Evening star., 1914-07-12
and live. can get along. And you II
lget along without me- she coollN

and live! 1 can get alons. And you'll
get along without me-" she coolly
prophesied.
Well he had got along. dreary get
ting along. though. He had tried not
to resent the towns mockery when
frivolous dresser - her fussy. frilly
gowns. her bangles. bracelets. rings
chains. fiowered hats. fluffy brown hair
and impudent brown eyes and set out
for gayer life than he could offer.
He hadn't reproached her. Elhert Har
well was young man of exceedingly
fine principles. His heart ached. hut
he couldn't convince himself that the
ache was sufficiently strong reason
for holding a girl to promise when
she wished to be free. He told her to
keep the small white stoned ring that
he had given her. Il don't want il. and
!! it looks pretty on Your hand he said.
quietly.
she had pretty white hands that need
cd rings.
Elbert's mother was tolera bly, good
uatured woman. hut she rallied until
Elbert asked her not to say any more.
1t was DeIs own business. as il was
DerS own life. SO she subsidized and
Sok out her natural anger in cooking
extra dishes for Elbert. He found it
hard TO forget. but it was not his own
loneliness that lay heavy on his
mind as sickening fear that Del
would come to harm. Even in the
small country town men regarded her
a pretty, frivolous jest. when they did
not resent her impertinence. Del liked
to make fun of people.
So now. hearing the gossip he felt
that his fears We're realized be drove
home very slowly. allowing the horses
TO take their time He wasn't con-
with fear when the weird gray came
over the sky and fields. and whipped
the horses to a faster gait His mind
was suddenly made up. He would &"
and see after Del
His mother said nothing. though likely
she guessed the real reason Of the sud
den trip. He packed a bag and took the
early morning train. curtly uncommunlca-
tive when Smith, the sossiping ucke,
agent. wanted to know the why and
wherefore and length of business that
was taking him to Chicago
Il heard Del was
What's that about your receipts not lot
balancing with the tickets You sold
Elbert coolly interrupted.
Smiths fat face got red. Say, that
lie some ones putting out about me
Let me explain And in explaining he
forgot Del.
Ebert had been in Chicago only three
times, and then only for few DAYS.
But fear and love cleared his brain. he
went to an inexpensive hotel left his bag.
and then set about finding Del He had
a department store. For while she had
written him short breezy letters He
went there. found a girl who knew her
and learned that she had left for better
payinG position cashier in a restaurant
The owner businesslike Greek. re-
GREETED that he had lost her. She drew
trade and could figure. You don't find
the combination often. he sighed. But
she saved enough to learn stenography.
He knew the name Of the business school
bered her quite we'll. although they hadn I
seen her for about three years. Her posi-
ton was in a small real estate business
on the North Side. They had a record
I;lbert went there. The man at the
shabby roll-top desk remembered her:
Sure. Pretty girl-sweet as a peach.
E,lbert wanted to kick him. but held his
foot back. Cm-n-m. She had gone to
another firm. More pay. That was al
ways the way. You took a green girl
from business school. and broke her in.
and as soon she knew the ropes out
she scooted where she could get more.
And ne bet she was working harder for
Jaggers' company than she ever did for
him.
E,lbert left and went to Jaggers' COM
pany. Miss Brent had left them six
months before. to their great regret. She
was an exceptionally clever Young woman.
But they were glad that she had been