Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-16
And So They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR
COPYRIGHT, 1919. bv Public LEDGER Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY
stT COULDN'T go back and leave you

alone out here
"I'd rather you would" Ruth said
family. She was ashamed of her tears,
OF her lack Of self control. She was
angry, woman fashion, with Scott for
having caused this Irritation with
George Everett. She stole n glance at
George now, and wondered what he was
thinking. Suddenly she leaned toward
him and put a timid hand on his arm.
Instantly he turned toward her, his face
working his voice hoarse and shaken.
Don't you care at all?'
mot like that" Ruth said compass
sionately.
He muttered something.
''What was that?"
IT said, / thought you did. l was
sure you cared. / counted everything
on it."
"Oh, George, how could you do
that? You knew l was married. We've
been good pals, that's all. Why, I
never dreamed you had any ideas like
this
Didn't you?" He looked at her
almost accusing in those eyes. They
full of memories. They remembered the
way she had favored him, had singled
him out to be with, had palled with
him morning, noon and night during her
stay with the Moores. Every woman
knows when man is falling in love
with her. 1t was folly for Ruth to
deny that she had not known at least
something about it.
There was brief silence, with only
the sound Of the water to be heard
tapping gently against the pier. In the
distance along the pier shadowy figures
came and went, but no one came down
near them. They were safe in their
solitude.
Ruth's tears had stopped and she re
paired the ravages they had made with
some powder from little bag which she
carried on her arm. Then she slipped
down from her perch and said SOFTLY.
I'm ready"
In silence they walked back toward
the club. Both were conscious that they
mad spent great deal of time on the
pier. People eyed them curiously as
they climbed the steps of the wide
veranda.
At the top of the steps sat Grace
Lovett with her partner. He sprang
to his feet at Ruth appeared.
You cut my dance" He accused
her.
Ruth took in the situation at glance.
he was sulking, Not having the dance
with Ruth as he had expected and
looked forward to; he had not wanted
TO dance with any one. Therefore he
was taking it out on poor little Grace
FOR the first time Ruth felt a throb
OF sympathy for Grace. She felt years
oder than the child, she felt sense of
protection for her, utterly foreign to
any feeling she had had thus far.
Grace was sitting back in her chair.
ne childish lips almost quivering, her
eyes unhappy. Ruth was disposed TO
be generous.
why haven't you two been dane
ing?" Ruth asked with n glance thot
took in both Grace and the bow.
Grace looked up with the first touch
OF fire Ruth had noticed in her.
we were waiting for you. Mr.. Lee
was afraid you might come back and
or course, he did not want to dance
with me when he could have you."
Mr. Lee was not even embarrassed
If he had been older he might have
shown great deal of embarrassment
at a direct attack of this kind but
being young he was absolutely i'm
pervlous to such thrusts. He was ana
mg' or trying to, the manners of q
man or the world and succeeding in
showing up his youth only the more
plainly.
you'll have to give me this to raka
up for it, he said to Ruth witbo,t
the suspicion of an idea that she might
refuse.
George Everett was standing bes;do
Ruth utterly silent. Ruth felt sense
OF having mixed things up irretr;oy-
ably rush over her. She felt smotbe berod
with the younger set, these boys and
girls VINO were too young to have any
control over their feelings. They
wouldn't grow up for years and years,
and she wondered suddenly if this dis.
appointment that George Everett had
suffered had struck deeply or if it were
only the disappointment of boy whose
pride has suffered, and whose sense of
manhood has been hurt. Well it re-
mained to be seen.
Ruth tossed back her head and looked
at Gerald Lee with narrowed eyes. "I
can't dance this with you, I've prom
ised it to some one else."
20, but say now, that isn't fair
you know" He had rather a good
opinion of himself, thought Ruth to
herself. He probably had made quite
hit with the younger set thus far in
his career. He was adopting the same
, masterful tactics with her that he had
used on girls of his own age and was
too young to know that they were apt
not to work.
''1f you've promised it to some one
else, why doesn't he come for you %
asked Gerald Lee quickly. In his voice
was triumph and the desire to convey to
Ruth that no gentleman worthy the
name would treat her thus.