New Britain herald., 1926-11-24

all been against me right from the start-ever since I married Jack! You're all sore because he didn't marry Angela Aliens money! You're glad because he's left nc you know you are."
 Her voice rose high and shrill, and her teeth began to chatter. She saw The Head gazing curiously at her as if she were some new kind of talking doll.
 "Why, Honey Lou. aren't you forgetting yourself?" she asked quietly. She crossed the room and closed the door behind Honey Lou's quivering little form.
 No. I'm not forgetting any thing" Honey Lou snapped the words out of her mouth. I'm re- membering how you've treated me -bawling me. out because l charged one little measly pair of slippers to Jack the day before I married him! You'd think I'd robbed the United States treasury, the way you high hated me for it! Scolding me be- cause I tried to make my house pretty and comfortable for Jack! Listening to Angela Allen when she ran to you with stories about me refusing to have me in your house after that piece was in the paper! But you had Angela here, all the 1 time."
 The Head held up her plump hand. q didn't refuse to have you here, Honey Lou,' she said in her cold calm way. Jack never i brought you here, after that day at Crescentville."
 "Yes-and whose fault was it that I went to Crcscentville?" ?" asked Honey Lou bitterly. An gela asked Tim Donegal to go with us just because she knew Jack had forbidden me to see him-she did!"
 The Head smiled. And who asked Tim Donegal to make love to you last night?" she asked smoothly. .....
 Did Angela tell you about last night?" asked Honey Lou, and from the look on Mrs. Wallacks face she knew that Angela had. She knew it just as well as if Mrs. Wallack had answered Yes"
 If she did, she told you only half the truth the girl went on. Its true that he kissed me, but it's also true that I didn't want him to-I don't care snap of my finger for Tim Donegal and never did. If Angela has tried to make you believe there's an affair be- tween me and Donegal, she's mak- ing you believe lie"
 The Head shrugged her shoul- ders under the black satin that covered them. 'I have no reason to believe that Angela tells false hoods" she said. i've known her for a good many years. She's been like a daughter to me-and I've never found any good reason for doubting her word"
 Honey Lou looked at her for minute. "All right" she said, helplesly. T reckon it's not much use to talk to you-but let me tell you this-I've never cheated Jack
 It was hard for her to go on. The lump in her throat seemed to fill it so that she could scarcely speak.
 'I started out my life with Jack by trying to be fair with him. she said, one small hand at her tight throat. T wanted tiny cottage some place where l could do my own work"
 "Oh. no, you didn't" Jacks mother shook her magnificent head with it's crest Of silver-white hair Not a month after you were mar ried, Angela came to me and told me you wanted that flat over there"-she waved her hand toward it. -"because it wouldn't tie you down. You wanted to be free to gad and run around and get your self into mischief-don't try to tell mo tales like that Honey Lou - tales of a little cottage with you doing the housework."
 It's not a tale. It's the simple truth" Honey Lou flashed out at her. She was angry now. Tt was Angela who really persuaded me 10 take flat. She had me under her thumb and I never found it out till it was too late. She made me buy all that expensive furniture. She said Jack had never ',vcd like a pauper, and that he WAS used to nice things-she's made me spend money l never would have spent If she'd let me alone. I can see it now as plainly as the nose on your face"