The Press., 1918-09-19
Legal War Bride By ELIZABETH FORREST
SIS, by the McCll
 per HYndicate.l

 Copyright. 191S by the Mcclure Newgpa-
 per Syndicate.l
 Robert Peters, attorney at laws with a newspaper fin one hand, pen in the other, sat before his office desk, a very picture of perplexity. "Thunder" he finally exploded, dashed the pen onto the desk, and swerved around to his startled stenOgrapher.
 "What is the proper thing to write to an engaged gIrlT"
 "It all depends on how well you know her."
 "Humph! If tell you all about 1t, will you help me with this matter of etiquetteT
 Agreed" And Mary Borden lis tened.
 "Well, Ruth Hampton and I grew up together. She was good pal and everybodys friend; she appealed to me because she had intellect and good nature. always have liked girls who l can really do something.
 "Then after both mother and dad were-gone, Ruth and her mother were"I like sister and mother to me. So when I took up law. 1t was with Ruth that I studled-nnd I dO believe she could have passed the bar exams when did, had she been so minded. There was never anything more than sincere friendship between us, so l have had no ties to draw me back to Morton dur Ing these busy years here in New. York It has been nearly three" He hesi- tated. but Mary BOrden's twenty years In the business world had nodded her sympathe nature into character by which harried men were ever inspired to confidence.
 "Rut," he continued, although was fast forgetting Ruth, she was Vividly brought to mind this morning. While reading my newspaper l chanced on a picture of her, and the announcement of her engagement. The picture doesn't look like the Ruth l used to know, but time, I suppose, does effect changes. Now, Miss Borden, the really funny part of my tale Is this: feel actually angry that Ruth has become engaged, and I've concluded that I'm what you might call, well-er-jealous! And thanks, awfully, but I've just decided that I'll not write her at all-she didn't send me a personal announcement"
 "But is it reasonable to expect that of her? Do you write to her? Does she know where you are?
 Peters flushed. "Well," he grinned "you've got me in corner. believe 1t has been some eight or ten months since last wrote"
 May I see that paper, please"
 Certainly" Then Miss Borden busted herself some minutes in the reading of the article In question. She started to read 1t again. At sudden exclamation from her Robert looked at her inQuiringly. ~ ''Where did you say you used to live?"
 Morton, Ky"
 "But, look, this notice reads. Miss Ruth Hampton of Berkeley, Cal.,' so it can't be your Ruth!"
 Robert snatched the paper eagerly from her and for long time studied the cut. "NO," he said at length, "there can't possibly be two Ruth HamptOns who look sufficiently alike to be sisters. .: "There has been time enough for them to have travelled clear around the world, for all my knowledge of Ruth and her mother; so without a doubt the simple truth is that they have gone to California to live"
 He sat a while in troubled silence, and at last tried to fix his attention on some briefs. It was useless. His mind wandered continually; and he asked himself over and over "Why do care, why do I care?" There could be but one answer!
 At noon he lunched absent-mindedly. Before returning he visited Western Union office and sent a telegram to the postmaster of Morton. Of course the message was an inquiry regarding Ruth But his conclusions of the morn, ing were confirmed by the answering wire sent collect: Ruth Hampton and mother left Morton last October. Whereabouts unknown" And it was now April! After some time spent in gloomy pensiveness he reused himself. + Robert Peters was not backbOneless and given to incoming. Frequently, to be sure, he thought and wondered about Ruth but "the world is full of number of things''-and wise men keep busy. Robert was wise, hence ObliviOus, and not troubled by sleep less nights.
 Clean-minded, red-blOOded, energetic, Robert grew daily more alive to his cOuntry's needs. So by June he had enlisted, since, so he said, "the law schools are yearly turning out hun dreds of young men as brilliant and as capable as P'-further argu- ments were lengthy, superfiuOus. A few days before he was to leave for camp he had his last case. a short case, but rather difficult. There had been trouble getting lawyer for the defense, so Robert did not know who was to play opposite him, who had the prosecution. The trial lasted three days. The morning of the second day Miss Ruth Hampton counsel for the defense, re- ceived a fragment bouquet and a note asking if Mir. Robert Peters might call that evening. Of course, for obvious reasons overlooked in Mir. Peters haste, he might not" The morning of the third day history was repeated That night he called.
 AS the maid removed his coat 8 cracking within reminded him of some thing. When Ruth and her mother en- 7 tered to greet him they found him seated stifiy, with a dingy, edge-wOrn newspaper across his knees. Their greetings were cordial, but Peters em- barrassment increased; his tongue was about as active as the limbs of an athlete who has been bed-ridden for some weeks. Mrs. Hampton, being of the same cloth as all tactful mOtEers. presently withdrew.
 "BOb," Ruth. demanded, 'what on 1 earth is that nPWSnanpr that YOn have