New Britain herald., 1924-04-04

What Is Dicky Up to Now?


 That low knock upon our living room door almost stcalthy-or as it appeared to my excited imagination brought me to q sitting posture as suddenly as if some electric mechan- ism had propelled me thithcr.
 I found my ears straining for the sound of voices. although I told my self that the answer to my mental query as to the identity of the caller was, no doubt, a most prosaic' one. Doubtless the ianitor--I put that so- lution impatiently away as the mem ory of his dumping footsteps came to me-and then 'the unmistakable voice of my ncighbor. Mrs. Marks, vounded in her invariablc greeting of Say ,'
 There was sudden silence as if further words had been chopped off short and I visualized some silenc- ing gesture on Dickys part, Then l heard his voice in low but distinct articulation, and knew that he was taking no chances upon my being asleep. but meant to make every word audible.
 "Yes. shes here. She came in just little while ago. But she's taking n nap just now. As soon ss she wakes up I'll tell her you called. I know she'll be very glad to sec you"
 And Tn be very glad to sec her. my neghbor replied, heartily, and ifs she ha6 stopped there l should have gone peacefully to sleep with a smile at my own jealous ragaries. Mrs. Marks was an attractive woman of her, type, but l knew my fastilious Peter Pan far too well to imagine his giving her second glance. I had kept him from being really rude 10 her upon one or two occasions, becf'ise in her rough way she had tried to be neighborly, and l knew that his courtesy to her now was simply on my account--or----
 l was not mistaken. The conyer- sation had not ceased. A low indis- iinct murmur came from the hall, lasting, only for few seconds it is true, Qbut telling me unmistakably | that for ssome reason my husband and my neighbor were talking of something they did not wish mo to hear, indeed. fancied that could | not. Then Mrs. Marks voice rose | again in her natural. high pitched tone:
 \ Puzzling situation
 sure 1 cant do nothing for herr" |
 Dicky.s reply was the perfume tory courteous one l naturally | should have expected from him, and with a nasty So long. then" Mrs. Marks went away, or l suppose she did, for I heard no further sound Of voices. But, on the other hand, there | was no noise of tapping high heels which always signals her approach or departure, and l wondered why | she had chosen difcrcnt' footgear , for this particular occasion.
 The door into the living room closed and heard Dicky come back to his chair. With my yfand | cienchcd tcnscly beneath tho bcd- I lay moiionIe5s' win closed eyes, walting, vaguely, unrea- soningly for--+whnt"
 had sliot long to wait. lt was lefS lltan lN' hihht'S "i'N N"'' that DiclSy rose from his chair and tiptoed to the bedroom door, look ing at mo. lnstinctiycly I feigned sleep. and after few seconds he turned away and the next thing heard wns the closing in quick sue ccssion ot our living room door and tho door leading from our hall into the public corridor. The sounds galvanized me into an action which ordinarily l would have tcorncd, but which seemed tho in- eyitable thing to my tortured nerves. : l got out Of bed. found | . pair Of soft slippers and put them on. gathered Dicky's bathrobc close ly around md and went to the door leading from the bedroom to the hall. I