REVELATIONS OF A WIFE

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1162, 1 November 1917, Page 8

REVELATIONS OF A WIFE

THE STORY OF A HONEYMOON. [BY ADELE GARRISON.] XX.—LITTLE MISS SONNOT'S OPPORTUNITY. My mother-in-law's convalescence was "as rapid as the progress of her sudden illness had been. By the day that I gave my first history lecture before the Lotus Studv Club she was well enough to dismiss *Dr Pettit with one of her sudden imperious speeches, and to make plans that evening for the welcoming and entertaining of her daughter Harriet and her famous son-in-law Dr Edwin Braithwaite, who were expected next day on their way to Europe, where the doctor was to take charge of a French hospital at the front. That night I could not sleep. The exciting combination of happenings effectually robbed me of rest. I tried every device I could think of to go to sleep, but could not lose myself in even a doze. Finally, in despair, I rose cautiously, not to "awaken Dicky, and slipping on my bath-robe and fur-trimmed mules, made my way into the diningroom. on the light, I looked around for something to read until I should get sleepy. "What is the matter, Mrs Graham? Are you ill*' * . Miss Sonnot 's soft voice sounded just behind me. As I turned I thought again, as I had many times before, how rery attractive the little nurse was. She had on a dark blue negligee of rough eloth, made very simply, but which covered her night attire completely, while her feet, almost as small as a child's were covered with fur-trimmed slippers of the same colour as the negligee. Her abundant hair was braided in two plaits and hung down to her waist. "You look like a sleepy little girl," I said impulsively. "And you like a particularly wakeful one,'' she returned, mischievously. "I am glad you are not ill. I feared you were when I heard you snap on the light." "No, you did not waken me. In fact, I have been awake nearly an hour. I was iust about to come out and rob the L.rder of a cracker and a sip of milk, in the hope that I might go to sleep again when I heard you." "Splendid!" I ejaculated, while Miss Sonnot looked at me wonderingly. "Can your patient hear us out here?" "If von could hear her snore you

would be sure ahe could not," Miss Sonnet smiled. '' And I partly closed her door when I left. She is safe for hours.'' "Then we will have a party," I de- . elared triumphantly, "a regular boarding school party." "Then on to the kitchen!" She raised one of her long braids of hair and waved it like a banner. We giggled like 15-year-old school girls as we tiptoed our way into the kitchen, turned »u the light and searched refrigerator, pantry, bread and cake boxes for food.-

1 ' Now for our plunder,'' I said, as wo rapidly inventoried the eatables we had found! Bread, butter, a can of sardines, eggs, sliced bacon, and a dish of stewed tomatoes. x "I wish we had some oysters or cheese; then we could stir up something in the chafing dish," I said mournfully. "Do you know, I believe I have a chafing dish recipe we can use in a scrap book which I always carry with me," responded Miss Sonnot. "It.is in my suit-case at the foot of my couch. I'll be back in a minute." She noiselessly slipped into the living room and returned almost instantly with, a substantially bound book in h?r hands. She sat down beside me at the table and opened the book. "I without this book," ah'e said extravagantly. "In it I have all sorta of treasured clippings and jottings. The things I need most I have pasted in. The chafing dish recipes are in an envelope. I just happened to have them along." She was turning the pages as she spoke. On one page, which she passed by more hurriedly than the others, were tvnumber of kodak pictures. I caught a flash of one which made my heart beat more quickly. Surely I had a print from the same negative in my trunk. The tiny picture was a photograph of Jack Bickett or I was very much mistaken. What was it doing in the scrap book of Miss Sonnot? I put an unsteady hand out to prevent her turning the page. It was Jack * Bickett's photograph. I schooled my voice to a sort of careless lurprise: "Why! Isn't this' Jack Bickett?" She started perceptibly. "Ye 3. Do you know him!" "He is the nearest relative I have," i returned quickly, "a distant cousin, nt brought up as my brother." Her face flushed. Her eyes shoue with interest. "Oh! then you must be his Mar garet?" she cried. As the words left Miss Sounot 's lips she gazed at me with a half-frightened little air as if she regretted their utterance. "I beg your pardon, Mrs Graham," ahe said contritely; "you must think I have taken leave of my senses. But I have heard so much about vou." "From Mr Bi.kettf" My head was whirling. I hail never heard Jack speak the name of "Sonnot." Indeed, 1 would never have kuown he had met her, save ior the accidental opening of her scrap book to his picture when she ami I were searching for chafing dish recipes. ti Oh! No, indeed. I have never seeu Mr Bickett myself." A rosy embarrassed flush stole over her face ts she Her eyes were Btarry. Through my bewilderment came a thought which 1 voiced. "That is his loss then. He would think so if he could see you now." She laughed confusedly while the rosy tiut of her cheeks deepened. "I must explain to you," she said simply. '' I have never seeu Mr Bickett, but my brother is one of his friends. They used to correspond, and I enjoyed his letters as much as Mark did. I think his is a wonderful personality, don't you?" "Naturally," I returned, a trifle dryly. The little nurse was revealing more than she dreamed. There was romautic admiration in every note in her voice. I was not quite sure that I liked it. But I put all selfish considerations down with an iron hand and smiled in most friendly fashion at her. * "Isn't it wonderful that after hearing so much of each other we should meet in this way?" I said heartily. "If only our brothers were here." (To be continued.)