Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-21
CHAPTER X

THE long afternoon dragged away
l. and by nighttime Scott ached
wearlly IN every muscle. 1t seemed as
though he simply could not sit still
minute longer, and he felt depressed and
tagged out when he finally left the Of
fee and went uptown. He took bus
part of the way, and the fresh air and
the twinkling lights cleaning out here
and there from tho windows refreshed
him somewhat, so that when he finally
reached the block near his own apart
ment, life was not quite go dreary. Ruth
had come back to his thoughts; Ruth
with all of her sweetness. the tawny
hair that was never smooth, the wide
eyes, the tremulous lips belied by the
firm chin. Any tendency on Ruth's part
toward unconventionality, any desire or
hers to experiment was ruled by that
same firm little chin behind which lay
a practical mind that urged her not to
listen to the temptations of her heart.
OF course Scott did not know all Of these
things, not yet.
Ruth was not there when he came in,
but the apartment was costly homelike,
and very, very neat. Scott went into
tne udlnty DeurOOI, luInlSneO III inc
gray enamel that Mrs. Rowland had
given them for q wedding present, and
sank wearily on one of the twin beds
Ruth found him there five minutes later
when she hurried in, an apology on her
lips. His boylsh head had made a deep
indentation on the pillow under the rose
and white bedspread. Two of the small
pillows that Ruth had placed at the
top Of the bed had fallen to the floor,
and Scott's feet were comfortably
ensconced in the center of the COM
Portable that was rolled UP at the foot
of the bed.
Ruth stopped and stared and checked
remark that had sprung to her lips,
But she did exclaim:
"Oh, Scott, dear, you mustn't flop down
on the bed that way. Just look at the
spread and the dust on the comfort
able" Her injury was rising as she went
along, augmented by the sudden remem-
brance of the bathroom that morning.
OF course the dust on the comfortable
was negligible, and the wrinkling of
the bedspread Of little Importance COM
pared to the importance of the big
whole, but Ruth, of course, had not stop
ped to think about that. II she had
been older. wiser, she might have been
more tactful, but the reproof in her tone
stung Scott, and he sprang up quickly
resentment in his heart.
"Why didn't you go into the living
room on the davenport?" Ruth went on
hurrying to smooth out the bed. pick up
| the pillows, brush off the comfortable
and remedy the damage done. Then she
slipped out Of her coat and went over
to him. Il didn't mean to be cross, but
| l do hate things flung around"
His arms went around her, of course
Are you so Particular" he asked quiz
| zically.
well I have to do everything" she
returned, land it means more work for
me-" She did not say this resentfully,
| just simply stated it as a matter Of
course.
why no. you don't" he said triumph
antly. why do it at all, simply let
things go?"
"Oh, Scott, how foolish Of course you
are Joking, aren't you?" And then as
she looked up into his face she saw the
| tired, weary lines, and was instantly
contrite
Come on out into the living room and
| lie on the couch" she said, leading the
way. And she proceeded to make him
comfortable there, leaving him at last
| physically comfortable, but mentally re-
sentful that he could not do as he liked.
A man always has this feeling about
his home. 1t constitutes the age-old ar
gument between the sexes after mar
riage, but Scott was more than ever In
clined to be untidy just at present, and
therefore more Inclined to resent inter-
| ference.
Ruth kept calling in from :he kitchen,
"Did you have a good day? How did
1t seem to get back?"
And then Scott realized with start
that as yet he had not told her about
| his increase. He had been literally too
tired to care himself or to have Ruth
enthusiastic about it. Through half
shut eyes he regarded the room he was
in. 1t was furnished very simply, but