Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-11-12
The Two Paths
BY ELMoRE DRURY
toOpyrirht. I9ls. western Newspaper uniOn.l


1t was supreme hour with Helen
Rossiter. She stood alone in her rath-
er pretty and comfortable room in
good grade city boarding house, turn
ing over and over in her hand a flash
Ing gem-studded pin. the velvet case
that had contained it and brief note
lying on the stand at her side. The
pretty trinket fascinated her, yet Helen
knew that she had no right TO accept
IL.
She was an ambitious girl. had re-
ceived a thorough commercial college
education and had come TO the busy.
bustling metropolis six months pre-
vious to find her fondest dreams real
ICED.
You are the luckiest girl ever
knew" a friend had said TO her. and
Helen had quite flushed with satisfac-
ton and triumph as she realized the
fact as true. She had obtained work
at the start In the employ of an agrees
siye. up-to-date mail-order concern OPP
Grated by Mr.. Andre Lesion, man
who was liberal, almost extrayagant
where the investment of dollar
brought two. He was of expensive
tastes and surrounded himself with
persons who shared his free lance
and divorced twice. but was in no
sense bad man at heart. He took
the world as 1t came, and when his
wives tired of him gave them gen.
erous stipend and did not break his
heart over their departure.
There were frequent banquets, thea
ter parties and outings given to his
employees. Always there was chap
eron for the young ladies and every
thing was circumspect In the office,
boxes of chocolates and flowers were
common. Lesion counted upon it that
this profuslon would influence those
he employed to give their best work
in return. Helen was paid good wages,
but earning all she was paid for.
She had too pure and sensible .
mind, however, not to see that the at
mosphere was unhealthy, evanescent,
deteriorating. The acceptance of the
friendship of Divorce, the general
impulse of enjoyment reckless Of Its
purposeless results, the flare, the gilt
ter, price to pay In world WEAKNESS
at the end-all this assailed a finer
strain of mentality with Helen. Mr..
Lesion had paid her marked atten-
ton.
"He wants to marry you," the head
stenographer told Helen. "Why not?
He has money. He may in time be
neglectful, but never unkind. Feather
your nest-it is the way of the
world"
And now upon her birthday deli
cate note had accompanied the expen-
sive gift, which Helen knew she must
not retain. She sighed as she fitted
the pin back in its case and indited a
note thanking Mr.. Lesion, but declin-
ing the present. Then she thought Of
home and mother--of quiet and peace
full Waltham. of the humble, but hap
py friends she had left there, and,
most of all, of staunch, honest-hearted
Ned Barclay, who loved her, as she
knew, although he had never told
her so.
The landlady came up with tele-
gram that put Helen in transport
Of delight. 1t was from her cousin at
the home town thirty miles distant.
II am coming to do some shopping"
It read. "Get a day of and chaperone
me-"
What a day they had together. she
and Lucia Davenant! They arrived
home. gayly chatting, about eight
o'clock. The landlady. quivering with
excitement, met Helen at the door.
"Some one to see you, Miss Ros-
SITTER" she said, and pushed open the
door leading into the two long parlors
of the suite. A wild babel assailed the
bewildered Helen. There were over
a dozen of her home town friends.
The room was trimmed with pretty
leaves, upon a table were apples, nuts,
popcorn, promising plenty of real
home products, mince and pumpkin
pies, real pound cakes-a birthday
surprise" Offering and Helen actually
broke down and cried.
She was glad to welcome Ned Bar
clay among her guests There were
old-fashioned games and at midnight
the gay visitors left for their train,
leaving Helen flushed and happy, half
yearning to go along with them. Ned
BARCLAY had fingered.
"Helen." he said, and he drew a lit
tie package from his pocket" back
home ! always brought to you a sam
pie of the first maple sugar rum" and
as she opened the tissue paper there
was the sample, made In a heart
shaped mold and tied with a pretty
ribbon. Her eyes were humid as she
placed it on khe mantel and thanked
him. Then the light Of strange re-
solve came into her eyes.
did you come by trainf she In
quired.
SNot while old Tim is fit for har-
ness!" laughed Ned.
sCan could you find room for me
going back?"
sCould I? Oh, Helen. You don't