Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-21
And So They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR
Copyright, 1919, bv Public Ledger Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

DUTH understood now exactly what
lS had happened that night but what
she did not understand was what this
man knew about Rita that he could
/. threaten her with and apparently Rita
did not intend to tell Ruth could not
help feeling hard toward Rita for with
holding her confidence. She had i'm
agined that her friendship might have
meant that much to the other girl
But something rose up in Ruth's heart,
J a certain fierce pride that prevented her
from trying to coax the mystery out of
Rita. Something, too, in Ruth's make
UP made her resolve to help Rita in her
difficulty, whether it was right or not.
"All right, we'll take the trunk
Rita started up. you will, oh, you
darling!'
"Do you want us to keep it until
you send for it?'
''Yes, I'll write you as soon as
know where well be-"
In spite of the fact that Ruth had
decided to do this, she felt differently
toward Rita. A certain restraint had
sprung up between the two girls.
Neither acted naturally. Ruth did not
trust Rita, and Rita knew it.
hltn sprung up. caught up h'i Si''N'
and her little sable stole and flung her
coat over her arm. Then she took her
travelling bag and stood minute be-
fore Ruth. The two girls, who had
been such great friends, stood waverlng
4 on the brink of that friendship. Here
was something final and big in the min
ute that both vaguely felt.
Rita, whatever may have been hcr
feelings at that moment covered then
with light fippancy.
well good-by, and thank you
Ruth" Her voice grew deeper here.
Il do appreciate it; take good care OF
it, will you?"
The trunk was what Rita was wor-
ried about. not the fact that she would
\ nrchably never come back, that Ruth
would never see her again. \ queer mt
tie cold feeling crcpt up around her
heart and then she felt Rita pressing
the key Of the apartment into her hand
"You'd better not lose any time about
il. and lock the door after you have
the trunk safely on your side, and
whatever you do, Ruth, don't talk to
any one"
Ruth knew better than to ask why
she knew that Rita would not tell her.
Rita leaned over then and kissed Ruth
l;obtlv Ruth noticed the foreign per-
fume that Rita always affected, but
there was nothing deep in this farewell
it was purely mechanical. Then Rita
was gone without another word.
Ruth stepped out to the hall and lis
tened until she heard the outer door
omen and close, then she opened the door
of her on5n apartment and stepped IN
She had Dromised Rita to take care OF
tbe trunk she must attend to that I'M
mediately.V
Scott met her in the hall. He looked
strangely white.
"Where have you been? You've been
gone nearly an hour.
''Over there" Ruth indicated the
apartment next door with a slight ges-
ture. "Scott, Rita's gone.
Gone, gone where!
'I don't know, she wouldn't tell me.
She wants us to take care OF trunk
for her until she sends.
Scott stared, and Alice,who had come
ont into the hall, was staring too with
wide open eyes. -
"There's something wrong here If
she's leaving that way. Is she leaving
all of her furniture in the apartmentE'
"Yes."
"Well, don't you see then, Ruth, that
we oughtn't to keep the trunk? She
running away from some one. Either
she or Dan have something to be afraid
Of"
II know all that" Ruth returned,
'but l promised.
"You should have known better. We
don't want to get mixed up in this thing.
1t may be very serious"
Ruth stood turning the little key to
the apartment over and over in her
hand. II think we ought to do that
much for friendships sake she said
after minute slowly. "We did like
them, you know"
''They certainly don't deserve any
consideration sneaking off like this, "
Scott said angrily. why didn't you
call me in?"
Rita wouldn't let me-"
81 thought as much. That trunk
STAYS right where it is until we see what
happens, l don't want to be implicated
in Jail sentence or anything like that.
1t isn't that I'm hard hearted Ruth, but
try to be sensible about it."
(The next instalIment will tell what
happened in the apartment next .dOOr) |