Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-11
And So They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR
Copyright, 1919, bv Public Ledger Co.
CHAPTER XVI

n Beatrice knew that she had gone TOO
far. and something about Ruth's lace
II had made Beatrice ashamed OF her mean
\ spirit, had filed her with quick re-
Il morse. After all, it wasn't that Bea
trice was really malicious; she was
merely young and silly and eager to be
revenged on Ruth for having made her.
/ self attractive to George Everett.
It was with varying emotions that
the family left the breakfast table that
morning. 1t was characteristic, too
that no one did just what he or she
wanted to do. Mrs. Moore wanted to
sneak to Beatrice. to ask her just what
srrhe had meant by her insinuation, but
i she was called Immediately to the tele-
phone, and Beatrice, who had hung
around trying to make up her NINA
\ whether to sneak to Ruth or not, was
finally carried off By crowd VINO
wanted to drive to camp. Scott was
eager to speak to Ruth. He wanted
more than anything else in the world to
find out the truth about last night. AS
4 for Ruth herself, she wanted to throw
Il npT HTnS hUtuL CCOtJ iCii nun
i the truth, and ask him humbly to be-
4 lieye her, swear that she cared for no
4 one else in the world but him, and
\ yet she could not do this because of
what had happened last night between
= Scott and Dot Salisbury.
Coming out on the porch, Ruth saw
Dot Salisbury just climbing the steps.
Scott was sitting in the swing, and
Ruth hastily drew back, but not before
Dot had spied her, and had called out.
"Come out here. Where are you go
ingT'
Ruth had never been so angry in her
life. She wanted to annihilate Dot.
How dared she even speak to her after
last night?' And here she was. acting
Just as if nothing had happened.
Ruth paid no attention to Dots call.
but hastily withdrew from the doorway
and almost bumped into George Ever
EFT as she turned suddenly.
II thought you had gone to camp"
she exclaimed.
"I couldn't" he said quickly. II
wanted to see you Ruth l must speak
to you"
Now, Ruth did not care anything at
all about George Everett. and when
u request Vi l0dL KIM
of a woman it sounds melodramatic to
her unless she cares. After last night
she could look at George with eyes that
were critical, more critical than ever.
'What about?" she asked calmly.
You know what l want to speak to
you about" he said passionately.
"About last night"
Ruth stood still and looked at him.
She saw that he was in deadly earnest.
"Well, what about it?' she asked
calmly.
He stared at her. "Do you mean to
say that you don't care about what
happened at breakfast?" His tone was
incredulous.
"Oh. that" Ruth returned. "It was
mean of Beatrice, wasn't it: but you
mustn't take it to heart George. I'm
not looking at it seriously"
But every one believed her." he
went on.
20, don't think So" Ruth re-
turned.
"What about your husband?"
Ruth WINGED.
The boy saw his advantage. 20,
Ruth, listen to me, won't you? l know
how you felt last night and | hated it
4 for you. I want to make matters right
You know how much I care for you.
let me tell you?"
Ruth was staring at him now.
George, you mustn't talke like this. you
mustn't. You don't know what you're
talking about. must 60 upstairs
please let me pass"
And she was flying up the huge stair
1
doorway.
Mrs. Moore looked troubled. but she
was a wise woman. She knew that to
say anything to George Everett just
now would be a mistake. but she did
wonder how her quiet little house party
had gotten into this frightful muddle.
It was Saturday, just two weeks from
the day the Raymonds had arrived.
Ruth up in her room thought Of this
fact and wished that she and Scott
| might cut the visit short Another whole
week to be lived through with every
thing at skies and sevens and no one
quite trusting any one else. 1t was
horrible.
A knock at the door interrupted her
thoughts, and she whirled away from
the window and called, Come in
The door opened slowly and Beatrice
stood on the threshold. Her face was
wreathed in smiles and she spoke almost
shyly.
'I'm sorry l was such a cat this
morning" she said, coming into her
room, and standing against the door
which she closed behind her.
30, that's all right" Ruth returned
readily. "You were mistaken, though
the meeting out there was quite acci
dental"
"Of course, I knew that myself"
Beatrice said eagerly. There was
silence between the two girls and then
Beatrice went on speaking. 80, Mrs.
Raymond, l have something to tell
you"
(TOmorrow. What Beatrice had to tell.
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