New Britain herald., 1924-05-31
The Amazing Question That Katie
 Asked Madge

Asked Madge
 Mother Graham is a strategist She had been woefully confused and em- barrassed when Junior unconsciously betrayed the little plan she had made to have him greet his father first, in- stead of me-, But at Dicky's smiling auip to me, you win that bet on a foul" she as once took a flanking position and questioned imperiously:
 What bet What do you mean|'
 Dicky pretended not to hear her whether from chivalry toward me or reluctance to engage in any con- troversy with his mother, of whom he stands in much awe, l could not determine. but 1 could not feign tem- porary deafness for she was looking directly at me, and when l hesitated for an answer she spoke agin:
 Do you intend to answer mo, Margaret, or have I become of so little consequence in this house that you can ignore me?"
 Pardon me, Mother" I replied, with placating mendacity. T was just trying to. remember what Dicky said. He's always joking, you know"
 She cast whitening glance at me.
 You don't imagine you can throw any dust in my eyes, do you, Mar Karet?" she said. 'I insist that you tell me at once"
 did not glance toward Dicky, but I think he received my mental sos. for he turned to his mother in- stantly.
 What is it you want to know Mother?" he asked, with suspicious n1eekness. q didn't hear. you ask me anything"
 Mother Graham Decides
 T wish to know at once what you meant by Margarets winning a bet" There were icicles, well-formed ones. in his mothers voice now.
 "oh, that !" Her son patently spared for time, then decided that the truth was the only way out. "why. bet Madge that Junior would run to me first"
 .T see." She turned to me and scanned me from head 10 foot. while waited for the explosion. But when it came, 1t was far less violent than l feared. Evidently the re- membrance of Juniors unconscious exposure of her own petty, little scheme tempered her speech.
 "I do not know much of your sporting terms. Richard" she threw over her shoulder, with her eyes still fixed upon me, but l should Imagine shat the remark I heard you address 10 Margaret, fitted the case exactly"
 She held me a second longer with her angry eyes, consigning me to outer darkness, then turned 10 Mar ion as if neither Dicky nor l longer existed.
 "Marion, dear" she said, with the softened voiro she almost always uses in addressing Lillians winsome young daughter, will you ploae tell Katie to come here to me immedi- ately?"
 "Eer some Fricnd--"
 choked back little laugh at this characteristic piece of feminine ! retaliation. She meant to give Katie | concerning the house. ] hold routine in manner wholly ig- norinr me. Tho temptation 10 thwart | her little scheme was irresistible and . ] addressed my mother-in-law defer entially.
 "If you don't mind Mother dear, shall go up to my room now. am anxious to get off the outer layers of dust at least. The roads certainly need rain"
 There was nothing. of course, that she could say to this but l felt her angry eyes on my rotreating back and knew that I had another black mark against my name on my moth er-in-law's memory tablets.
 Tn the shelter of my own room, ! locked the door snd flung myself upon the bed, too weary and dis- ririted for the moment to care what happend to me or to anybody else.
 But after n few minutes rclaNa- Ion, arose. knowing that I must not give the impression that I was ,uking fn my room, although the phrase came nearer describing my ,ction and feeling than anything [ ,lse. bathed and changed 10 a and was just about 10 go when timld knock bounded on my door and. opening it ,uickly, l saw Katie standing in [ 'ront Of if casting quick, furtivc [ dances from side 10 side as f she cared observation. i'