, 1918-02-21


20 and help him, wouldn't your"
"Yes." Patricia made tense answer
and excused herself to go upstairs.
She felt that she would not stay and
discuss the situation.
On the way to the room she was
obliged to pass Mrs. Warren's door.
She was in a chair by the table, and
her crumpled attitude, so different
from her usual erect dignity, touched
Patricia's tender heart. Impulsively
she started to go in, then, seeing Ada
and her sister on the sofa, and fearing
that her coming was inopportune, she
started to withdraw; but they had
seen her.
"Come in, DEAR" called Mrs. War
rem. "We're in great trouble"
81 know-Ive heard. oh, I'm so
sorry. But surely things will all come
out right in a little while. 1t will only
mean delaying the wedding"
ada says there will be no we'd
ding" declared Alice Marshall.
"There won't" Ada's slender figure
looked tense and defiant, but her dark
eyes were piteous. Mrs. Warren be-
gan to cry afresh.
"Now that the blowing up Of his
mine has probably changed his for
tune, Fred chivalrously gave Ada a
chance for release-and she gave him
back his ring. To think of a Warren
breaking faith with a man because
he was down." Scorn rang in Alice's
honest voice.
ut wasn't that" broke in Ada. at
was because l thought it the right
thing to do-best for the happiness of
all. We two are not the only ones
concerned. Yesterday afternoon I got
a letter from Howard Vance"
Here Alice interrupted. 81 knew he
was back of it all"
Patricia thought of the letter she
had delivered to Ada, and sudden
memory recalled the story she had
heard Of a sutton of Ada's of whom
her family disapproved.
HE still cares in the same old way.
And-ohl-so do 1. / thought I'd got
over that, but when I read his letter
1 knew 1 hadn't. But 1 didn't have the
courage to tell Fred; I was a coward.
But 1 kept hoping and praying that
something would happen to save us
at the last ditch. OF course, 1 didn't
want anything bad to happen to Fred,
and I'm sorry for his trouble-but, OIL
I'm glad to be free!"
"But, Ada, the criticism, the COM
ment," weakly deplored her mother.
Besides. we don't like Howard Vance
pnu hattar than xyn nyQr diIv
"He has faults, I know, but he'll
overcome them with the right woman
to help him-anyway, 1 love him
love him !" Ada ended in %incoherent
tears. 1t was some time before they
could soothe her, but at last, when she
was more calm, Patricia slipped away
to her own room.
Soon, however, the quiet became in
%tolerable, and she went downstairs.
She wanted to learn whether Fred had
returned, and If he was going away
that night. There was no one in the
living room, so she went into the
library off the hall, where she could
watch for some n who might know.
II can do Notwithstanding. I can't
even fully express my sympathy with
out being misunderstood"
She laid her head down among the
sofa cushions, and tears relieved the
grief that was in her heart. She did
not notice when the front door opened,
nor was she ware of some one stand
ing in the doorway until a voice said:
"Why, Patricia, you here?"
She sat up in confusion. II stayed
to hear the outcome Of your trip to
the station" Furtively she wiped her
cheeks, glad that the light was
well shaded.
He sat down beside her. "When I
got there l found a night letter. Things
at the mine aren't so bad as they were
first reported" She could tell by his
voice he was much cheered.
Il find on talking to the agent that
/ make better connection by waiting
for the limited tomorrow morning. So
I'm not going tonight"
"Tm very glad things seem better"
In her effort for self-contrOl Patricia's
voice sounded almost cold. But he
didn't seem to notice.
There was a moments silence, then
he said: perhaps this isn't the occa-
sion to speak-but in times like this
we can lay aside conventions. Prob
ably you know Ada's found out she
cares more for another man-and,
well, 1 care more for another wom-
an" He smiled. but his eyes we're
pleading and tender. "You are first
with me, Patricia, you were from the
beginning, but you were $3.50 re-
served-I didn't think there was any
hope" There was another moment of
tense silence, then he continued:
Sometimes, Patricia, the dead past
comes back and gives us another
chance Win Won turn hack dnnr To