The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-01
By JOANNA SINGLE.
Copyright. 1919. by the Associated
Iaterarv Pres0l

Copyright. 1919. by the Associated
Literary Press.)
1t came at the last mail delivery.
when the girl was closing the desk
and wishing she were dead. Stevens.
the bookkseper, handed it to her and
went out with 80 long. kid" He
had been asked to call her Miss
King, but the boss had gone, and 20
no suited himself. AZ che opened her
letter the young fellow came back; his
hard face softened = little NJ he ad-
dressed her:
Come on out and eat with me.
Gertie." But she shook her head. and
with shrug he was OF.
She knew she could take no favprs
from this man, and sha afso reelected
that the man VINO was writing her
was little better--And greatly older.
She had forbidden him TO write or to
give her things.
she glanced down the latter. and
folded II almost guiltiiy into her bag.
put ON her hat and slipped from the
hot ONCE into tho hotter street. Tier
intention was to get 8 little supper
and rest . bit before she decided what
to do, q decision that would have been
easier but for the memory OF thin,
hoyish face and haunting brown eyes.
She did not know where Boyd was,
and wondered wistfully what lack he
had found In her. why no had drepped
out Of sight without . word to hAr.
The girl mechanically turned 70 =
vn1A tsYt hn
mnell 81 Il sicksped her. and she re-
traced her steps to q clean little Gale,
whore She would have to psy more
than she could afford. Something
fnaAe her eeokl0xD -oVcrwcrk, misery
about Boyd and the pink check in
that letter from John SpAnldinx.
which check, Of ecHFse, sie ~euad
send back, ~ she always had returned
hts checkA
she ordered feed and when u CANA
ate II all, but hardly tasting Il. Tor
an idea that had come to her. an
idea that had never touched her be-
fore. 1t was to give UP the strugsie
and lot this kindly older man marry
her, supply her real need--to be cared
for. Why was she working 20 Keep
from starvation: What vas there ~
itr She drained her coffee cup ana
Dear Gertrude:
..For tho last time am going to
ank you to marry me and lot me take
decent caro- Of you. I've known you
since you wers. little child and you
know I love you. ! won't Talk about
that / know YOU hAve nutinnk
AGAINST me--twenty years between M
seems biz to you now, but L Will not
when you once see how happy can
make you. Try me.
.sWhy WON'T yea 60 10 -G<..!.ss s1::ssAssl
with me next week? The mountains
this summer. and the south next WIN
ter. am inciosing . check which
/ want you to use. Pay your biils--
this win reach you Saturday give up
your work. and buy q ticket to Fun
son. Telegraph mo and my sster
will meet you and No will be married
rirht away. Be senslbie and do Il
JOHN gPAuI1DIN0. :
She left the cafe and went to her
stuffy room. threw herseK on tho bed.
facs down, after. the ancient manner
OF women In trouble. and fought y
cut with herusif, fearless and helf
nunne6. HE rad newer been taken
care of; she had never had = reeI
home. Boyd--she did not know
he ever had really cared me ereadniy
she, unAsked, had ~ 4h6wn him her
heart-hut 4hes4iad thought THAI h0
loved heNs but for this her strukg1e
wousa have been short. To marry
tgiiisant she must forxet him.
Al IL WA. It Wa midnight wne9
she arose. 1T her lamp. nathed, ma
very calmly w$at to bed. 6l,s sIsps
far Into the fofonoon AND wAked e
: 1ort of peAes. The landtady--e nm,
80 x,.saat~rs sS,se sa<s< s1nkfnd-