Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-20
CHAPTER XXXIII
] ictOr " Oufd Tell Syluy

"MR ARCHER has been doing more
VI remarkabe things lately, hasn't
he?" remarked Sylvy. by way of get
ting the conversation on TO safe ground.
Il should say" assented Victor, and
launched into brief but glowing de-
scription of that young mans character
and his political prospects. He'll be
the next Mayor. Nothing can prevent
his nomination by his own organization
and nothing can prevent his winning.
both al the primary and in the election,
That popular loan campaign was the
most daring and the luckiest stroke i'm
aginab Bile If it had been Buckingham's
design to make Jerry Archer Mayor
nothing. cleverer could have been de-
signed"
TT seems all so wonderful" sighed
Sylvy, her mind going back to that
first meeting with Jerry as he came out
of the Lafayette Club, his head all
wrapped in bandages
Nictor's mood. however. was such
that he could only view Il discussion
of the political prospects of even his
dearest friend as waste of time
when this fair creature sat in front OF
him. He must get the conversation
back to her and her alone.
You said there was something you
wanted to see me about" he remarked.
lowering his voice to a tone that was at
once tender and considerate but the re
of shadow over the girls animated fsa-
Yes; there was" she admitted
quickly; only everything here her, ,b,t is So
hated to speak of anything that would
bring the horrid old outside world in
upon us
DON'T" exclaimed Victor earnestly.
Don't speak of it, oh. Sylvy. let US
keep ourselves cut off from the outside
world. Let us create a little Eden
and There, IT was coming out
Victor had left his chair with impulsive
celerity and gone to her side: sns' auite n,.
unaccountably. was standing and look
ing up at him with wondering, eyes
"Sylyy," he. whispered. Il can't hide It
any longer | love you. That's All
there is to it. l want you to love me
viii you? The words went through
her like the warmth of some netting
south wind. Every fiber in her thrilled
to this breath of love which blew upon
her so tenderly And yet her only re-
sponse was a look, a look or tenderness
and gratitude, but also of reproach--
that love should be go blind as not TO
;" Victor showed that he did understand
in part. ,,,. .r q.
us ignore race, religion. prejudice,
everything but ourselves, Let us live
for just us two. The supreme fact Tor
us in the universe Ia just our Two eN-
istences. Don't consider ANYTHING else
Do you--could you love me?'
His swift impassioned' uttersnce
ceased as abruptly as 1t began anu ne
stood looking at her. yearning atter ner.
his arms outstretched. though MS bouy
never moved He was waiting for her
Syivy felt a strange percolative sensa, ,.,
ton travelling over her she cou,n w.
hardly tell whether she was standing or
sitting: It seemed that she might hoat
of into the air, and if she did she knew
she would float toward him -.
DO you--could you love me- ne
This time Sylvy felt the impulse to
60 to him, to bound into his arms 70
pillow her small and often troubled heau
on his brawny shoulder aen ama Rhpw ISr and and
everything that might hereafter happen
And this impulse was love Love en-,
meshed and enveloped her She knew
now perfectly well, and it startled heI
more than anything else, for she had
thought love impossible Just because she
knew that these insuperahle barriers IN
terposed But love, it seems. is reckless
so,iet,'''eo "Sb Come ne SyIvy,'' Victor pleaded
earnestly. Let me take YOU out OF this
sleaming city; let me send you to the
mountai ms or the seashore lev me give
YOU, give you, give you-out. OF the
depths of my love-clothes, automobiles,
servants, leisure, education. music, arts
let me give you anything that money
can Dt1N ana love Ndn
His face was bending toward hers,
his arms were all but encircling her:
The girls face grew white with fear or
surrender. She was like wounded
thing, struck on the heart, and barely
repressed a cry of pain. Victor saw the
struggle, but for a moment love was re.
lentless and gloating. II had won and
| il must possess the field.
Let us cut ourselves Off" the lover
urged insistently. and his arms were al
most touching her; let us cut ourselves
off from the past, from the present,
| from the"
The girls silence was quickened into
| speech at the same time that she gently
euded the encircling arms. Cut our
| selves of from the future, you were go
ing to say, Victor ~ she reproved with
| desperate shake of the head. Don't
| you see? That is the one thing we can
not cut ourselves off from. II comes
drifting down upon us, with all sorts
| of heart-breaking entanglements that
would bring us trouble and destroy our
| happiness. The teachings, the traditions
| of thirty generations cannot be overcome
by just two people. They would he too
too much for us. Many times two peo-
] pie have tried, and always they have