New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-02-22
Mhs Nadge depressed An rlpressiosl
&c Gratitude "a Glsire,

tA AtasfaHH '" hte"Nt
The sound Of Claire Testers French
heels clicking down the stairs had
nsl died asa9 aheR the solution 0f
her add behavior flashed nPan me,
ana / rushed a the d0eF Nilh the
Wild idea al calling her isaFk,
Tier hair ~ hid curriers', her solied,
slennF negliEee, hfF apparent laflness
ana eaFelsssness eoneeFning IN"
household duties, her eatty speeches
toward me, the outrageous gown she
had aern 20 the restaurant dinner
even her last audaeians invitation 20
niekK 20 come 10 Sc hef-ali n'isd
themselves into 4 clear pattern, once
I had grasped the motif
she had been trying 20 disgust
nieky wilh herself-this was her
alanemfni Ter the reckless, thought
less, though innocent eseapade with
him from the consequences Of which
t'had rescued her
Remarse fer nay bitter anger
aTainst her sheek me as the fun de-
tails for her pitifui scheme revealed
themselves. and was halfway down
the first flight Of stairs before my
common sense halted me with per-
tinent question.
What are you going 10 say 10 her
when yon reach herr"
laughed q triie bitterly as I Wis
ualized myself telling Claire that ]
realized she had been trying 10 dis
Illusion my husband. and that | was
grateful 10 her, No. II was somethin.
that never could be named between
Us. and | went slowly UP tho stairs
again. my heart seftened toward tho
etfort the girl had made. but hlled
also with the little demons OF doubt
and suspicion TO which I had been
prey since Mother Graham's discov-
cry of clairs's photograph In Dicky's
desk.
Madge i Troubled.
felt cold and found myself shiv-
erinE when had closed the door into
the hall. So I snatehed a warm wool
en- blanket from the foot OF one of
the beds. wrapped myself in II and /
curled up on the couch. ] had the
absurd instinct to bury my head IN
the pillow. as II I were child afraid
OF a DOGGY man. and indeed ] was
afraid of the thoughts which came
thronging upon the heels of the dis
covery I had Just made.
Claire Foster had sacrificed every
instinct of vanity, almost of self-re-
spect in the things she had done to
make herself unattractive in Dickys
eyes. She was a proud girl. and ]
knew she never would have staged
some of her performances II she had
not thought it necessary to do so.
Why did she think II necessary?
The question seemed to burn itself
into my brain, and variations OF it
came trooping fast upon mr..
Was she so sure of Dicky's infatua-
ton that she considered such strenu-
Gus measures necessary for his cure?
] had seen that Dicky was undeniahly
attracted by her, but ! had not
guessed that his liking had reached a
stage where such measures as Claire
had adopted were necessary to change
his feeling for her.
Had ] been mistaken in something
else also? AT the Barker house | had
decided that Claire was not in the
least in love with Dicky, and her half
laughing. half-serious reference to
Tom Chester a day or two before had
my belief.
A Disturbing Discovery
There had been something in that
whimsical remark which had indicat-
ed trife more than casual interest
in the young soldier. But the girls
face as she babe me good-by had been