The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-16
The Reuoh Of Susan Hyde
By cARoLYN sEEcRER

you visit other women: That you are so intimate with themT'
 Manville turned white to the lips he was so angry. I, too, felt myself turn4 ing pale at my temerity.
 ''NVhat I do is no concern of yours! FI have told you that many times. If you ever say thing like that to me again, implying what you implied by your tone, I shall punish you so that you will not forget it. If you want tp keep Anna with you. be careful !' He turned on his heel and left me.
 If I wanted to keep Anna Of course he didn't mean it. He was only trying to frighten me; to show me he would allow no criticism of his actions. Yet all my sophistry did not take from me a fear that some time he might make his threat good; that because I had angered him he might send Anna fear clutched my heart, turning me so cold with a dread that I shivered as with a chill.
 ran after Manville, calling him to come back. @ 4
 T didn't mean to do anything to am noy you, Manville, really I didnti" I clung to his coat. T felt hurt little and said things I am sorry for. Take that back about Anna, won't you? It would kill me if you took her away--no, I would kill myself v I ended with 8 sob that was almost scream.
 "We will dispense with mysteries. If Anna is taken away it will be your own fault. You will have no one but your selft to blame. Now go tidy your bnJ b,,nO 10 bspo ff, manner had loosened the hairpins and my hair was falling down.
 "Yes, Manville.' crept back into my room and mechanically twisted up my hair, talking to myself the while:
 You wouldn't be so cruel, Manville, you couldn't! am her mother, she belongs to me. You have no right to take her from me you shan't !"
 Anna is fretting, Mrs. Hyde. Would you come into the nursery a moment?"
 I took my darling in my arms and rocked and sang to her needless of the passage of time or of the fact that Manville had cautioned me about ab- senting myself from the room where Aunt Cynthia was sitting.
 You must not leave her alone. She is accustomed to a great deal of att tention. I do not purpose she shall be slighted in my house. She is like a mother to me- he said. I thought, land so like the mother in-law of the novelist"
 Susan, where arc youy' Manville appeared in the doorway. Put Anna down at once and come down stairs Have not told you that Aunt Cynthia must not be left alone?"
 Anna whimpered a little.
 You are spelling that child. 1 have cautioned you against rocking her Don't let me speak of it again"
 "All right, Manville, won't" l still carried the fear of his threat to send her away had given me; was still trembling and sick with the awfulness of it. I must be more careful than ever not to anger him. So meekly I put the child down and went down stairs to sit in silence while his aunt either read, or while he and she dis cussed things which had no slightest interest for me.
 Why do you sit in that dark cor ner, Susan ?" she snapped. Why don't you sit over by the light1 When I was your age I grasped every opportunity to improve my mind. Young people nowadays think that when they have caught husband and are provided with a home, their duty toward the world is fulfilled"
 moved nearer the table and picked up a magazine. l had sat in shadow so no one would see and comment on the misery I was sure showed in my face. 80 keenly was I suffering. |. Manville looked sharply at me as I came near the light, but as he. said nothing 1 made no reply, pretending to read. Ten minutes after when Mar tha called us to dinner I saw that I had been holding the magazine upside down.:
 l think he saw it, too. for he com pressed his lips and again gave me a searching look as I followed him and his auRk to the dining room. It was as. if he Had said If you intend to act