Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-22
THE GIRL. WHO
ALMOST MISSED
BY Mary Douglass.
DINNER AND \ SOLDIER.
Chapter ri.

"fou haven't forgotten that you arr
going to dinner tonight with Jack Mad
DEM" Mother asked as ] came in from
school. you lie down and get rested
III have Eliza press your dress. And
III see that everything clsc is ready.
Now YOU Just rest.
! had the uncomortable ceiling, rs |
| lay on my couch that underneath Mother 3
solicItous care there was another motive.
She had never had the feeling bad about
| Jack She did not voice the thought
| that he was q Stacker. She saw him
only as II goodIo0lIing Young man, who
was un,s,inllv thoughtful for his mother.
At times ! fancicd that his money gave
| hm also a strong element of her favor.
/ Mothers l:tc sncc her marriage has
been such a long hard struggle with
/ poverty. She had tired to ekc ont the
/ little money that was left after Father s
| death, but the pinch had been too pain
| iul To be forgotten She hnd told me
once that IT would break her heart to sec
| Tcggy marry n poor man.
| Though bad SAID nothing to Mother
about my hope OF new and interesting
| work, | had thought hut little else since
| my last evening at Aunt Martha s. If
| ] could not marry Jamie. | would marry
! no one else But should make my life
worth living ! should count for something
| in this new and strange world of war
Jack came Tor me at half past SIX.
We whirlcd down Ia tho restaurant IN
a taxi With Jack ! could always relax
for he took all the details into his hands
with such mastcrlv air As | watched
The motors glide past ms, ! wondered if
| could not ask Jack about my new plan
What he thought Of it, If he had any
suggest IONS
was still unused 70 depending ON
myself | could earn my own scanty
living n the cut and dricd path that was
50 easy to follow but | could not vet
believe III the strength Of my own
opinions
ny Jnvc, YOU ,ol, charming tonight
Jack snid over the hors d'cuvre
We were seated nj little table that
was almost secluded IN the softly lighted
restaurant ! looked around 1t the
beautiful sweep of color The music
came to INC dImly covering the con
vcrsation of Ill these diners
found myself responding 70 lack 3
mood We talked lightly oi things We
Knew and not at All. AZ We sal playing
with our demi .tngsc Jack leaned toward
me. a dangerous light lurking III his
channcful eyes He put h,s hand over
mine on the white table cloth.
Il m gong to ste more ui YOU, Hazel,
nc said, note ~ possession IN his voire
lou spent yorr time last winter with |
jaime kmh,.l This winter, Il i gong |
u hc with mo :
felt cnlanglcd IL The play Of hrs
i,cl ng I WAS the ola Hazel, vhnae |
pleasure waited On mens approval not
thc ncw ono who would carve a way for
herself and hc NJ use
Are vou Tree next wcrk CndG
Yes. answered without thinking
Then ION must spend II with MY
sister AZ SOUTHAMPTON Just tcw Of
MS arc going 70 run down III take you
with uic
'l}ut may hc busy, dcmurrcd
thinking 81 what waa before mo That
would hc free time % look for new work,
to find ont what | can do best
Not this week end eaid Jack 50
decidedly that | found my FAINT OBJ
lcctions ovcrrulCd.
from thc restaurant We went To ono
of the popular musical comedies. Musical
comedies aIways bored me and | sat
through this ono painfully. Jack ap
plauocd heartily and was evidently dc
lighted "a chorus after chorus, III It's
cAtravagant costumes, whlred and sang.
was glad when il was all over. Jack
and stood on the curb rs nc signallcd
a taxi soldier walked past us IS we
stood there | looked Up nj Jack and
felt flash 81 shame for him. Where
w:s hl~ manhood, that he did not GO
| had heard hlm SAY SO often that he
would like a. 70 Yet with woman
intuition. ! felt his hypocrisy Was ms
mother actually dependent on hum
Surcly hi~ sister could take car" of h"r?
The taxi drew up. Jacl hclpcd me
in. ] drew away from him. Ny thought
had influenced me That tiny. under
lying feeling Of dlstrust had come u tho
surface again.
W hat the matter. Hazel?'
Nothing, answered
'DIdn 1 YOU ENJOY YOURSELF
"oh. YES" / tried to answer cnthu-
siasticaily
He felt for my hand in the dim light
But | drew away
Aren't You going to be nice 20 me-
gave a sigh oi relief rs | saw we
were turning our corner How relieved
] was as the chauffeur opened the door
Jack sprang out lie dismissed the driver
made up ny mind that he would mol
kiss me. rs knew he expected to, IN the
dark yc>tibule
Til nest wcch said extending
nil hand
Vet as climi ed the stairs | wondered
how could break The crgagctncn,
ar lttl" afraid Of Ja"i Nadaer aud
a titji" suspicious
Tomorrov The ~'eopo.