Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-18
CHATTER VI

CHAPTER vi
EARLY the next morning. Ruth woke
IL and, raising her head on one elbow
looked over at Scott He lay asleep line
a big hoy, and she smiled tenderiy. lhen
she slid carefully out Of bed and went
over to the mahogany dressing taole
that was placed between the two WIN
dows. The sun was pouring in ana
Ruths watch said 9:15. She wondered
what they would do today. Already tne
vagueness of yesterday seemed a thihs
of the past. Somehow she belonged 10
married life now. Yesterday she hau
neither been OF one nor the other 10
day she had no fears for the tuture'
Little warnings from other people, ht-
tie mistakes that they had made and
she had mentally resolved 10 proht ny
seemed unimportant this morning any
way, she would not worry FOR the lu-
ture when she had today. and she "ouiu
not spoil one minute of this glorious
honeymoon by borrowing trouble
And so she hummed little tune as
she took her bath. and rumlnated on
what they would eat for breakfast,
and when she emerged glowing" anu
slipped into her silken things one ny
one, she sat down again before the
dressing table and laughed at herse"
in the glass as she did up her halr'
They ate breakfast in the big dining
room in sunny window iced grape
fruit and eggs and bacon, and cr>spy
toast and coffee. Scott had bought
morning paper and scanned it casually.
Ruth liked to have him do this; IT made
her feel more sophisticated. 1t was
the first meal they had had toSether
when he had done such a thing ana she
felt as though she belonged to TINS mar
riage state now, and could look AT sucn
things broadly. Why shouldn't ne looN
at the morning paper If he Ikea! She
certainly was not going to ne ike ot"er
women about such trfles, always max
ing mountains out of molehlls and in
sisting upon his attention constantly.
So Ruth sat and looked around at the
different tables, and when she caught
any one observing her she wondered II
they knew she was married. The tiny
gold band with no glittering stone above
il meant more in her eyes just thcn
than anything else she had ever worn
She fancled that 1t made her finger
loul very small and white, and she ar
RLpH to herSelf tnat she llke0 Ine tleCl
better than an engagement ring.
Scott came to himself finally and
realized that he was being selfish and
he swirled the paper to the floor and
looked across at her penitently.
sweetheart. did you think had for
gotten you? I wanted to see the news
OF tho war"
II liked you to do It it seemed COM
radely. You see," she explained naively.
II don't want you to feel that YOU have
to pay me attention. | want you to DC
it because you can't help It"
You darling, as though any one could
help it," he said, leaning across the
table And Ruth, knowing that she hao
spoken wisely, thrilled at the knowledge
Of power that his approval gave her.
Don't you want part of it?'. Scott
asked. stopping to rescue the scattered
sheets.
She stretched out her hand for the
proffered paper, although she was con-
scous that she really did not want 10
read, but she did manage to become In
terested in the woman's page and a
short article on a fashionable military
| wedding that had just taken place. For
n second she felt uncomfortable and
| wished that her own name might have
| been featured in that way. After all
she might just as well have had a mill
tary Wedding Scott. with his war cross
for bravery under fire. and his leuten.
ants commission. would have been sc
| stunning in the wedding party And