Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-14
And SO They
Were Married
CHAPTER IN
BY HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR
Copyright, 1919, by Public LEDGER Co.

ZONE were the molly grubs, the dis
~ content. Ruths eyes were star-like,
her checks we're pink as she rushed into
the bedroom. Scott turned on the pillow
and woefully lacking in romance, he
was just a sick boy.
Mrs. Dayton called me up."
Scott's heart leaped, and when he
answered he made more than an effort
to speak casually. He must not begin
the old tactics that he had used at first
with this friendship. He himself was
responsible for everything and il he
wanted TO play the game fairly he must
trust Ruth TO come out of everything
all right. He wished with all his heart
now that he had never acted as he had.
When Ruth had shown jealousy and
lack of understanding where Betty was
concerned, when she had objected to
scotts attitude. why hadn't he thought
ahead and seen how things were COM
ing out? AS it was he was defense
less He could not forbid in Ruth what
ne had condoned. And he remembered
laNlilb NOlu leT lndl lie tNDttltu iNA W
have men friends.
Scott realized with a sudden clarity.
that Ruth was looking at this matter
wrong. II she objected fundamentally
to friendships between men and women
after marriage, she simply had not
changed her mind to the extent OF ap-
proving of it now that Nick Carson had
come into her life. that was certain.
All these things we're rushing through
his mind as he hesitated before speaking
to Ruth. Then he made an effort and
said slowly
What did she want?
"She wants me TO lunch with her to-
morrow. guess / can manage It. I
can get lunch for you here first. and
then 20 downtown aftcrward." She did
did not explain that this was Polly
dayton's suggestion.
"Of course you will go, girl, YOU need
to get out. Don't you realize that l
know I've been a burden? I'm tickled
| to death that you want to go so badly"
You really want me TO go then %
womanlike she wanted TO be condoned,
! in what she was eager to do.
"Of course j want YOU to GO
And that night Ruth found herself de-
liciously expectant. She planned what
she would wear as she had not planned
| in weeks, she decided TO wash her hair
and she came into the bedroom and sat
with its tawny loveliness spread over
! the toweled back OF a chair. She chat
| tered and laughed and said funny things
and Scott laughed with once in a while
dull pain at his heart. He was won
dering just how much that laugh was
meant for him and just how much for
the anticipation of the morrow. Sud-
denly cold fear clutched at HIM. There
| was more than a little OF suspicion in
| it. Could 1t be possible that Ruth knew
more than she had told him? But he
| frowned the suspicion down. If he
/ lacked trust he would be no better than
the veriest scoundrel He knew Ruth
as no one else knew her, and he knew
that whatever she did. 1t would not be
anything dishonorable. The suspicion
that Polly Dayton might have told Ruth
that Nick was TO be at lunch was abso.
| lutely unfair. Ruth was simply de
lighted to get out somewhere, and ther
she admired Polly Dayton extravagant,
ly. she had said so often since they
had been there.
She was more than usually thought
| full of him that evening, but for the frs
| tlfne SCOlL CIdltu uHutr Itr dlleHtlOils
He felt at a disadvantage there in bed
He felt unshaven. and weak and unabl,
to combat anything physical o. mental
when he mere than anything wanted tC
be well and strong and energeticall,
! virile
When Ruth in her floating negliget
with her flaming hair drifting over thu
pillow bent over him to say goodnight
it was all Scott could do to keep him
self from taking her in his arms. Sh'
kissed him on the top of his head a.
usual, and said softly.
Goodnight, little boy
And, Scott lay there missing the good
night of the lover. Ruth's words hat
been the words she might have ad
dressed TO a little child.
! AS for Ruth, she was not thinking Of
anything very much. She was delicious
ly tired and wished vaguely that Scott
would be able to sleep through the night
1t didn't seem as IL she could ever drag
herself out of bed again for anything
she was too utterly weary.
Tomorrow. luncheon for three)