Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-24
THE HEART BREAKER
A REAL AMERICAN LOVE STORY
BY VIRGINIA TERHUNE VAN DE WATER

Mildred delivered a parting shot as
she left her sister at the door of Mr..
Hilton's place of business.
Il have about decided not to see
Arthur Bruce" she declared, "even
If he comes to our house. l don't
care If 1 did write him letter, ask
Ing him to come-and did go to the
trouble of taking it out in the pitch
dark night to mail it. 1 probably
won't see him"
"Why?" Honora questioned, al
though she had strong suspicion as
to the reason for this threat.
oh" airily, Il don't want espe-
cially to see him. When I wrote to
him, l did so fancying that he was
my very especial friend. But since he
writes private letters TO you, l take
it for granted that he likes you bet
, ter than me. Not" with shutt
laugh. that care, There are as
good fish in the sda as haye ever
been caught. He's not tae only
man."
Honora's temper rose. NO" she
admitted, there are other mcn.-out
some of very different calibre fIom
Arthur"
You mean to taunt me about Tom
Chandler!" Mildred exclaimed. That S
a nice sisterly thing to dol"
Il meant nothing of the kind!'
Honora denied, thankful that she
could say this truthfully. "What /
meant was that, IN spite Of all the
men you know, Arthur Is the one
you can always depened upon"
Il am not so sure of that!' with
shrug of the shoulders. 1T is evi-
dent that he cares more for you than
for me. oh, don't imagine I'm jeal-
Gus, for / am not. I've never reach
ed the point where 1 care TO carry
on private correspondence with any
man-least of all with Arthur Bruce"
No Time to Quarrel
She waited. expecting that Honora
would remind her of Harold Hilton S
letters. Instead of which. Honora
only said stiffly, "I have no time to
stand here quarreling. Good MORN
ing. Milly" and went on down the
street.
Mildred stood gazing after her.
open-mouthed. Honora was growing
disconcertingly independent, she
unused. Heretofore she had always
tried to soOthe her little sister when
things went wrong. Now she acted
as If she meant Mildred to look cut
for herself. The younger girl was
baffled by this change of tactics.
Her jealousy made her resent Hon
ora's attitude. She feared that she
could make no impression upon one
who, until now, had BEEN over
anxious to minister to her comfort
of mind and body
Could she have read Honora' 8
thoughts as she went on her way
the younger girl would not have
felt so much perturbed. For IIonora
was uncomfortable about Mildred s
evident vexation. 1t proved that the
child was jealous because Arthur
Bruce had written to her sister in
stead of to her. If this was so, was
1t fair for her, Honora, to meet Ar
thur-to have two hours alone with
him-hours to which she now knew
she was looking forward eagerly?
Then she called herself a fool.
Was she actually fancying that Ar
thur had anything to say to her that
would bring him any closer to her
than he; now was? OF course not!
Yet. at the noon-hour, when She
re-read his letter, her heart beat
quickly again. 1t certainly sounded
as If he liked her very much-in
spite of her deception of few nights
ago-and that he depended upon her
more than ever.
If so. what about Milly? But Milly
had said last night that she intend
ed to encourage him just to spite
Tom Chandler. If she cared for Ar
thur she could not have said this.
Yet one never knew what Milly
vas capable of feeling about any
thing. She changed her moods as
easily and quickly as does an April
day.
Such being the case, Honora un-
doubtedly was perfectly right in
complying with the urgent wishes of
such good and tried friend as Ar
thur Bruce. And, any way he prob
ably had nothing particularly inti-
mate to say to her. She was making
a mountain out of a mere mole hill.
Then she tried to put the approach
ing interview out of her mind and
to concentrate all her thoughts upon
matters entirely foreign to Arthur
or Mildred.
When she returned to the office
from luncheon, she timidly' asked
Mr.. Pearson If she might leave soon
after four o'clock. He smiled at her
hesitation.
Her Request Granted
You look as IL you were afraid
that I would not let you CO." he re-
marked jocosely. "Of course you
may leave at four. My only stipu-
lation is that you stay outtof- doors
instead of inside some stuffy rooms
like the Red Cross place or some-
thing of that kind"
She smiled brightly. "Oh. thank
you'll" she said. 'I am going to do
the very thing that you stipulate-
mean I was planning to take a
walk out into the country this after
noon.' "a
! GOOD" he nodded his approval.
BE sure that you leave the office
in time to get the benefit of this sun
shine we are having to-day"
When aha had raf11ruad IN has zanfr