The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-02-27
In Which Helen is Made the Conf
dent of Most Unhappy Love
Affair.

Helen was bending over the notion
counter, matching a spool of blue
SILK for some Christmas fancy work,
arm.
1t was Alice Brooks, whom Helen
had known for some while, though
she had seen little OF her in the last
year.
"Oh, won't you come over to the
Plaza and have tea with me?" beg
ged Alice, when the first greeting
was over.
'1'd love to-" said Helen. "But
I've some shopping to do yet and I
must get home early"
."Let your shopping go this time
please do! Oh. have been so blue
and wretched all day. must talk to
some one"
"Oh. then I'll go, of course. Only
| mustn't stay very long"
In the brighter light of the street
Helen noticed that even under her
veil, Alice's face looked more bag
gard than she had ever seen it. She
was an unusually pretty girl of the
fair Dresden China type, but now
there were dark lines under her eyes
anu even neT npS were pdl6.
Enthusiastically something was
wrong. But nothing was said until
they were settled in a secluded cor
ner of the tea room of the great
! hotel. When the order was given
Alice took off her veil and gloves,
dropped her head on her hand, and
for several moments stared modify
before her.
"Oh, I'm such a fool" she burst
out at last, "such a consummate little
fool! Most women are-only they
don't often know it, but | do. That's
what makes it worse"
"Why my dear-what's the mat
ter?"
"The matter? When woman has
heartache and throatache and
can't eat and sleep-what do you
suppose is the matter?
Helen smiled. ''I'm afraid she's in
love"
"And in love with man that isn't
| worth her little finger-that's cad
and a brute and a coward. toov'
"Whv Alice-what fierce little
| person.
| "Well. it's true-all / say and
more And yet love him. I've loved
him for months and / suppose I'll go
| on loving him. That's what a fool
| ish woman always does-isn't it,
mot always-if he's as bad as
that. Bux what is it, dear? Can YOU
| tell me more-or would you rather
not ?"
ooh YES, I want to tell you-that's
why I begged YOU to come here. I've
been longing to tell some one, and
| there's no one / can trust
There's your mother" said
Helen gently.
Mother? Oh, I wouldn't have
mother know for worlds! I'd rather
tell anyone than mother. You see
| he's-he's-Oh, don't you know who
| it is-haven't you guessed ?"
| Helen shook her head.
Alice's Secret.
Haven't you hear my name con-
nected with anyone in the last year .
Helen hesitated.
ooh, YOU have. YOU know you
have! Tell the truth
perhaps | did hear some vague
rumor. but I didn't believe it"
"Well. it's true. I'm in love with
Dick Fairchild. But he isn't living
with his wife-he hadn't lived with
her for months before he met me.
And they're getting a divorce now"
"But Alice, even if he were free
lie isn't the man for you. He's so
much older and he's such man about
town. Why, dear, he wouldn't be
true to you week"
ooh, l know know, all you can
tell me and more-hut | love him.
"And do you think he's serious
So YOU think he really cares ?"
"Oh. he says he does bitterly.
''But he lies to me about everything
else-he may be lying about that
| too"
Lilies to you"
Eyes, lies to me about everything.
! Sometimes ] think he doesn't know
how to tell the truth. It's gotten so
| now I can't believe anything he says.
| When he tells me he has an impor-
tant business appointment I'm always
sure he is going to take some woman
to dinner. Oh, it has happened so
often, and Tuesday caught him
that's why I'm SO wretched today"
| Her voice broke, she paused mo-
ment and then went on nervously.
crumbling a bit of toast. He
phoned me he was going to Phila-