Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-21
Evening Public Ledger

,,'Sn "0h! All Observation-Disclosures very
His voice sounded dazed. He turned
nd went down the steps to the street, |
ut when he reached the pavement he
'ood still again, as IL he hardly knew
hat he was doing. When sangster
touched laiS his arm he started Violently.
He began to walk on at such rate that
Sangster could hardly keep pace with
him; He oxpostulated good-humoredly.
What's the hurry, old chap? I'm
Jimmy slackened speed then. He
looked at his friend with burning eyes.
I'll break every bone in that DEVILS
carcass" he said furiously. 'Tll teach
MIN to come dangling after my wife. /
game. No wonder she won't go any
where with me-, Kettering-damn his |
I suppose he's been set
ting her against me. He and Horace al
slider. I'll spoil his beauty for him
I'll" His voice had risen excitedly |
ously.
>, sangster slipped a hand through
Jimmy's arm.
Don't be so hasty, old chap. There's
no harm in your wife going out to lunch
with Kettering IL she wants to. Give her
the benefit Of the doubt for the present,
at least"
She's chucked me for him. She prom
!sed to meet me. She thinks moro OF
have gone" There was n sort Of en-
ragged agony in Jimmys voice, a fierce
color burned in his pale face.
Sangster shrugged his shoulders. 1t
should be playing the Jealous husband
Jimmy, whose own life had been so sin
"ularly selfish and full Of little episodes
which. no doubt, he would prefer to be
buried and forgotten.
Jimmy turned on him.
You're pleased, of course. You're
chuckling up your sleeve. You think It
serves me right--and / dare say II does
but can't bear 1t, tell you'll won't
there was something Of real tragedy in
his young voice. something that forced
the realization home to Sangster that
perhaps 1t was not merely dog-in-the-
manger jealousy that was goading him
now, but genuine pain. He looked at
him quickly and away again. Jimmy's
face was twltching. II he had been a
woman one would have said that he was
on the verge of an hysterical outburst.
Sangster rose to the occasion.
Lets 20 and get drink" he said
prosa'cally I'm as dry as dust and
we haven't had any lunch"
Jimmy said he wasn't hungry; that he
couldn't eat morsel Of anything II It
"cio W bdNo his lie. TIC DTOke out
again into a fresh torrent Of abuse OF
ketterlng. He cursed him up hill and
down dale. Even when they were In the
restaurant to which Sangster insisted on
going he could not stop Jimmys flow Of
expletves. One or two people lunching
near looked at them In amazement. In
desperation Sangster ordered a couple
OF brandies; he forced Jimmy to drink
one. Presently he quieted little. He
sat with his elbows on the table and his
haa1 IN he 90
his passionate rage depression seemed to
have sripped him: when they left the
restaurant he insisted upon going back
to Chrlstine's hotel,
He questioned the porter closely.
Where had she gone? Had they driven
away together or walked?
They had taxi, the man told him.
He began to look rather alarmed
there was something in Jmmy's white
o RS housR iSE EYES Ys od ad' the soots @
afterward: I'VE shall hear more Of this
you mark my words"
"a taxl-yes. Go on"
Jimmy moistened his dry lips. YOU
you didn't hear where-what dlrec-
YES. sir. Tho gentleman told me to
say Euston, told me to tell the driver
to go to Euston. 1 mean, sir. the
man explained in confusion. He was |
"Euston." said Jimmy and sangster
together. They looked at one another. |
Jimmy with sort of dread In his eyes,
Sangster with anxiety
Yes, sir. Euston It was. I'm sure. |
And the gentleman told me to tell the |
driver to go as fast as he could"
There was a little silence. Sangster |
slipped a hand through Jimmy's arm.
"Thanks-thanks very much," he said. |
He led Jimmy away.
He called a taxi and told the man to |
drive to Jimmys rooms. He made no |
attempt to speak did not know what to |
say. Jimmy was leaning back with |
closed eyes.
do you think she's-gone?" he asked |
huskily.
Sangster made hurried gesture of
denial:
"No, no."
Jimmy laughed mirthlessly.
she has" he said. II know she has.
Serves me damned we'll right. It's all / |
deserve" There was a little pause. |
We'll" he said. she's more than got |
her her own fN n%% back 4 it's any consolation to
He felt as II there were a knife be-
ing turned In his heart His whole soul |
reyolted against this enforced pain He
had never suffered like this in all his
Ire before ber Even rth that night at the
given him his congo he had not suffered
as now; then, 1t had been more damage
to his pride than his heart but this
he loved Christine-he knew now that |
he loved little Christine as no had never
loved any other woman, as no never
would love any one again.
He cursed himself for a blind fool. It
goaded him to madness to think of the
happiness that had been his for the taxi
ing and which he had let fall to the
ground. He clenched his teeth In i'm
potent rage. When they reached his |
rooms he threw his hat and coat aside,
and began pacing up and down as II he |
could not keep still for a moment. Life
was insufferable. intolerable he could |
not imagine how he was going to get |
all the stretch OF years lying in
wait for him: He had forgotten that the
Great Horatlo was coming home that
night the Great Horatio had suddenly
faded out of the picture; II was no
longer a thing of Importance II his al
lowance were cut down, or stopped
once and for all. All he wanted was
hristlne--Christine He would have
given his soul for her at that moment.
for just ons glimpse Of the old trust and
love In her brown eyes, for just a sight
Of the happy smile with which she had
greeted him when they were first en-
gagged. They had all been his once, and
now he had lost her forever
Another man had taken and priced
the treasure he had bllndly thrown
away Jimmy groaned as he paced up
and down, up and down.
Sangster was pretending to read He
turned the pages Of magazine, but he
saw nothing OF what was written there.
In his own way he was as unhappy as
Jimmy; in his own way lie was suffer-
ing tortures of doubt and apprehen-
sion. ts
pNtuI Atrtr,r, rpNsoDDnxy,