Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-06
THEN START THE STORY

meantime. has taken up hospital
work to try to forget.
THEN START THE STORY
DAN CARSON'S S first feeling after his
~ experience with Nancy Cromwell had
been one of intense anger. He was
angry with himself for having trusted
Nancy, and furious with her because she
had treated him like the little coquette
she was After his first anger died
down he suffered intense humiliation.
He writhe6 when he thought of the
'etcool manner in which Nancy had
turned him down, after the lengths he
had gone to get her. Needless to say
his egotism suffered severe jolt.
But it was characteristic of him that
all during this time he thought of him
self first and never of Julia If he did
give any thought to her, it was re
gret that he had not stopped to think
before telling. her that he no longer
loved her. He wasn't sure, in fact,
that he didn't love her still. Perhaps
il was not with that headstrong burn
ing love that he had felt for Nancy
certainly it seemed to be different from
that, but Julia was so calm, so safe,
such a refuge from the disappointmcnts
of life. She would make any man
good wife.
Dan wins worry much alone these days.
He kept away from all of the "ld
crowd and did some thinking. AS time
went on his humiliation grew less and
he found that he could do quite well
without Nancy. At one time he had
thought if he didn't confess the truth
to Julia so that the way would be payeG
to Nancy, he couldn't exist another
moment.
One morning Dan met Lucy Grant in
the street. He had gone out for lunch
narIy and Lucy was evidently shopping.
She carried several small packages. and
she looked quite pretty. Dan had
never given much thought to Lucy; he
had always thought of her very much
as a child, but this morning he won
dered whether she would speak to him
or not. He was quite surprised wher
Lucy hesitated moment and then
bowe5 It was cool little bow. tC
he sure. but it was recognition, and that
was more than Dan had hoped for
with that much encouragement he sud
! denly decided to give Lucy an oppor
| tupity to stop. Dams egotism was al
ready carrying him past the stage wher'
his humiliation and the realization o
what he had done bothered him to an!
extent.
T,ucv vavered and then stopped. Sh
was uncertain AS to what TO say. ant
Dan was uncertain as to what attituG
to t.ke There was one thing in hi
favor IL he had but known it, an
that was the fact that he looked bad
Imcv in her imagination, had picture
Dan n triumphant bridegroom by now
His treatment of Julia, although it ha
evoked Indignation in her warm littI
heart had not lacked certain thrill
Iucv had pictured Dan domineerin
type Of man riding roughshod over tn
women he knew. She haG thought c
him ss sweeping this other woman o
her feet in n tempestuous marriage
How disapnointed she would have bee
If she had known the humiliating truth
\ Dan smiled his old engaging smile
\ and coming from his rather haggar
Young face. it wrung Lucy's heart n lit
flo Dan had suffered was suffering
+biros had not gone right. perhaps eve
now he was longing for Julia and wish
n ing he hadn't acted as he had. Lucy
cpr,ositv was paramount; she wante
q to learn the truth if she could.
''Dan YOU look awful; what is II
I matter?" she began.
For a moment Dan was natural ar
smoke as he felt. ooh, Lucy, I've bee
n fool ~ he groaned IAN utter fool. -