Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-22
And So They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR
Copyright, 1912, BY Public LEDGER Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

aoD"
m spite of her mothers proffered ex-
PLANTATION of her remarks she some
how failed to convince Ruth that her
intent had not been to make Ruth dis
contented with her marriage. There crept
up between mother and daughter a
strange coldness that was inexplicable
It was so sudden. Mrs. Rowland fought
against It, she tried by adopting an air
Of maternal influence to treat Ruth like
a child and to ignore what had hap
pened, but she found it impossible. Ruth
was no longer child and she did not
feel toward her mother as she once had.
She looked to Scott for happiness and
influence she was a woman and mar
ried.
happened to Ruth. Into the rather
poisonous atmosphere that Fleta Sears
had evolved in Ruth's life Helen Town
send suddenly appeared. 1t was the first
time that Helen had been to see Ruth
since the girls had had the misunder-
standing over Scott and Helen when
Helen left home to go to work. Ruth
was inordinately glad TO see her. She
simply could not understand why she
should be 70 glad, but she was. Tears
sprang to her eyes when Helen kissed
her and she said over and over again,
I'm SO glad to see you 20
What had she been doing with herself,
how did ehe like her work, whom had
she seen, how did she spend her even
ings?" And then again, 20 Helen you
don't know how glad am to see you"
You make me ashamed of myself
but really have been busy. Let's see
| must answer your questions one at a
time. I'm In love with my work and
I'm making thirty dollars a week."
Helen. not really!"
Ruth's keen mind was already busy
with this information. Thirty dollars a
week, only twenty dollars less than Scott
made. 1t hardly seemed possible She
looked at Helen with envy and new
respect and another mean little thought
occurred to her. Helen was pretty, and
very smart, was 1t possible that she was
making that much because she was
worth 1t or because some man liked her
looks? Then Ruth was instantly ashamed
OF herself. Had she sunk SO low as not
to trust Helen, Helen who had, always
been her best friend, Helen whose man
had been killed In France and who loved
that man as much as she, Ruth, loved
Scott?
Ruth took in what Helen was wearing.
When she had first come in Ruth had
thought her expenslyely dressed now
she hardly knew Helen was dressed very
SIMPLY in dark tweed suit. She wore a
soft white satin blouse with lavender
tie and u stiff sailor of the same shade
Of lavender. Her shoes were of the
sensible variety but they were gray and
very smart.
Same old Ruth, aren't you? Well,
how do you like me?"
II love you, and never saw you look
SO nice"
DO you know how much / paid for
it?"
Ruth shook her head
'Thirty-fve dollars. It's the first suit
have ever bought with my very own
money"
ut looks as IL it cost more"
i don't think it's bad. Do YOU re-
MEMBER how much we used to spend for
suits? l saw that pretty child that Jack
Bond Is going to marry a couple Of days
ago and she was dressed the way I used
to. Light fawn suit, high heeled buc<led
pumps, little black hat. very smart and
very unserviceable and useless just
can't buy clothes now unless I plan
them for use"
Ruth thought miserably of her own
clothes. OF course she did not work in
an office, but she was the wife of poor
man and her clothes were just as foolish
ana useless for her position as Natalie's
Then she thought of the money Scott
had given her. He had said the money
had come from some one who had owed
him debt Why then had she taken 1t
all? Why hadn't she split 1t with him,
and most of all why hadn't she thought
OF this before, instead Of waiting until
it was too late?
Il love your place." said Helen simply.
Ruth will you be cross If tell you
something? I've always been SO glad
you've been SO willing to cooperate with
Scott and not live above your means.
know it's none of my business, but we're
such old friends. And now for something
else. Will you spend next Saturday
afternoon with me? pwant to show you
my place. and we can have lunch DOWN
town. You see Saturday afternoons and
evenings are my only free times"
I'D love to come" said Ruth enthu-
siastically. And then a sudden thought
smote her. Next Saturday was the after
noon she had promised to go to Fleta's
for bridge. She simply couldn't get out
Of it. either. for she again owed Fleta
money. Not content with having paid
her debt with the money Scott had given
her the temptation to win more had
been too much for Ruth and she had
again succumbed the lure of a few extra
dollars Now facing Helen Townsend
Ruth felt strangely cheap and sordld.