Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-30
THEFOUROFHEARTS
BY VIRGINIA VAN DE WATER
A SERIAL OF YOUTH AND ROMANCE

I Thank YOU" Mr.. Stewart said
| formally. Good night"
Dora frowned with veXation at
the calm manner in which her moth
er ignored her suggestion and at
Gerald's submission to the matron's
edict. Some of this veXation she
uttered to Cynthia as the two girls
were on their way upstairs to dress
for the evening.
81 wish mother were not so mag
isterial" she complained. The cool
way in which she brushes aside my
ideas is the limit
But Cynthia's Thoughts were else
where, and she did not reply.
by the way" Dora remarked
later, looking into Cynthia's room
from the passage between that and
her own room. II am much obliged
to you for following my lead so
quickly and going into the library
to talk to Gerald. ! could not eX-
plain then what the matter was. To
tell the truth. I did not want moth
er to know ! had been in there
"Why not?" Cynthia pulled her
self out of her own reflections to
ask this natural question.
,, Because she doesn't like me to
talk to any man except Milton
DORA eNdueu. GOO L JuSl CdiItu Soh
in there right after / heard her
come in the front door and go up
stairs. I knew she would be right
back. I was sure she saw Gerald
through the fire-lit window as she
came up the front steps"
IT don't see why she need have
cared if you were in the library with
him." Cynthia argued.
"All the more reason why 1t was
nice in you to do as I asked
mean if you saw no sense in my
asking it,. ! say, Gym, are you wor-
ried about anything? You look So
MO-" Cynthia forced smile. Il
am a little tired, perhaps"
Would YOU rather not go to the
Philharm onic tonight" Dora quer-
led anxiously. II mean-would you
rather stay at home and talk to
Gerald Stewart"
Indeed I would mott" The an
swer was to prompt that Dora look
ed relieved.
We'll, I'm glad you're going with
US" she admitted. II will let you
and Milton amuse mother and me-"
Il fancy you will manage to amuse
each other-you and Milton" Gym
thia remarked. And now, my dear,
/ must hurry and dress, or 1 shall
be late to dinner"
There is always such a rush now
adays that 1. never have a chance
for a good, long talk with you,
Dora grumbled. Sometime soon
well have a regular heart-to-heart
talk, won't we. Gym? There are lots
of things / want to fess up to you
about"
Cynthia Promises
"All right" Cynthia agreed. I'VE
will have that talk soon"
She turned to the mirror and went
on with her dressing. She felt that
she ought to tell her cousin of her
enga cement to Stewart, but did not
want to do so now. She could not
trust herself to speak of the mat
ter hurriedly in the few minutes
that the two girls would be to-
gether before dinner. She was un-
happy and could not pretend to be
happy Just yet. However, she must
get accustomed to, the new condi-
ton of affairs as soon as possible,
for she was sure it was of her that
Gerald Stewart wished to talk this
evening to Mr.. Livingstone.
She dressed rapidly and her
thoughts kept pace with her flying
fingers.
Her aunt had been right. Gerald
Livingstone loved her. She was the
one dear thing in his lonely life. She
must marry him. That was her evil
dent duty.
She was glad that the thought of
marrying him for a home had not
entered her mind when he proposed
to her. She had accepted him only
because she did not want any man
to suffer as she was capable of suf-
fering. Surely she was doing right
Her marriage to Gerald would make
him happy. 1t would please her rel
atives and relieve them of the bur-
den of her support. IT would prove
to Dora that there was no reason for
her to be jealous of her cousin and
Milton-if she had ever really been
ielaous.
Yes. everyone would be happier
for her having set aside her own
selfish hopes and desires. She her.
self was not happy, but there was
satisfaction in the consciousness
that she was the only one who would
suffer for her action.
(To BE Continued)