The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-25
DAILY SHORT STORY.
WHERE REASON RULES.
By HOPE AINsLIE.

"Of course you understand, Jack
woman is first and always the pur-
suer as Shaw puts It Rather neat OF
him too. Jackie" The major chuckied
/ appreciatively. Jack. at the window,
faced the darkness In surly silence.
HOW ons since you were-er-engas-
Never was. SIR she wouldn't have
me-"
so you tried. ehr'
I'D marry her any time she said the
word It's mother who settled IT,"
"Lucia's peculiar. but still amena Bile
IL you know how to get at her, Jack.
You're her one and only. you see. Shell
act like the Empress OF China as long
as you liye-always treat you as she
did when you had curis and Buster
Brown SUITS Suppose she has picked
out your wife for you herself. hasn't
she?'
Jack nodded modify.
It's Just this way. Uncle Ted. There's
girl up home. Betty Roberts, and we
used to be rather sweet on each other.
We both went to the same church and
the academy. and ! suppose 1 did write
letters to her and so on when was
seventeen or around there. Mother likes
her and she's always said I'd marry
Betty. Last year l went after that con-
cession and met Mrs. Leonard, She
loaned her collection of Chinese por-
celains to the exhibit and l give you
my word. Uncle Ted, from the instant
We looked at each other l didn't give a
rap whether I ever saw Betty or any
other woman as long as l lived"
Good locker, Jack?'
"She's Just divine" Jack spoke fer
vently, reverently. She's been n widow
for four years; married at nineteen to a
brute"
''All good-looking widows husbands are
brutes." murmured the major Go on"
That's ALL told her I loved her
and she was giving me at least a chance
until mother came out to Frisco and
queered the whole thing. She met Mrs.
Leonard at Aunt Annals, and told her
was an impressionable boy, a perfect
slave to sympathy and all that rot, al
ways used TO being petted, etc Finally
showed her Betty's picture as the little
girl sweetheart back East waiting for
me to get through my travels. You
know the way she can put a thing over
with the tone Of her voice and her eyes.
Well. l didn't have a chance after she
had left. Dolores left for Santa Bar
bara the next day."
"Humph." unused the major. Now she
comes here. Did she know you were
with me at the Springs?'
No, sir. We haven't written"
We'll. don't blame you. mind.
Jackie. She's a wonderfully attractive
woman. And YOU'RE twenty-six, you
know, old enough to toddle without the
maternal leading strings. l should say.
Lucia Is a fine woman. good sister to
me. but still-what's this Betty like
''Oh. she's all right" said Jack. vague
". Like any girl. Batty's crazy
over her. always has been. OF course.
he isn't the style OF fellow that girls
take TO. though. Uncle Ted
There goes the widow" said the ma
jor. suddenly leaning forward. Cad.
she can ride.
Jack vaulted the veranda rail and
made for the mounting stone TO meet
the chestnut mare as she galloped up
the shore road. His voice was a bit
husky when he spoke to Mrs Leonard.
slim and erect in her black habit, her
hair wind-blown around her face, her
eyes dark and evasive as he leaned to-
ward her.
Don't go in yet" he begged as the
boy took the bride. Il must speak to
you. You've avoided me ever since you
found / was here. Dolores"
Hush, Jack. Some one will hear you,
you foolish boy
Don't call me a boy" he swung back
miserably. I'm not. Come along the
pine road Just a little way. You
wouldn't speak to me hardly at lunch.
l know you were sorry even to see me
here
"oh. no. / was not 1t was a pleasant
surprise, r6teiy it was, Jack"
"A pleasant surprise. 1t made me per-
fectly mad to see you again"
THE train service TO Santa Barbara is
quite regular" she said demurely
You wouldn't have seen me. You left
without a word. You believed every last
thing mother told you about me and
Betty"
Did II" She looked away from him
steadfastly. Perhaps l did. II seems
too bad, Jack. there has to be a-a-Betty."
What do you mean?"
Il always think OF you needing a girl
sweetheart, and still"
You cared, didn't you? Even though
you went away. Never mind Betty !
haven't thought Of any one In the world
but you for the last six months. Uncle
Ted took me under his wing and brought
me South because ! wasn't tit for any
thing else. It's the greatest, sweetest
gift that luck could have brought me.
sending you here"
She smiled. leaning forward as he
crushed her hands in his, and quoted
softly under her breath
II had not dreamt that love would stay.
Don't go away from me again. Do
lores. I swear I'll follow you this time
70 the ends OF the world"
She laughed. her eyes brimful of ten
derness.
''oh. Jack, Jack. why didn't you follow
me then IL you really cared
The major came leisurely toward them.
the late afternoon mail in his hands.
by George. Jack boy. here's news.
(YnOd Qffarnnnn
Roberts eloped with BatcheIler Phillips
Saturday. Whereabouts unknown. Mar
ried in New York. Your mother writes
that she's glad it's only Batty as she
always seemed to be this sort OF a girl.
You know Jacks mother. don't you.
Mrs Leonardo"
slightly" said Dolores gently. 81
know Betty, too. We are distant cou-
sins, but she writes to me-"
Yes? Writes to Jack. too. I should
say. Here's one with n return line on IL.
Mrs. BatchelIer Philips, washington.
ID. C.. Hotel Grosvenor' Break the news
to US, Jackie"
Jack opened the letter with a frown,
and then smiled. He handed It to Do
lores. 1t was typicaIly Betty.
Dear Jack: / know what everybody'rl
say, and don't care. I've always liked
Batty and L like to know why l can't
marry him il / want, but you know dad.
So we're clipping. I'm just as sick and
tired as you are OF forever being hurled
at your most estimable head. So I've
written Dolores-she's my cousin, YOU
know-and tod her your are at the
springs. and to please be good TO YOU.
And just one word, Jack. il you'd had
one-thousandth part OF Battys independ-
ence and initiative you'd have married
her six months ago Any way, I wish