Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-21
The Phantom LOver
uy,O CHARTS THE STORY
By Ruby AyeS

s,okv Meiiotoes, nldtrtnontdt oaton,
l,ysrts the mtad oJ 9rl re nts mnas
crying m the street JyJna., xxx t"e shs S"yd had
d RetuTn;n0 to hts apartment,
VTes,Js bis tIiend, Ashton, toho suys
&c n IsaDino topn and his s,oeethedrt
~ siS mothers request ana asks Ms ~;
iowss to deIiver a letter p.t, 20 sno sSsn. g.
Mtokp % %S he he one he had met crying
Stonys " street, Instead OF delivering
on ~ Mittsr Ashton gavo him ne toTftes
Las,hsr' Lne a kindRer one, ana stgms
Jshton,s name to &C. EstheT 'enS
Mickv Of her tntentton 20 Hrs Srseps shtoy p
eMy" eg Niokv, Jealous OF the phanfom
quo hS has created, ts tnoreduious
lor1 avs she must net 90 there. ne
an1 no,osss marriage to her ana IS re,
;,etsd, she believes heIseg enodgsa
to ASntyht t.hton In conpdny Nth Mrs.
s.,,, Sgos and ,urItes another letter TO
GEn,hsr above Ashton's signature. AT
bs"Vh ~" thsatre .otth Micky and June,
friend q s MSsy; X, Estssr E,osssr ''ss H.her sS" Se.
II boz 0sS,.isr;cni ;I,sS al and "G' Jatnts. Mtoky
CONES CONES asSton to leave England neGt
Lv,oo o,d Mtcku sends Esther tuT
Coy, ond a collar for her cat IN Ash-
t.ne, oou, nsme. when he gets home has
NAN. Driuer, hands MN the eveMang ~
pope,, ,tto,,s ~ nayTtdoe to Mrs. Glare.
w,cry ayrauges 10Th June TO tdke ES,
30 me country and to Keep on
.n" !..r.nSpsrs from her, but she oper-
n.s t,ro men commenting on the
,narriaoe and feels that them remus IN ~
are ts;o ts; E'tnsT aSs GRiesy RGess 70 iosioss ser II
on! !,t hnste. He comes across her az
dT. dncnT sd n sccne enstess. She OBJECTS
Ga'p'ei bein0 % toliooed. Mioky te!ls her
Nat the letters, etc. supposed so,tu 20 "%ys dtS
come to her from Asnton " ndnif, -" n
10. ,.0 eo" ",or,ttcn them htnisep; ne ts
hav,mgd hu,.ggd AZ her treatment of htn dnd
anye her 10 find Ashton alone, Uhtch
!euV.S he confesses his marriage
s.,s se asts thdt they continue JTIends
III marriage toould nahe mo ,no,s,,
n,en sneon she roundly tells him hog aS,
ts.tab,e he Is and returns TO the note''
.sSe,c shc doain finds Mtoky.
WV" IND HERE 1T CONTINUES
,,oMtr one took of her hat and the big
y y,,r coat that had grown 30 heavy
.o,o ono had bathed her face and un
,onod her shoes. and now Micky stood
there looking down at her with eyes tna'
hurt though they smiled.
E,ther slept through the long Journey
atfilly-she was. mentally ana pnysifc
s',v eShausted--she was only Thoroughly
sss,,scd nv people out in the corridor
moving about collecting bags and bag
SussSS sSs onened her eyes with a confused
feelIne-the train was slackenlng speed
and Micky stood cd, in in the he eSGs"a' saSs
The train was almost at standstill.
Father rose to her feet---her limb
wrre trembling, and her head achet
WI When they got on board he found he,
q chair on the leeside OF the boat ant
~ In the train he left her to herself I'll
hey reached London. He was sure sh.
did not want to be bothered" he said
and he was going to smoke.
Esther felt little pang Of disappoint
ncnt; It seemed a long time TIL tn,
train steamed fussily into Charini
cross; and the old weary ceiling o
loneliness had settled again upon he
heart by the time Micky came to tn
Goor Of the carriage.
20 said Iaconicaily. will YOU stay her
,'hile I see II I can fnd herr"
she took hurried step forward.
NO I'll come with you"
She felt afraid Of June's kindly quiz
steal eyes June who knew why she ha'
-un away to Paris. and what had beei
awaiting her there.
She touched Micky's arm--the eye
"he raised to his face were troubled.
When shall I see you again?" sh
o2ked falter!ngly.
lie half smiled.
Why do you want to see me again ?
. questioned gravely: you can hav
- use for me--after this!'
"Oh," she said trembling. III yo
SH.y would let me thank you"
MlCky laughed harshly-
II hate thanks" he said.
June was upon them; she seize,
Esther and kissed her rapturously.
You darling! You'll never know hoy
Tor hours. Aren't you dead tired
Iiicky. che lookB worn out"
Does she?" said Mcky.
He was dead beat himself; he looket
round vacantly.
Il wired Driver-1 thought he'd b
Here, SIR" said a voice at his el
low, and there was Driver. stolid ant
tnpenetrable as ever.
I've brought the car. sir" he said.
He put the two girls into the car
ne did not look at Esther. though h,
| good-by
Let me know II you get back al
right; shall see you soon."
He raj sed his hat. stood aside, ant
me car started forward.
June looked at Esther with a sort o.
9nyness. 1t seemed az II years mus
Enmore.
The car had rolled out Of the station
ana Into the heart Of London.
CHAPTER XVII
Esther cried herself to sleep tina
aiBht. When she awoke It was late ir
| !ne morning, and June had had hei
breakfast and gone out.
She came In while Esther was dress
business. my child!" she said en-
th.Siestically. such duck OF al
American! and Micky's Introduction
mr. George p. Rochester Isn't II 6
lovely name? He's going to establish m,
nrmly In little old New York, as he call
out to lunch with him at 1 o'clock, anC
you're coming, too oh, yes you are |!
AZ Esther shook her head. i've toic
him all about You already" Esthe
laughed .
70 play odd-man- out"
June made n little grimace.
telephoned Micky and asked hin
70 como and make 4 fourth" she ad
Esther flushed and looked up eagerly
"And-and Is he comlng?'
June shook her head
NO. he isn't" she said with overdon
Indifference. "Ee said he'd got an en-
Gagement already, but between you AM
ne and the doorpost," she adde
aarkly, Il don't believe II! think h
Just didn't want to come"
on said Esther family 1T expec
he has good many enga gements," sh
added after a moment.
-, she was smarttng with humiliation
Sne had offered Micky her little oliv
oranch when they parted two days ag
had accepted III
IF he's trying to pay me out, I sup
pose It's only what deserve" sh
Shought miserably. and yet It did no
seem like Micky to del 'berately try O
"tsh 70 hurt or humiliate any one.