Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-02
CHAPTER xx-ccontinued.)

A few minutes past II o'clock, he founo
himself once more in that dark thorough
fare Mt the back of the theatre, TIT
lamp over the stage-door was hickerins
In the suuie uncertain manner, the same
motorcars were there, the same crowd OF
young men, except that each night they
seemed to grow larger. This time ne
had a few minutes only to wait. Beatrice
came out among the earliest. At the
OF her he was suddenly conscious
that he had, after all, no excuse for
coming, that she would probably cross
examine him about Elizabeth, would prom
ably guess the secret of his torments.
He shrank back. but he was a moment
too late for she had seen him. with a
few words of excuse to the others with
whom she was talking, she picked up
her skirts and came swiftly across the
muddy street. Tavernake had no time
to escape. He remained there until she
came, but his cheeks were hot, and ne
had an uncomfortable feeling that MS
presence. that their meeting like this,
was an embarrassment to both Of them.
INV dear Leonard she exclaimed.
why do YOU hide over there"
"I don't know" he answered simply.
She laughed. .
at looks as though o didn't want
to see me" she remarked. IF you didn't,
why are you here?'
ii suppose | did want TO see you he
replied. anyhow, I was lonely. |
wanted to talk TO some one, | walked
all the way up here from Chelsea
"You have something to tell me?' she
suggested.
''There was something" he admitted.
II thought perhaps you ought to know.
| had supper with your father last night.
We talked about you"
She started as though he had struck
her; her face was suddenly pale and
anxious.
Are you serious. Leonardo" she asked,
MY father"
He nodded.
~ am sorry" he said. 81 ought not to
have Numbered it out like that. | forgot
that you-you were not seeing anything
Of him"
"How did you meet HIM"
by accident" he answered. "T was
alone IN in the balcony at Imano's,
and he wanted my table because he could
see you from there, so we shared it, and
then we began talking. | knew who he
was, of course; | had seen him in your
sisters room. He told me that he had
engaged the table for every night this
week"
HIe ooNeu acIoSs tht roau' Ct,
she declared. Wait here. for me"
She went back to her friends and talked
to them for a moment or two, Taver-
make could hear Grier's protesting voice
and Beatrice's light laugh. Evidently
they We're trying uselessly to persuade
neg | cnanse "e' "'"'u' "oon S"e ca''e
pacK 10 MN. 49,
! ami S",IA, he S"ru !eIuctan'LS'
"lr"'u ''"I ! nave SPo"eu your even
'"sI ,oo,,.,
nc .oo's", p''asr, she rep,Ieu
laN'.s ms arInI 30 YOU peleVe nat
my la."eI WI or up III I"e o"IeoHE at
l'la,ao : tol"snsL
iHNe!H"H' uouNs"'
re on me SO.
We VII go anu Sl up mere she de-
Cideu, ne KNOWS where | am 10 pc
.ouhu no" SO II uoes" matter ! Should
''h" TO see MN
IneE walked OH losetler, lnoush she
was evidently absent and distressed.
IaVernaNe ielt once more that sense OF
compromising Whlch hef near
presence always brought MN,
mere is something else ! must ask
YOU she peEah presently. J want TO
know II you nave seen lfitchard lately
i was with MN last night TaVernake
she shivered'
Tie was ashlhs Questions
Not ABOUT YOU I~aVernake assured
her qulckly' II Is your sister In whom
he is interested
Beatrice nodded but she seemed very
little relieved Tayernake could see that
old look or rear was back in her
face.
II am sorry, Beatrice. he said, re-
rretfuIIy, - seem lust now 10 be always
bringing you "reminiscences of the people
it terrihes you to hear about
She shook her head.
1T isn't your fault, Leonard" she de-
"only II is rather strange that
YOU should he mixed up with them in any
isn't it, suppose some day you'll
find out everything about me. Perhaps
you'll he sorry then that you ever called
yourself my brotl err"
They turned into the Strand.
TEL me about my father, Leonard,
she begged.
He hesitated; II was hard to know OK
actly how to speak Of the professor.
Perhaps If o have talked with him
at all" she went on, ut win he)p you to
one Of the difficulties 7 had
H. I'm