Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-21
CHAPTER XVII (Continued)

vi chair. SM'i' sat '0''e"'' ~
Cared for her! Sympathy! Why, what |
in the world are you talking about? Wasn't |
I doing the best could for them all the
time? OF course, Il kept him away from her. |
too, just as It did Pennock and Gaylord; but
he understood Besides. he bad her part of
the time. l let him in whenever it was
possible"
let him - Miss Maggie was sitting
erect now. Whatever in the world are you
talking about? Do you mean to say you
were doing this for Mr.. Gray, all the timer
why. of course! Whom else should I
do It for? You didn't suppose 1t was for
Pennock or Gaylord. did you? Nor for
He stopped short and stared at Miss Maggie
in growing amazement and dismay. You
didnt-you didn't think-I was doing that
for MYSELF"
We'll of course, II" Miss Maggie
laughing and blushing painfully. but
there was a new light in her eyes. Well,
ANYWAY everybody said you were" she de-
Tended herself stoutly
"Oh, good Heavens" Mr.. Smith leaped to
his feet and thrust his hands into his pockets
as he took a nervous turn about the room
q For myself, indeed! As II. In my position.
I'd How perfectly absurd He wheeled
and faced her irritably. And you believed
that? Why. I'm not marrying man. l
don't like l never saw the woman yet
that /" With his eyes on Miss Maggies
flushed half-averted face. he stopped again
abruptly. WELL I'll be-" Even under
his breath he did not finish his sentence put.
with a new, quite different expression on ms
face, he resumed his nervous pacing of the
ROOM throwing now and then a quick glance
at Miss Maggie's still averted face
at was absurd of course, wasn't IT.
Miss Maggie stirred and spoke lightly, with
the obvious intention Of putting matters PACK
into usual conditions again. But, come. re- tel
me. just what did you do. and now! III 81
interested-indeed, an! :!
"Eh? what?" Mr.. Smith spoke as II ne
was thinking of something else entHe,y,,
"Oh-that." Mr.. Smith sat down nut ne ala
not go on speaking at once Ills eyes iro""
ingly regarded the stove
"you said-you kept Pennock and GAYLORD
awav" Miss Maggie hopefully reminded him:
"Er-yes Oh, lit was really very s'inpie
Il lust monopolized Mellicent myself when
I couldn't let Donald have her. Thats an.
I saw very soon that she couldn't cope win
ber mother alone And Gaylord-wel. I've
no use for that young gentleman
But you lke-Donald! .
VERY much I've been looking MIN up ior
| some time. He's all right
I'm glad" ,,, LIN,
YES " Mr.. Smith spoke abstractedly. with
out enthusiasm Plainly Mr.. smith was s'iii
| thinking of something else ,, ,,,.,
| Miss Maggie asked other dues.iohs IL.
Maggie was manifestly interested-ana MI
smith answered them, but still without en-
tbusiasm. Very soon he said goodnight anu
went to his own room. 80 49,,
For some days after this Mr.. Smith did
not appear at all like himself lie seeneo
| abstracted and puzzled. MISS Nas. ss w.. ssed
| still felt self-conscious ana e.i enlpaii ass 81
| owar ber roisconception Of his Afternoons "
| SJa,l;cent was more talkatlve than usuai III
| her nervous attempt to appear natural
| Tho fact that she often found his eyes
| axed thoughtfully upon her, ana ieIt ,.. .nsn'
TolIowinr her as she moved about the room.
| sia not tend to make her more at ease. AT
| such times she talked faster than ever
| usually. IL possible, about some mennper Vi
the Blaisdell family; Miss Maggie had iearn, a,
| cd that Mr. Smith was always ihneres'eu "
| anv hit of news about the Blalsoels' 49,,
al was on such an occasion that she toio
| hin, about Miss Flora and the ne" house.
"I don't know. really. what am eo.hs 10
| do with her." she salu. "o''N'' - r.
| bans YOU could help me-
,I,a,, voua-about Miss Flora?'
"yes Can you think Of any way 10 make
| her contented?" ,. Don,t
"Contented! Why, thoGsn. un yas a
tell me she isn't happy" IheTe S,aith's
| omr;ous note Of almost despair IN MI 'a a,.nr,,
iao cui ,o0' hasn't she a new house. ana every
thing nice to go with II ,. etched
Ms. Maggie laughed. Then sne sisnI,, ',,,a
"Oh, yes-and that's what's .ne ,ad and
r,.,yrs roo nice. She feels smotherea anu anu
,rersssed-as IL she were visiting nit,, soa'ir
upp hara and not at home. She 80 ao.uaas -. .
wne tneis of her maid You see, Miss Flora mas 40
aiways lived very simply. She isn ,,soh n
,assand a the maid knows II, wn'cn, WI, , -, =,
maius- arrnloyed maids, you would Kho"
| 10 a terrible state or anaiIs, +o that in
time" ,,r;o .put 7
doubt it. Some women rSutIW wOI,1' simple @ in her
.os fioia WHY it's as bad as always nslne ht
tas. u, hotel" she walled to me last lna,,s n,sn,
W." know on my trip l was airaid %."r haS
I'd do something that wasn't 1 quiz n,n,nr rooms
1ore t" los anticipating so much getting nom.
ahere I could act naturai-a"o he'e
| ore In my own house ,S5
Mr. smith frowned. but ne iausneu ns1,. chs
"Poor Miss Flora put way
4 a,smiss the lady?' ,, .bare.s
a's. "Sbe doesn't dare to. Besides. .nTrs u,e
she Shs saws Hattie is always telling
tenr at is due her position; ana una. si,t
me-. ne, do this and do that. she's peing lilsI.to NV,
must w tn the Pennocks and the Bensons
out tIn,,,re worse than the maid, she ae
anu ans she says she loves TO run IN any any
~ osa' neonle. and she loves to go 10 places n an,
see p the day with her sewing; put Una
spena ,tas .me where you go and stand up ane
these es en iiggly plate. and see everybody anG
cav T raaIly see anybody are a nuisance ant
an abominatioh' ,. r,ght therep chucklet
"Wel she's apou' ''s'
Mr.; sl'''I' think she is," smiled Miss Mag
u,s .:but that isn't telling me how to MAKE
her contented" . soo.tr, sr,nned Mr.
,ritb an irritability that was as sud
Smitn, W.T. IT was apparently causeless :
den dn,t as suppose you had to tell any won womei
alu1 tn,s earth how to be contented-"'h
Hmndred thousand dollars, .,,
mum hu ould see so, wouldn't tF
~ "r,ean-you'd like the chance to prov
-, That you wish you had that hundre
, thousand?' o,v-tbat" twinkled Mis-
on ,snb;eyously, turning away.
Magse that same afternoon that MI
s,,n II met Mrs. Jane Blaisdeu on the stree
sm,vn snvn,'re lust the man want to see'" sh
accosteo I'm turn and walk along with vol
Mav" smiled Mr., Smith. What can
90 Wen WE don't know as you aI. can do an!
ching" she sighed: put someooays 30.