Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-31

w asked one Of the men after the
introductions were over.
ITS late, after 3; we might save
time by staying here" suggested Isabel
So they all four went into the ornate
room, filled now with softly chattering
people. the low hum OF musical instru-
ments and the general hustle OF Dig
hotel dining-room. The winter DUSK ana
the lights of the avenue uttered III
through the long velvet draped WINDOWS
and the men led the way toward WIN
dow table and seated the girls adNah-
tageously.
Ruth rested her elbows on the table
and looked out of the window. Her
heart was heavy in her breast. she
wondered with Il vague wistfulness what
it would be like to be free and happy
again IS she had been when Scott had
scom, back to her from France safe ana
sound and the world held only the TWO
A of them seemingly for all time.
"why so quiet?" asked the man at her
left and she started out of her revere
md turned to look at him. tie was no.
10 yo' as the other man, VINO had
#1Aken -. session of Isabel and nicer,
fh thought. lie had keen. frank
K IL with rather intense eyes, ana ne
looking at Ruth with real interest,
tfhough there were more on his nina
lust the thought that prompeted
"a to ask her what she would nave
Itf&And after you have decided you can
me something about yourset IL you
What you do and how You live
what YOU like to 10 and don't do,
III all the rest ~
I3S1Iow do YOU know Aero are things
{H$1ke TO do and don't do asked Ruth
kuely, interested in spite of herself.
Is was no crude hoy who paid her
"a Dish compliments, or anything OF that
kd, This was a man. Somehow she
A not feel so uncomfortable as she had.
y even smiled little wheN he or
n led tea for her and fascinating thin
Idwiches and little cakes with jelly
:, cream inside and icing over the out
Isabel was slipping something
IN Y sted out of n long glass, but the man
- IN her had not asked her to drink
tIT thing
'f2sfYRuth poured the tea and gained CON
ence with It, After two or three sips
q Sthe scalding liquid. she began to feel
~ fe like herself, not so strange She
kan TO feel a certain liking for this
l IN his consideration of her was per
Eb0tt She sav. him glance once at the
b n{ender finger ,-here the very thin band
~ gold flashe its signal, but he said
iuofhing about :, although she knew he
Berstood and would act accordingly ::
1at is. he would not make her unCom-
t3f able BY alludng to it crudely
X 8e@fThe man with Isabel was different
A;I4e was younger and much more the
typo that Ruth disliked. Ruth wondered
vhat Isabel could see in him. She could
&fF&t understand that Isabel had no ca
a city for real emotion that, provided
lY{19hnan was good looking. had money and
h. inc Cta nj, Inf,,
hing else mattcred.
(: Of course. there are things YOU like
.HI do and don't do" he said, watching
f slim fingers fuss around tho cups
aS}{t's generally that way with life, ism t
|{|{EYes I think it is"
H{rYou know It is
@<EsPerlaps do" and she smiled
1UAS'That's better. I thought YOU could
W<Dlly smile"
&otlAnd Ruth found that she could smile
E&t1en While her heart ached and She
IMbhed the good-looking face of the
IAN with her would fade into the dear
s1Ione that was SCOTS. why couldn't she
13feel different? Certainly Scott had no
}8such feeling when he lunched with Betty
FOR with any other woman he wished to
4jeee. because If he had. he knew only
.&foo well that he could have lunch with
S3{her whenever he liked. Women were
4 placed in a different position
|,tH But she did smile and talk with Nick
11{Cerson and he chatted amuSing'y and
iWghtly with her. Her VivdnesS awoke
|l49omethng in him that some other uual-
n<.A' in her kept at bay. Ruth was differ.
w-t from Isabel She had a fire. a man
m. @er about her that men felt, that drew
Xben, although as far as she herself was
II oncerned it was an innocent enough
" ttraction one that she was utterly un.
pnsciouS of. When Nick Carson saw
<I)(er home. he knew better than TO ask
1I(ter for any more favors Just then lie
|9Sl{es old enough to understand that WhaI
Em wanted he must go after carefully
| {&}{That was the first night that Ruth re.
tied going home to her tiny place. The
II xernoon had brouhnt back her OLD
N refree days. She felt restless. If Scott
n been there to surround her witt
\, things would have been different
II was Scott was dining out r'neS
fallen into the habit of planning
week on an evening spent without
<pther, and Ruth stood in her tiny
= room facing AN evening tha
ched out interminably.
% this what she had married for
prely, surely not She had mar
4eally for love, love that under
and gave willingly OF itself. Tha