Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-20

The Daily Story
Sarah,s Plan

Lucille, who sat with her head on her
arms beside the table, sobblng hard
The head did not rise. Instead fret.
ul voice ouavercd. You go way and
let me alone
In response Sarah stepped through the
window, glad It happened to be French
one seized Lucille by the shoulders and
shook her upright, asking tcnscly, rs
the day set?'
Luce nodded--her lips too tremulous
for speech. Sarah VIII hstled-unladylke,
to be sure-but she dd not mind. Then
it's up to me to be doing-rcal hard she
commented. 1t would be plain sailing
If you only had a sweothcart-you could
elope and be done with it,"
II don't want to-dont want-any-
thing-but to be-let alone" Lucille qua
vcred again.
Sarah stamped dantly. You're iool,
doubc-fastencd and coppcr-riycted, she
said. Patience knows, I'd dance a jig IL
| stood in your shoes. Billy Macklin ~
the catch Of the county. Really. It bothcrs
me why he's so set on marrying YOU;
but instead of saying yes. and thanky.
as you ought you're crying your eyes
out"
We'll. can't help it. And it's all I
can do" Lucille protested more tearfully
| than ever.
Suddenly Sarah began truly to dance.
| TEL me all about it," she said. "1'vc
! got an idea, IL only I can make II work
Lucille tod-with a certain latent sats-
! faction. The day was Thursday--this
| was Monday. Billy was coming around
in the mornnE-they would be married
with only Aunt Iulc and his father for
| witnesses, drive to tho station and catch
the carly train. After that-New York
maybe Europc-anythinE she might par-
/ ticularly Chonsc-any reward in fact for
! being n good girl and not crossing her
/ elders Clothes? They were to be bought
/ in the city-only the travelling dress-that
/ was already ordered from tho nearest
| real town, where n tailor always had her
/ measurements The frock would be sent
] barely in timc-but as to that Lucille
! didn't mind. she was too wrapped up in
! being ViCtlm-iust like n girl in story
! book. only no other grl was over quite
! 50 miserable Folks were sorry for girls
! in books-even Sarah thought she was
silly instead of heroine.
! They'll let mo come and stay all night
/ 7 reckon" Sarah haZarded. I'm coming.
whether or no." she ran on. Now, "
/ you're game we can beat the other game
/ heautifullv."
/ "How? I'd do anything for freedom"
| Lucille said her eyes sparkling.
I I'VE are Just the same size and pretty
much the same shape and color" Sarah
, went on steadily. whats to hinder me
! taking the new bridcgroom-he won't
/ know tho difference until we're in the
| train and daylight: not then If | Keep
my veil down all right"
you'd never dare-why Billy would
| murder you" Lucille Easped.
Sarah tossed her head BILLY ts-a
man" shc said. "Gn every sense. He
won't he nasty, nor make a scene when
he finds out Trust me to make him
ola pf
Ions before we get to New York
He'd hate you-he hates bold girls.
It would be the brazenest thing Lucille
said. almost acidly.
Sarah laughed softly. Not brazen-
but heroic" she said. "Or rather
heron-ic. I shall tell him 1T was done
to save you-how you loathed him
But | don't loath him-he's nice
only just don't want to marry him nor
anybody" Lucille cried, her eyes shoot
ing sparks.
Sarah went on as IL she had not
heard. "Tll agree to an annument-a
ouiet one-but only on condition that
Rillv let's YOU forever alone"
"You-vou cant get it-marryng holds
tight" Lucille interjected her languor
all gone,
Sarah pursed her lips can get 1t
on tho ground that I am not the per
son named in the license. Oh, don't tell |
mel haven't been flirting with lawyer |
in-the-pip all these months for moth
ing"
"Jack Bayne will never look at you
again." Lucille said. loftily.
Sarah laughed softly. Hell be right |
thereto look after me--in fact, I think
I shall marry him before | get home.
He's been pesterinG me ever so long
to take him. Now he has got a business
that takes him abroad. May be, if we
get through the legal snarl in time, I'll
go along"
But If you aren't really married, how
can you make Billy give me up?" Lucille
asked. her face much flushed.
"He won't know the game" Sarah said
placidIv. Besides, he may not want to
give me up. Heron-ics get right next TO
his sort He may think girl who takes
so much trouble to save a friend is a
whole lot out of the common"
I've known all along you wanted him
Lucille cried spitefully "You have tried
and tried TO cut me out, and now you
think you see your chance"
Found me out? What are YOU going
to do about it?" Sarah asked. stll
placidy.
ing her hands and again crying. You go
home" she blubbered. "And don't you
ever dare come here again. The idea,
wanting Billy yourself, and-and trying
to snatch him from me right at the
altar"
wise?" Sarah asked. Found out what
hypocrlte you've been all along? Making
out you hated marrying Billy so as TO |
be coaxed and pampered and bribed-yes,
bribed? If you haven't I have, but not
right now. All along I have sensed that
you were play-actng-makinG a drama of
your fate when it was Just to your mind.
You don't deserve your good fortune.
Billy Macklin is a man; he ought to have
live, hesh-and-blood woman, not a
hesh-and- blood doll
quite right, Miss Sarah" a deep,
throaty voice said through the window.
Squire Mackin stood just outside and
there had seen and heard everything.
LET me confess-while we're getting al
the truth. we ought to have solid chunks
of it. Billy has been half-hearted as 20
this match, I've been the one to
urge it-for family reasons and also inan-
cial ones. Lucille will have money-the
Macklins are Iand-poor. Julia Madison
and / laid ouI heads together when the
boy and girl were hardly out of their
cradles, and made the match. We've been
driving 10 1t steadily ever since. | have
to thank you for showing me we We're
driving over a precipice-showing me-
Just i'm time"
20! You mustn't say that I was mad
through and through. and then 1 say