Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-12
THE HEART BREAKER
A REAL AMERICAN LOVE STORY
By VIRGINIA TERHUNE VAN DE WATER

| come to her face while she bent
down left it now and her very lips
were white. There was a look OF
| anger in her eyes that made them
seem very dark
Your property" Honora repeated
in tense voice. Yes. that is what
he has been, for you to. do as you
pleased with. You have talked
! against him to Mrs. Higgins and me;
you have sneered at him and ridi-
culed him; YOU have compared him
with men unworthy TO be named in
the same day with Arthur Bruce.
! You have snubbed. him and caioled
him-have played fast and loose with
! him. All this will admit. was none
of my business SINCE he was. as you
remind me, your property.
But when he comes here in trou-
BILE and asks you to help him, and
YOU selfishly decline to do so, |. as
his friend, am justified in giving him
the help YOU refuse. Friendship has
some rights. you Know"
so l see" was the sarcastic com
ment. The right to claim what be-
, longs to Others"
Honora stepped quickly to her sis
ter and caught her by both shoulders
ed. Either take it Back or go around
home with Arthur. You have made
accusations that deny. Retract
them or go to Mrs. Bruce.
Mildred WINGED under the grasp
OF the girls strong hands q
Let me go" she whimpered.
hats the use of getting so angry ?
didn't mean that you had no right
10 go. l was only peeved at the way
you stepped into my place"
Why not fill your own place then -
Honora demanded.
Because l don't want to. and 7
Won't" the younger girl retorted.
"Oh, L don't care about one of them
Arthur Mrs. Bruce or any of that
bunch! You are welcome to them
all"' =
Il sometimes think" Honora said,
slowly, her anger dying down as she
realized the hopelessness of making
Mildred see things sanely and justly,
L sometimes think that you have
no heart, Milly."
Perhaps l haven't" the other re-
turned indifferently. "A hearts a bit
iheonVenient anyway, l guess. But"
with nervous giggle. Il do like Tom.
Will let you have Arthur if you keep
At the head of the stairs Honora
paused and looked back toward Mil
dred's room.
"Milly!" she called softly. Explain
to Mrs Higgins in the morning how
happened to be away, please. Do
not disturb her tonight"
All right" Mildred came as far as
the head of the stairs. yawning as
sne came. Il won't disturb her to-
h!ght. Im too sleepy to want to
talk to anyone. l surely don't envy
you she added, sitting UP scoth-
ing that woman until all n,.urs"
Sh-sh Honora warned. glancing
down the stairs. She
was afraid that Arthur might hear
the tactless remark. and ran softly
down to assure herself that he had
not heard it.
When she reached the lower hall.
she stopped, drawing in her breath
in sudden compassion.
For through the open door of the
drawing-room she saw Arthur stand
ing by the mantelpiece, his head
bowed on his folded arms.
He heard her step in the hall and
stood up quickly, very straight and
trying to smile.
y ou are tired, she asserted gently
She would not let him know that
she suspected that unhappiness and
not WEAKNESS had caused him to as
surhe that pathetically detected at
titude.
Perhaps So" he admitted, but
it is not physical tire. Do you know.
Honora," as the pair started down the
walk to the front gate that il
seems as If everything was uncer-
tain-as If everything was slipping
away from me-except friendship"
Il hope you are sure of that" she
rejoined softly.
Indeed l am" he declared his
voice quivering with feeling. II
sometimes think that 1t is about all
l am sure of just now"
AS she listened she felt the COM
forting assurance that he had for
gotten her only falsehood to him, or
If he remembered it, he understood
why she had told 1t. .
..- CTO BE COntinued)