Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-23

In yourself, you triumph. 1 am not going
to run away from any one. II you are
| afraid, you can have half the money we
have left, and go where you WILL"
He sat down, wringIng his hands help
iessly.
My child" he exclaimed, you know
| very well that dare not so alonel MY
nerves are in such a state, II would
not be possible"
Then stay" she told him briefly.
ut chokes me-" he went on. looking
| at her fearfully, this atmosphere, tne
| feeling that Pritchard Is watching all the
| time. wondering what we have done with
| Wenham, wondering where our money
comes from. Elizabeth. what Is there IN
London that holds your
MY vanity. perhaps" she laughed
Anyhow, mean to stay"
The telephone on the table rang. She
took up the receiver
you can send the young man up In
! five minutes" she said.
who Is it7" her father asked.
THE young man who called the other
day." she replied-"Mr. Tavernake."
The professors face darkened.
"Agalnl' he exclaimed. what does he
want that young man? What have you
TO do with him7 You do not want nat
you 10 DOI WhUI " nOhbos ~ 80 sNAA
bluff, this What use is he2 What pur-
pose can he server"
She smiled at him tolerantly. as one
might smile at an angry child NO line
of her features betrayed any sense OF
annoyance or even impatience.
MY dear father" she answered, you
cannot possibly understand the reason for
everything I do. Why worry about this
unfortunate young mann
~. L.. s.N- N.A1r Ia a
he threw out his hands above his head
with the melodramatic instinct which
had always been strong In his blood.
do you think that I am fool?" he
cried. do you think do not know that
If there were not something moving in
your brain you would think no more OF
that clerk, that bourgeois estate agent,
than of the door-mat beneath your feet?
1t is what always complain about. You
make use of me as a tool. There are
always things which l do not understand.
He comes here. this young man, under
pretext, whether he knows II or not. You
talk to him for an hour at a time. There
should be nothing in your life which l
do not know OF, Elizabeth" he continued,
his voice suddenly hoarse as he leaned to-
ward her. Cant you see that there iB
danger In friendships for you and for me,
there is danger in intimacies of any sort?
share the danger; l have right to
share the knowledge. This young man
has no money of his own, I take 1t. or
what use is he to us?''
"You are too hasty, my dear father
she replied. Let me assure you that
there is nothing at all mysterious about
Mr. Tavernake. The simple truth Is that
the young man rather attracts me-"
The professor gazed at her incredu-
lousy.
ATTRACTS YOU! IIe!'
you have never perfectly understood
me, my dear parent" she murmured.
you have never appreciated that trait
in my character, that strange preference.
II YOU like, for the absolutely original.
Now in all my life I never met such
young man as this. He wears the clothes
and he has the features and speech of
Just such person as you have described,
but there Is difference"
"A difference, indeed!" the professor in
terrupted roughly What difference. I
should like to know"
She shrugged her shoulders lightly.
"He is stolid without being stupid" abe
explained. "He is entirely sef-centered.
I smile at him, and he waits patiently
until 1 have finished to get on with our
business. 1 have said quite nice things
TO him and he has stared at me without
change of expression, absolutely without
pleasure or emotion of any sort"
You are too vain, Elizabeth" her
father declared. "You have been spoilt.
There are a few people in the world
whom even you might fail to charm.
No doubt this young man is one Of them"
She sighed gently.
'It really does SEEM" she admitted,
"as though you were right, but we shall
see. By-the-by, hadn't you better go?
The five minutes are nearly up"
He came over to her side, his hat and
gloves in his hand, prepared for de-
parture.
"Will you tell me. upon your honor
Elizabeth" he begged that there is no
other reason for your interest? That
you are not engaged in any fresh schemes
of which 1 know nothing? Things are
bad enough as they are. cannot sleep,
cannot rest, for thinking of our posi-
ton. If thought that you had any fresh
plans on hand"
She fiicked the ash from her cigarette
and checked him with little gesture.
HE knows where Beatrice is," she re-
marked thoughtfully, "and / can't get