Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-08
And So They
We're Married
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR
Copyright, 1919. bv Public Ledger Co.
START THIS STORY TODAY

pUTH stepped back hurriedly, not
AS that she was embarrassed, but be-
cause she was surprised at finding any
one on the balcony, which she had ex-
pected to find unoccupied. Then quite
suddenly she saw who it was.
why, George
Ruth -
"What are you doing hereF'
'I might ask the same question of
you"
Ruth stood still at the easement not
moving out as she had intended to.
"Please come out, won't your he
urged.
"I oughtn't to. but did want a
breath Of air before going to sleep.
you're not afraid of me, are your
"Silfy, of course not" Ruth was
gaining confidence every minute. She
did step over the threshold, her cloak
clutched tightly around her, and sat
down gingerly on one of the two chairs.
Overhead the sky was alight with stars,
q breeze blew in from the water ruttiing
Ruth's hair
George was very quiet. He smoked
a cigarette furiously and kept his eyes
fixed on the waters in the distance.
Ruth was glad that he made no effort to
talk. She was glad to be quiet; she
needed the solitude more than anything
else. Her brain was awhirl with the
events Of the evening and what hurt
ms much as anything else was the fact
that George knew how Scott had be-
haved. Even giving Scott the benefit of
the doubt and blaming the entire thing
on Dot Salisbury. it made her. Ruth,
seem ridiculous. No matter how tragic
may be the state of the deceived wife.
she always seems to occupy the least
important place in the triangle. Pity
is the dominant feeling entertained for
her. and pity is never exalted nor dig
nifed.
Ruth
She started. eyes, what is it?"
~ don't know how to tell you just
how I feel"
About whnt?"
about tonight
In the darkness Ruth s cneeks burned.
"Pleasc don't talk about it. I've for
gotten it already" she lied smoothly.
at was such an unnecessary thing
to do" George burst out. "Of course
there was nothing to it, but it looked
bad: it made people think things"
This was so utterly boyish that in
snite of her heavy heart Ruth was i'm
pelled to smile. She was glad that
George did not look at her at that
moment.
"Of course have Dot Salisbury''
aumber. we all have, but how a mar
can believe anything she says, is be
yond me-
,How do you know Scott believes
ANYTHING she says?" Ruth pursued
evenly. "IIe may be just flirting.
,.. George was silent.
"Well," Ruth went on, Il must g.
in"
George rose to his feet, and put ou
a hand. Wait a minute"
Ruth drew back, almost with pre-
sentiment that something was going t.
(. happen. She felt his warm fingers clos
4 over hers and draw her unresistingl!
Z toward him, and she stiffened involup
tarily.
Ruth, / cant bear to see you un
bappy. I can't stand it. I'd do any
thing in the world for you' you know
that"
She tried to draw her hands away
? Georges vehemence had broken tn
spell of the night. the longing to b
understood. the something that hat
drawn her out on the balcony and hat
tempted her to stay there when sh
knew she shouldn't. She was eager t
get back to safety. Even now. whcl
she was hurt and Inundated, sh
wanted to get back. She loved Scott.
"I must 60 in," she echoed. 1T
late"
But George still held her hands il
his.
Ruth made a desperate effort to re
lease them: she wished now that sh
hadn't come. In his present frame O
mind she was not sure what Georg
might do, she wasn't able to manag
him and to swing things around to he
own way of thinking as she always ha
before.
There was a sudden sound inside tn
hall, an unmistakable sound, and Rut
whirled around. A white figure stoo
regarding her; for an instant it stoo
there and then vanished, but not befor
Ruth saw that it was Beatrice.
Tomorrow, "What Beatrice Said"