Show I I I HOLDA HOLDING A HUSBAND BAND Adele Garrisons Garrison's Ne New Phase of REVELATIONS OF OFA A WIFE I I WHY MADGE HATED TO DECLINE DECLINE DECLINE DE DE- CLINE THE COURTESY MAJOR GRANTLAND OFFERED I am afraid I stared in open openmouthed openmouthed openmouthed mouthed amazement for a moment at Major Grantland's question concerning concerning concerning concern concern- ing the railroad drawing room Then enlightenment came to to- to me Mr i nurl Durkee o 9 ot c course r Her Fl 1 s must must- lost lost no no tithe time hi Iii In 1 felling him I was thankful that my good hearted well meaning little neighbor I was safely out of my reach I 1 do donot donot donot not believe belleve I could have trusted my I I fingers which itched to box her ears cars I trust I I trust I am not interfering I I in something which I 1 should not I the young officer evidently evidently evidently evi evi- dently disconcerted by my ray look but Mrs Durkee told me today of her hervery hervery hervery very natural objections t to sharing a a. drawing room with Miss 1 Brown and of your goodness in offering to change with her There was an unconscious intonation intonation tion a stress upon the words very natural objections clearly betraying I a disapproval of RI Rita Rita- ta Brown which gave me material for mental digestion digestion digestion diges diges- tion when I 1 should have time for such a ruminative process I 1 had time however for only a a. passing wonder as to whether concern for Edith Fairfax had anything to do with his attitude toward Miss Drown Brown for Major l Grantland was speaking again his embarrassment more patent patent pat pat- I ent eat than ever over in the brick red flush which was covering his face It seemed absurd that a man who I could face faco any danger any emergency emergency emergency emer emer- gency with iron nerve and unmoved facial muscles should be so school school- I boyish In his attitude toward women but I must confess that I in I-in in comI common cornmon com corn mon with other women who know I him him find find something oddly appealing in the trait I chided her for not coming to tome tome tome me Instead instead- of annoying you with the matter he went on rapidly and his I use of the pronoun blunt rather than subtle told me unmistakably what it troubled me to ta believe that the young oung officer still held me me in in- his thoughts though ts as one from whom all care and even annoyance should be bo kept I as much as possible But she evidently evidently evi evl dently had not realized that I have havea I a certain facility an facility an Inside track as asIt asIt asit It were in getting things from rom railroads railroads railroads rail rail- roads and so had not confided her dilemma to me THE MAJOR HESITATES Ho lie paused evidently to 10 arrange his words which he seemed to have in increasing increasing increasing in- in creasing difficulty in framing I re remembered remembered remembered re- re his railroad history before ho entered the war and the brilliance and power of his standing during the great conflict and I would not have marveled if he ho had suddenly produced an order for a private car or even a train His next words echoed my thought almost uncannily If It it were not for conditions in inthe inthe i ithe the country ho he said and the f fact ct i that ho he was speaking of tho the abstract Instead of the personal took tool from from- his voice the stammer gave It a ring of confidence I could have obtained a a. car or even train for our party par par- ty It would not have been particularly particularly easy but I 1 could have haye done it I have not suggested or considered it because I was sure that you shared my feeling t ti with the present freight and food cong congestion SUon which the country faces any unnecessary task laid upon traffic Is ds almost criminal I felt my cheeks flushing under his earnest eyes I acquitted him of any conscious effort to tb express his I thoughts of me but words voice I eyes eves said only too plainly that it was wasI wasI I I alone of all the party whose opinion or comfort he ho was considering But one thing I could do do ho wenton went on and once again he became uncomfortably un un- un- un I comfortably self self- self I What That was q to se secure ure a drawing room for y yourself yourself- l u unthinkable t I that h t i f jj i 0 c i 1 IF V tI t l 0 I. I i A J you vou should be compelled to crowd in with three other women in a a. drawing room He put his his his' hand in his pocket S P brought 81 out outa a a small envelope and he held d it jt toward me I 1 drew back inVoluntarily in- in voluntarily hesitant to wound d him y t. t teE ing that I sho d takee take e favor v r ause of feeling feeling- fd rd 11 I ca m t tell you how hw how much i I thank you Major l Grantland I said and the knowledge that I must refuse the gift he he had brought me made my voice tremble with an earnestness I otherwise would have not felt but but oh I cannot tell you why o of Just what I mean but but it lf Tw you would Just offer this to Mrs Durkee It would it-would would be so much better S I did not get it for Mrs Mra Durkee he returned ned quietly and his voice voie was that of ot a hurt childs child's But if you do dp not Vant want it I shall of course course be glad to dispose of it as you suggest JL |