Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-30
DAILY NOVELETTE,
A MORNING ROMANCE
BY Grace +. Riley

~ would rope me into house party
seemed surprised when told her I
did not know Frank Clay's sister
wants me to meet her. But I'm not so
easy; the previous engagement excuse,
though threadbare, still serves; and by
now she has my regrets. Girls, always
girls. Why cant they leave a bache
lor alone?"
Thus rumnating. Dick Hemingway
gradually foated into that blessed land
of oblivion-sleep. Later the telephone
bell persistently tinklcd him into
awakefulncss.
''NIr. Hemingway?" voice sweetly
inquired.
ANY one would think it was 80
p. m. instead of 80 a. m.," thought
Dick; but he replied. yes"
Know who this is?'
Don't believe do. - Then Dicks ire
rose once more. "Couldn't we postpone
this delightful conversation to a more
seasonablc hour?" he asked.
no. stammercd the voice. "This
is Viola. and I'm in an impossible fix
her voice was trembling now.
''Niola Why in the world didn't you
say so at first: and where are you.'
in with George Stondish rtno,,, b;n, -,
! "No" answered. Dic,
"Wcll. George loft at : o'clocl, on tbo
mozzanine floor saving bo would bo
gone only a fcw minutes ua has MOT
! come back. and I'm frigbtenec 70 death
Worst of all, 7 haven't anv money with
me. -
You lust sit fight Viola: I'll he
down in three minutes
Hanging up the receiver Dick made
n hasty toilet. and. good Ms his word.
was soon on the nezzanine floor. II
was virtually deserted: n companv of
three men were cngrossed in cnnvcrsa
tion neor thc ELEVATOR o,d in , for
distant corner sat n girl alone, Az he
spproached. however. he discovered that
this girl was n stranger TO him. So Dick
passed on. merely thinking II strongo
coincidence that two girls oocb n1,ne
should bc tborn ,t that bour Af,nr
having walked all around without fnL.
ing Viola. Dick felt disturbed "Poor
| little VIOLA" thought he; would NOT
Teddy be wild if he knew of her pre-
| dicamcnt|' For Viola was "kid sister"
to Dicks Chum, Ned sherman Still in
her teens, she seemed to Ned and to
Dick mere child and we'll did Dick
appreciate how frightened she must be
in situation like this. "Nyhcre could
| Standish have gone? What horrible
thing for n man to do!'
''And your name is Viola?"
eyes. Viola Goodrich" Dick seated
himself beside her. Her very real dis
trcss made stronge appeal to him.
and the situation in his mind was clear
ing.
"Odd that your name should be Viola
My chums sister whom / thought ]
was u meet mere Is iosa, 100: She
was crying soltiy now' and DICK s chiv-
airy came 10 tle iore. Now don t you
pe oiStreSseu, MISS 'oodrich we Will
straighteh out this tansle. Something
IN MS race reassured her ana she forced
herselt 10 smile very wonderful smile,
IKE sunshine atter the rain' thought
LICK
i have it!' he burst out.
She looked at him questioningly.
"Since the other Viola brought me
to you, she must help me out at least
her mother must do SO. I'll telephone
her and enlist her sympathies and serv-
ices but you had better let her think
we have known each other some time.
and that when you were caught in this
scrapc you naturally called me IN"
Strange though she knew it to be.
she did trust the man who smiled so