Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-29

At the familiar word-Jowett always
called him chief-a smile slowly stole
across his face. "I really believe
am, thanks to you," he said nodding.
He was going to say, Thanks to-
you, Fleda," but he restrained himself.
He had no right to be familiar. to give
an intimate turn to things. His game
was over his journey of ambition was
done. He saw this girl with his minds
eye-how much he longcd to see her
with the eyes of the body-in all her
strange beauty; and he knew that even
if she cared for him, such a sacrifice
as linking her life with his wns impos
sible. Yet her very presence there was
like a garden of bloom to him; a garden
full of the odOr of life, of vital things.
of sweet energy and happy being. Some
how, he and she were strangely alike.
He knew it. From the time he held her
in his arms at Carlton. he knew it.
The great adventurous spirit which was
in him belonged also to her. That was
as sure as light and darkness.
mo. there's no master man in mo,
but l think l know what one could be
like, he remarked at last
He Strengthened himself against the
pillows. The old look of power came to
n face hardly strong enough to bear it.
1t was so fine and thin now. aud the
spirit in him was so prodigous.
No one cares what happens to the
man who always succeeds; no one loves
him, he continued "Do you know,
in my trouble I've had more ont Of
niggcr Jim's affection than I've had
in my life. Then there's Rockwell.
Ostcrhaut and Jowett, and there's your
tather. 1t was worth while living to
feel the real thing" His hands went
ont as though grasping something good
and comforting. ~ don't surposc
every man needs to be struck as hard
as I've been to learn what's what, but
I've learned it. I give you my word
of honor. I've learned it."
| Her face flushed and her eyes kindlcd
greatly. Jim. ROCKWELL Osterhaut.
Jowett and my father =" she exclaimed
OF course trouble wouldn't do any
thing but make them come closer round
you. Poor people live so near to mis- -
fortune all the timc-I mean moor
people like Jim. Ostcrhaut and Jowptt
that changes of fortune are lust
natural things to them. As for nv
fnthor. he has had to stretch out his
hands so often to those in troublc-''
THAT he carried me home on his
shoulders from the bridge six weeks
and three days ago. at 3 o'clock in
the morning" intcrjccted Ingolby with
n quizzical smile.
"Why did YOU omit Madame Bultecl
and myself when you mentioned those
who showed thcir-friendship? she
asked, hesitating at the last word
Haven't we done our part?'
Il was talking of men," he an
swered. Zone knows what women do.
They may leave You in the bright
days, not in the dark days. On the
majority of them you couldn't rely
in prosperity, but in misfortune Won
couldn't do anything else. They are
there with you. They're made that
way. The best that life can give Won in
misfortune is woman. It's the great
beginning of the world thing in them.
Men cant stand prosperity. but women
can stand misfortune. Why. if Jim
and Osterhaut and .Jowett and all the
men of Lebanon and Manitou had dc :
serted me. I shouldn't have been sur
prised but I'd have had to rpcast nv
philosophy if Fleda Druse had turned
her bonny brown head away"
1t was evident he was making an
effort to conquer emotions which were
rising in him: that he was playing on
the surface to prevent his deen feel
ings from breaking forth. Instcad o.
which, he added iubilantly, "herc
am, in the incest room in the world
in a fine bed with springs like ar
antelope's heels"
= He laughed, and hunchcd his bach
into the mattress. II was the laugl
of the mocker. but he was mockin1
himself She did not misunderstood
1t was nice room. aS he said. HC
had never seen it with his eyes, but
if he had seen it he would have realizcc
how like herself it was-adorably fresh
. happily colorcd. sumptuous and fine
1t had simple curtains. white sheet,
and warm carpet on the floor; anC
vet with something, too. that struck
the note of life outside. A pen
nant of many colors hung where two
soft pink curtains Joined. and at thu
, window and over the door was ar
ancient cross in bronze and gold. II
was not the simple Christian cross o
, the modern world. but an ancient ont
which had become symbol of thu
Romanys, sign to mark the high
ways, the guide of the wayfarers.
The pennant had been on the pole o
the Ry's tent in far off days in thu
Rumelian country. In the girl her
self there was that which correspondet
to the gorgeous pennant and the bronz'
cross 1t was not in dress or in man
ner. for there was no sign of garish
ness, of the unusual anywhere-iI
manner she was as well controlled n
any woman of fashion. in dress singu
larly reserved--but in the depths of tn
eyes there was some restless, unsettled
thing. some flicker of strange banner
akin to the pennant at the joining o
} the pink curtains. There had beel
something of the same look in Ingolby
eyes in the past, only with him it wa
the sense of great adventure, intrepi
enterprise. a touch of vision and tn
~~"YHuI ~ nAyTT