were riding
iurched and choked back the words
on my lips 10 the effect that her
mother-in-law's possible danger would
so occupy her mind that she would
have no time to brood over the prob
lem which Bess Dean was presenting
To cover the withdrawal, I put a
hasty question.
do you wish to tell her, or shall
II"
"will you. please?" he asked earn
estly.
a~ented only too gladly, for /
saw In the permission a chance to
have a quiet confidential half hour
with Leila before she slept. From
her demeanor of the night before. l
guessed that she was anxiously watch
ing for a chanc to confide to me the
fears which were besetting her, and
I longed for the chance not only to
bolster her courage. but to get her
version. of the performance Bess Dean
was staging.
Doesn't Mother want me to say
anything to her about her illness to-
night" His voice held the bewild-
cred anxiety with which man pre-
pares to deal with feminine whimG
"Oh. yes - l returned reassuring-
". I'm fact, / think she wishes your
advice. II was Just that she dread
ed breaking the news to you. She
hates to give any one pain you know"
Alfred Is ION the job"
Yes, I know" he returned sadly,
and then there was a long interval in
which he sat silent staring into va
oancy. I knew what pictures he waa
seeing, for l had seen many of the
same kind in the years before lost
my little mother when every illness
that came to her seemed a dragon
ready to carry her away from me.
But his patent suffering did not ap-
peal particularly to my sympathies.
My anger against him on Leila's &C
count made me feel--no doubt with
some injustic--that he deserved some
soft of punishment.
How long can you stay" he asked
abruptly at last.
mot longer than tomorrow morn
ing" I answered. But / can come
back the next day If you need me.
We have a telephone at the farm
now, and I can start at minutes
notice, SO don't hesitate to summon
me. You can't decide anything un-
hi you see DR.. Foxham."
mo, and I want another opinion
besides him." Alfred replied decided
y. "She must see good specialist
IN whatever malady Foxham names.
But II an operation is necessary, we
mustn't wait, you know"
Indeed not" confirmed with a
relieved little feeling. Alfred evil
iently was very much ION the Job"
20 use his own favorite expression,
Ind / knew that little Mrs. Durkee
would be safeguarded in every pos
dble way.
Here we are" he said, as the
.axi turned In the gate. will you
make some pretext to get Leila up
Itairs to your room, SO that I can
ak to Mother by herself? 1t will