Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-13
CHAPTER w


CCoTT found her where he had eft
~ her when he returned half an hour
later. He was flushed with the cold, and
he smiled as though nothing at all had
happened.
"You should have cume with me-" he
remarked, sitting down beside her on the
couch. Ruth noticed that he did not
offer her any endearment. therefore she
knew that there was a breach between
them in spite Of the fact tnat he avoided
speaking of what had occurred.
She did not answer and he pretended
not to notice, which precipitated matters.
"Scott, we might just as well settle
things" she burst out.
~ thought we had"
you know, we haven't. What are we
going to do, give up the AFFAIR.""
81 don't know"
He was calm and supposedly uninter-
ested !; she was trembling with nervous
ness Her control was not rs good as
his. therefore she nrways gave way
first.
Suddenly she began to cry. I'VE are
always having MISUNDERSTANDING late
ly,' she sobbed, IT don't see why"
Neither do I, sweetheart" he said,
taking her In his arms.
You used to agree with me before we
were married." she went on, knowing
that she was losing her dignity, knowing
that she was not advancing any convinc-
ing argument, fioundering desperately in
her effort to get her own way. The
thing had advanced to the point where
she knew that If she gave in this time
there would never be another instance
where she could prevent these people
from coming to the apartment.
Scott did not answer, simply stroked
her hair; and angrily she drew away.
"You pretend to care about me and
yet you purposely make me miserable,
she famed childishly.
Ruth, you know better than that"
Then why do you do it?"
"You want me to tell you that I was
wrong to insist upon having my friends
here at the house. and to withdraw my
right to asking them?"
Eyes, IL I don't want them, If l don't
likethem, what possible use is there In
making friends Of them?"
"You don't seem to realize that al
though ySi may not like them, l do
that although you oon't care abou
having them for friends, do"
But IL we have them at the house 1t
will mean that I have to accept them
and I don't want to. Why can't you
have them for friends without asking
them here?"
Il can."
Ruth stopped crying. oh, Scott, then
you are willing not to have them mere
and to have the affair anyway?' Ruth
tone was glad. Are you? Oh, darling
You'll find that we'll have much bet
ter time" and instantly she began te
chatter happily.
If Ruth had looked into the depths OF
Scott's heart then she would have trem'
bled with new fear. for 1t was the
heart of an alien. 1t was not bitter, JUS,
cold with realization. He simply coulo
not afford to go through these emo
tional experiences with Ruth, these sor'
did arguments about trifies. Rather
than do it he would give In, but there
was lust one alternative. II they couic
not do things together, then each wouio
go ahead separately. Not to invite
friends of his own choosing to his home
made him not free agent there. Ger
tainly matters were not adjusting them
selves very well, but he could not hoio
out to a point of quarreling about
thing. 1t would be far better to give II
at once. .,
when marriage for the first time
forges a chain on n man, and he recog'
nizes It as such, when In any way hs
feels himself limited and not a fre'
agent then for the first time does NJ
resent the marriage tie. Women as
rule do not know this; they count theil