New Britain herald., 1926-08-17

everyone know that Morley made her wildly unhappy most of the time. Even Merry had heard stories of Morley's recent love affair with his beautiful blond private secretary.
 Well. Merry, I'm sorry l had to keep you waiting so long" Cassie said to her. dropping down on a chair by the west windows. T thought those women never would go! And my head is aching" Her voice died down on long tired sigh, and she leaned back in her chair as if she were ready to drop. Four or five glittering bracelets slipped down to her wrists from her upper arm. as she clasped her hands idly in her lap.
 Sometimes I wonder what it's all about" she sighed. "All the parties and the gossip and the clothes. Give me cigaret, honey. Rigth there, in that silver box. Thanks" She lit 1t, and then reached for the letter that Merry was holding out to her. Tony Gaines letter.
 What's this?" she asked. Then, as she took a second look at it, 6 dull red flush crept slowly over her face and neck. Something like shamed smile just touched her lips and then fled. She looked more like Cassie Locke, and less like Mrs. Kaufman, than she had looked for years and years.
 "Where did you get this?" she asked, jerllily.
 Merry knew that Cassie needed no answer to that question. But she gave her one. anyway.
 T found it stuffed down behind the mopboard in the hall of our house, this morning" she said quiet ly. Tt hadn't dropped there. Some one had folded it carefully and put it there. Hidden it from me-" She stopped.
 Cassie's eyes were on the soiled, yellowed envelope. Suddenly she raised them.
 q put it there" she confessed defiantly T thought it was the thing to do - and l did it!'
 Why" Merry was still cool and calm and collected. "Why did you think it was the right thing to do?"
 Cassie blnked. "Why-why," she stammered, because it was from Tony Gaines, l knew he never meant to marry you - and I hated to have him boast around to Nor ley that he had you on the end of his string. III wanted you to stick to Bill Erskine. He was crazy about you at that time. Don't you remember?"
 Merry did not answer. Not even by nod of her head. She just sat and looked at Cassie's flushed face.
 Why make suchs a fuss about it now, after all these years?" Cassie asked nervously. Tt was silly thing to do, l know. But, after all, what difference did it make? Tony Gaines never would have married you any way. It would have been another long -drawn-out affair like Bill Frs kine's-"
 "Open the letter." Merry inter- rupted, land read it!"
 But Cassie had no intention of reading the letter. Why should she?
 It was just like Merry, she said to herself, to make 9 mountain out of mole hill!
 <. She flung the folded wad of en- yelope down upon the little French smoking stand beside her.
 >"Of course, I'm not going to read 1t, sillyl" she snapped. Why should I read it? Suppose did hide the thing? What difference did it make? If Tony Gaines had really wanted you. one little letter wouldn't have stopped him from taking youl Don't try 10 blame your troubles onto mel If you'd behaved yourself you might have had some chance with him. But you were running around with Der Trick Jones and Bill Efskine, too, at.