New Britain herald., 1929-07-22
Q 1929 # kfz SERVICE INC.

d row seat this morning and yester- day morning. l heard she tipped that new dumbell of q hailifl to fix 1t for her. Was the boss fused? Don't ask.'
 "She ought 10 be ridden out Of town on rail-coming back here and gumming up the works just when Nan and" 4
 The sound of her own name, in Evans answering srowl, reused the eavesdropper from the lethargy of despair which Blake's news had brought upon her. She turned back into her own office. and for an hour David Blackhull. on trial for his life and in need of every atom Of help she could give him, was cOm- pleteiy deprived of her services.
 The tcdium of courtroom pro- cedure must have bored Iris, how ever. for on Monday she rcstorted 10 more direct and dramatic meth ods Nan, accompanying her hus- band 10 the front steps 10 tell him eoodby until noon, glanced across the street and saw the slim body of her rival staggering out of the door, bent under the weight of the heavy steNladder she was carrying.
 She knew that Morgan saw. too, for he took a quick, involuntary step as if impelled to go to his for- mcr Wife's aid Deliberately, Nan kept on with what she had been saying, so that the man perforcc must wait to hear her out. Just as she was concluding her remark something about the Blackhull case Iris stationed the ladder directly beneath the globe of the porch light, and started to climb, an electric bulb in one outstretched hand. On | the third step she apparently lost 1 her balance, and with shrili scream, topplcd 10 the floor. Almost before the bulb shattered. 1 Morgan was on his way. Nan watched with curious detachment, l as she saw her husband kneel ani gather his divorced wife into his arms; watched as he kicked the 1 front door wide and disappeared ! into the house with his burden. Then. very deliberately, she turned and rc-entered her own house. Not even to alay gossip in the neighbor- l hood could she force herself to cross the street and enter that other ! house. If Iris was badly hurt and 1 needed more help than her hus ! band could give her. let him telc-
 phone for a doctor or nurse. Is | the tumble from the ladder had been just clever bit of acting, and Iris was not really hurt. certainly her-Nan's- was th3
 last thing Iris desired.
 It wts half an hour before Nor gan returned, and because t was
 then almo1t time for court 10 open
 he was in too great a hurry to give Nan more than a few words of eX-
 planation:
 "She'o twisted her ankle-rather
 badly, I'm afraid. but she wouldn't let me call Dr. Black. I bathed II
 in hot water, and then bandaged i1
 tightly with liniment. You nigh,
 send Estelle over with a luncheon
 tray dear Curtis will be there to
 do little things tor her this after
 noon. Now I've got to make
 q dash for the courthouse"
 When he had gone. Nan won
 dered if he had emphasized his neei
 for hurry to. excuse his not kissing
 her goodby.
 Quietly, she gave the necessary
 instructions to Estelle, cut short
 the maids sullen protest at bein-
 called upon to wait on that wo
 man" and left for the office in hel
 own car At one o'clock, just as
 Nan was leaving for lonely lunch since Morgan was staying at tho
 courthouse, Estelle telephoned. , That woman ain't no more crip
 pied than I am, Mrs. Morgan" Els
 telle reported indignantly. "Sht
 was dancing to the photograph, al , by herself and because the musi, was loud she didn't hear me knock
 and T."
 "All right, Estclle!" Nan inter
 rupted crisply. Anything else
 Goodby, then"
 At dinner that evening Curti remarked, in the sullen, belligeren
 voice he had adopted since hi
 mothers return: Mothers ankle i j awful bad. She said she "ishc> : you'd come over and stay with he , thIs evening father She said sll. , knew you wouldn't. but she wished
 you would"
 } I'm sorry, son, but I'm afraid I can't" Morgan answered gently You see, I've got q terribly i'm . portant case on in court, and I'v'
 got 10 work all evening" Looks like mother would h } more important than any old case / Curtis protested with sullen vehe ] rnence, she said you wouldn'
 come, cause Nan wouldn't let vol ] not even if she was dying, sh
 said"
 , "Cumis,"
 . Can't even say what mothe l told me to say?" Curtis burst int g tears.
 You have delivered your moth | CTS messagr" Morgan retortc, - starnfy rNo,t- aton hIubharin, an, |. cal your dinner"
 | Don't want any dinner" Curti ) sohbed, Not hungry Sides, 1 fee
 sick"
 What did you cat this after . noon. CurtisY" Nan asked quietly. . Didn't cat nothing but som $ caviar slmdWlches, n some mang [ pickles, an some ice cream and nu l cookIcs,' Curtis sniffed, caught of