Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-07
And So They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR
Copyright, 1919, by P.bno Ledger Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

ITO SAY that Rita used the same
L tactics as Ruth was perfectly true.
She did nothing obvious. She had the
attitude that whatever she did was per-
fectly all right. She did not attempt
to "vamp' Scott, she was simply al
ways attractive to him, always inter-
csted in hearing him talk. She was
the thing that Scott did not possess
and she interested him. There was
nothing wrong about it, nothing even
unfair to Ruth, unless she chose to look
a friendship between her husband and
snother woman as wrong.
When the Whitmores were at their
apartment or when Ruth and Scott
were over there and there was the
slightest alteration about anything
Rita invariably took Scott's part. Not
that she came to his aid obviously but
she delicately and tactfully gave him
to understand that sne realized how
impossible 1t was for a wife to really
understand her husband.
They were playing bridge one evening
over at the Whitmores when suddenly
Dan suggested that they switch to
roker and like great many women
Ruth thought it detestable game, in
vented only for card sharks and gam
blers. She happened to be the only
one Of the four that had never played,
and the others were all eager to change.
Its much more fun" Rita in
sisted, "and It won't take you any
time to learn. You don't have to pay
such strict attention to your cards,
either. Bridge is an awful strain
II hate to learn anything and play
at the same time," protested Ruth.
ooh. come on" Scott said, laugh
ing. "It's a good game
II didn't know you Played Ruth
turned on him.
Dan laughed at this. Every man
plays
"when did you ever learn to play,
Scott?' Ruth insisted.
"I can't remember now; what differ
ence does It make, anyway
Ruth thinks poker players are out
side the PALE" Rita said, mockingly.
Ruth seldom grew angry at Rita, but
she was angry now. She said nothing,
however, and allowed them to deal her
hand. Every one who plays poker
remembers his and her first game of
poker as stupid. There is no particular
fascination about It. 1t seems like a
childish kind of game, with no point
at all to it. Ruth did not understand
the fascination of betting and she con-
sequently missed all the fun as well as
lost every hand.
e. t,Io
"It's stupid game" she exclaimed,
finging down her cards, 'and further-
more. YOU people can play and l cant
and I don't think it's fair. I should
think YOU could see that" turning to
Scott. IT don't see why you had to
insist that we play this.
Scott hadn't suggested that they play
poker, but it was easier for Ruth to
blame Scott than 1t was for her to
fy into Rita or Dan. 1t was right
here that Rita did a skillful piece OF
acting. She wanted to continue play
ing poker. She was winning and she
loved the give and take of the game,
but 1t was her chance to impress Scott
and she took it.
can right" she said, in her rich low
toned voice, lets play bridge. IL
really ism 1a1r 10 NuIu'
OF course this resulted in Ruth.s be-
ing put in the wrong, and Rita's
prompt giving in to her made her seem
magnanimous. Scott told Ruth this
when they got home that evening.
"I thought that Rita acted more than
nice about it," he finished.
"Why did have to play it?' Ruth
flung back.
"You didn't have to-
"Why, Scott, you know / did," |
"You might better have refused to
play than to have acted as you did,
Scott was so seldom critical of anything
that she did Ruth was amazed and
angry. She felt that If Rita had not
ipterposed as she had with her willing
ness to be unselfish, Scott would never
have SPOKEN this way. This was cul-
mination of many little things that Rita
had done, Just as slight, just as impos-
sible to really single ont and End fault
with, but nevertheless Just as poignant
and, as Ruth felt, just as Intentional.
= There was a silence between them
that lasted all evening. Never since
that night long ago when they had been
In the country had Ruth fallen asleep
without kissing Scott goodnight. To-
night she hoped that something might
haupen between them to cause break
IN the clouds, but nothing did. Scott
remained disconcertingly silent, and
Ruth was finally forced to undres and
slip into bed without q word. She felt
that she was in the right and she was
puzzled and could not understand
scott's attitude toward matter that
was, after all, not important. She lay
In bed with her face turned away from
the light and waited. hoping every
minute for Scott's softly spoken Good
night, girl" and his kiss, but she heard
him get ready for the night, open the
windows and finally snap off the light
on the bed table without word spoken.
When she heard him finally get into
bed, she knew that he did not intend
to make up, and long after he had fallen
asleep she lay awake staring into the
darkness and thinking.
In the next installment, letter from
AI1na Rarrv