Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-06
And So They
Were Married
by HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR
COPYRIGHT, 1919, bv Public Ledger Co.
START THIS STORY TO-DAY


MRS. MOORE took to watching
AVA things that happened. Not that she
wanted to spy, she hated herself for the
feeling that Beatrice had given her and
yet she was unable to shake it off. OF
course when one Is looking for things to
happen they generally do, and little
things that might have passed by un-
noticed were now greatly magnified in
Mrs. Moore's eyes. For instance, she
noticed how George Everett followed
Ruth about with his eyes. although she
was bound to admit that Ruth did not
return these surreptitious looks herself,
but maintained for the most part a
thoroughly sane attitude toward the
b boy.
Another thing that was quite obvious
was Dot Salsbury's attitude toward
Scott. Scott was no match for her AZ
all: she was too clever for him and she
made her plans cautiously. Everything
that she did was calculated, and yet
she was utterly naive, pretending TO DC
unsophisticeted and yet using the tao
tics Of woman of the world.
Often Mrs. Moore would scold herself
half angrily, half laughingly when Dot
was playing with Scott.
"I'm imagining things she would
say to herself Beatrice has put my
nerves on edge" And then she would
wonder Just what Dot hoped to accom-
plish by this little Irritation of hers.
1t was at beach supper that some
thing happened to actually worry Mrs.
Moore. Up to that time she had looked
at matters broadly. She was that won
dcrful thing. fair woman; she realized
quite we'll that she must not hold the
rens of government too tightly, which
was wise, because the younger set in
this, the twentieth century, cannot be
driven.
There were eighteen Of them in three
cars, and they left about 4 o'clock in
the afternoon with picnic baskets, ther
mos bottles and all the rest of the para
phernalia necessary to picnic supper.
Things began rather we'll. Crowded
together, wedged in rs tightly as pos
sible, there was a gay camaraderie that
was general. They talked back and
forth, they sang, there was an absence
Of subtle under currents. it was almost
as though every one had agreed that d
picnic was no place for the carrying or
of firtations.
AS it happened Ruth was not ever
sitting next to George Everett. He was
not even in the same car, but seated
between Beatrice and Grace Lovett il
the car behind, he seemed to be having
good time. Mrs. Moore could moi
know that it was not because he hat
tried his level best to be with Ruth
but because she had seen to it that they
we're not together. There had beer
times of late when Ruth had been some
what worried about George. She hat
been frightened by his intensity, un-
able to firt with him lightly when HI
looked at her with a certain expression
in his eyes. She certainly did not wan
him to fall in love with her; that woulc
be an unexpected denouement.
Dot, however, was looking out fol
things, and what Mrs. Moore did moi
see was the fact that Dot in the las,
car was sitting very close to Scott
and that she was unusually attractive
almost good looking with flaming color
in her checks, and her constant chatter
They built a fire on the beach ant
ate supper just at twilight. Afterwart
there was more singing. George hat
recaptured Ruth and they were sitting
side by side. Beatrice. lying fat or
her young back, sat up suddenly ant
turned to Grace Lovett.
where is Dot?'
Grace looked around helplessly. a
the crowd on the beach. Grace always
gave that little arr of helplessnes'
whenever she did anything. She hac
found it successful with men, that il
for the most part.