Show When Hugh with amusement in his voice asked me what was the matter matter mat mat- ter with The Larches that I could no not telephone Avis Arlen from there I had a primitive impulse to run the motor car into the nearest tree tree any any anywhere where that would deposit him in the road on his head The obtuseness of men I raged to myself If he did not know that the chief objection to tOmy my telephoning from The Larches was as the certain reaction that Dicky would have bave to tomy tomy tomy my going to Hughs Hugh's temporary home for any reason whatsoever then il it it was because he was deaf blind anc and mentally befogged But in my present present pres pres- ent eat mood I would have cut off my right hand before I would have betrayed betrayed be be- any hesitancy to take his ad vice I was In for it no matter what I did I knew new that thal When Dicky should learn that I h had d gone to The to telephone not even the fact that I ha it to have his mother uneasiness his bis niece actual unhappiness would weigh with him against his jealous dislike of the friend who had done us both so many signal services FEAR OF MOTHER GRAHAM was It Mother Grahams Graham's wrath that I really dreaded however Dicky was too afraid of a scene to stage any actual actual ac ac- ac battle with me on the eve of Marys Mary's wedding He might sulk when we were alone but he be would pretend friendliness even gayety when other people were around But I knew that Mother Graham old feeble already wrought up to a high nervous nervous tension by the excitement excitement excite excite- ment and her dislike of f Philip Ver- Ver itzen's attitude n needed eded only some last straw like a fancied dereliction in my duty toward Dicky or what or-what what would offend her ber even even more more going going somewhere to telephone when she could not know what was going on on to send her into one of her tantrums And that I 1 felt would be the last for me I felt near a nervous collapse myself I realized that Hugh was bending toward me waiting for an answer to his query Indeed even cven even as asI I pulled myself together he repeated it HUGHS HUGH'S INSISTENCE Is there anything the matter with The Larches Larches' he said again still I with amusement In his voice You didn't see any traces of ot quarantine over there did you I can assure you the board of ot health has given iven us usa usa a clear bill There is neither smallpox smallpox small small- pox nor leprosy In the house I laughed nervously I 1 am ver vcr to be assured o of that I said with an attempt at casualness But it ft is not that which is troubling me It is what my moth moth- law in will say if It she should get any idea that I was trying to keep any telephone conversation especially especial especial- ly one that concerns her granddaughter ter a secret from her And she has no idea that I went to Patchogue J I Idid Idid did not dare tell her that She thinks I went to Southampton and to Hampton Hampton Hamp Hamp- ton Bays Well Welli Hugh said as I 1 paused for breath You did didn't you QUOTING AN OLD PROVERB His voice again held a chuckle and andI I realized that for some reason he was unusually gay and apparently light Was it because I J checked myself I had no right to speculate in that direction even though it fed my f Yes es but cut you you see see having lived Inthis in inthis this his section for a long tithe time she has hasa a very shrewd idea of the time it takes for a trip to those places even if it she discounts the time out for the ostensible shopping for hats which I 1 Idid Idid did at Hampton Bays She in all probability is looking for me now and becoming exceedingly angry and uneasy because I have not come back It If f she should see me passing the house and no not coming in in- I r really dont don't know what would be the effect upon her She is in a terribly nervous nervous nerv nerVe ous state as it is Then Hugh said with a quizzical note in his voice why go past the house howe at t all I I was silent for tor a fraction of ofa a second won wondering erIng how I ought to respond to this suggestion I never have thought him but buthis his next speech sounded as if he had read my thought Oo 00 you remember the old proverb concerning the sheep and the lamb he ic Mk asked A memory of ot the times I had quoted It to myself made me give a short little laugh TOE TIlE BACK ROAD I 1 see see you do do Hugh said and I recommend the saying strongly to your attention But thre is no use invoking trouble that can be avoided J Therefore may I suggest that we take the wood road back from Southampton ton tori to Sag Harbor thus enabling us to come corrie Larches from a direction direction tion that would obviate our p passing sIng the farm Again I heard beard a quizzical note in his voice Again I pondered the feas feasibility of adopting his suggestions Then I steeled my courage with the reminder that unless I wished the certainty of a tantrum upon Mother Grahams Graham's part I could do nothing save accede to the suggestion Hugh had bad offered Very well I said at last Iut we will go dow wood road Tomorrow Continued Tomorrow Copyright 1933 1033 K R. R S. S Inc Thc t |