Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-06
AndSo They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYo BACHELOR
COPYRIGHT, 1919. bV Public Ledger Co.

A COUPLE of evenings later Scott
"A said suddenly, while they were at
dinner, that he had said something to
4 Gene about Elsie.
Scott" Ruth gasped. you might
have known better than to do that,
what did he say?'' =
''Shut me up pretty quick"
''What did you tell him"
''Just asked him if he knew that
people were talking D..
''And what did he say them"
"Said he didn't care whether they
were or not or words to that effect, and
got furious. didn't say anything
more
''Do YOU think it will do any good
v at alp
81 don't know, but I'm not sorry
& spoke
That conversation took place in the
Z evening, and the next morning Elsie
y rnng Ruth up on the telephone. After
the preliminaries, Elsie said suddenly !:
Ruth, I want you to do something
v for me-
II don't know, Elsie, what is 1t you
want me to do?'' Ruth's heart told her
4 that 1t had something to do with Gene,
Y and she didn't know whether she wanted
to do anything for Elsie or not. Ger
tainly she would not have to do with
b anything clandestine. Scott had asked
her to keep out of it.
n IF Joe comes to your place and asks
n about me will you tell him that you
u don't know anything at ALL"
4 ASKS me about what?'
y "Oh, anything do" said Elsie, Just
pretend that you don't know"
N 'Well, l really don't know any more
N than any one knows" Ruth returned
d There was a silence. When Elsie
spoke again there was a tenseness in her
1 voice that was unmistakable.
what do you mean?"
1--WE can't talk about matters over
the telephone" Ruth returned, suddenly
determined to take things into her own
hands and to speak to Elsie herself.
"Will you be nome this afternoon"
"Yes.'
''All right, I'll be down" and there
was the click OF the receiver suddenly
hung up.
The rest of the morning Ruth passed
restlessly in trying to determine what
to say to Elsie. She must be tactful.
She mustn't he blunt like Scott had been
with Gene. That wouldn't get her any
where.
At o'clock the bell rang and Ruth
opened it to find Elsie. She was pale
(. and did not look as pretty as usual.
Epr blond Ioip ;,,,I
OF color, smartncss of detail and Elsie
lacked all of that this afternoon.
She walked into the living room and
dropped listlessly into. chair. When
she finally spoke she plunged directly
into the heart of the subject.
What did you mean when you said
people were talking?'
4 DO you want Inc to speak plainly ?'
"Yes, of course"
well, do you think it's worth it
70 carry on with Gene Mathews as you
have! It's hurting his work. he seems
TO be bewitched by you. and he doesn t
care for any of the things that used to
make up his life. And what does il all
amount to after ali He's just an epi :
sode to you, you're amusing yourself
with him..
But I'm not" Elsie cried desper
ateiy. IN not! | know what YOU
must think of me, and a lot of it Is
srue' But I'm not amusing myself with
MN, Ruth. l love him."
Ruth sat transfxed, not believing
/. that she had heard Alright. She might
nave believed that it was all a dres m
II It had not been for Elsie's face. That
told its own story,
Elsie swallowed hard fighting for
seli control. Finally she spoke. "It,s
quite true, | love him, and I'm afraid
OF what Joe may do. Joe has heard
shings and his pride is hurt. don,t
peileYe it is anything else. don,t ha
iievc he loves me-. - Nv" oe
"A what if he does?" Ruth questioned
slowly; What are you going to do
Ihats it. Oh, Ruth, IL l had onIv
Deen more like you are; if hadn't Iot
inss influence me, external things that
aon matter. You were brave eporoh
ignore conventions, to go ahead and
40 ~nat you wanted to do without car
ing what people said. was afraid"
huth was really desperately sorry for
Elsie. She wanted to help her. bnt
she felt that heroic measures were hest
with Elsie in this mood, so she oues.
toned coolly
DO you want diyorce?"
Elsie, who had been croucbed down
In her chair, shivered up at This
4s Oh, no, Ruth; no What would
people say? There would he an awfui
scandal - Than ebo CO.,. n...i,