The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-12

she hadn't any one in all the world that really cared for her
 Even David Burke P her faithfui friend-was interested in another W woman-paying her. attentions. Twice today he had seen Lucille Deranee' Tonight he was taking her out 10 dine.
 To begin with. Shirley had imagined that his interest in Lucille was en- tirely for her-Shirley s-sake
 well. I was mighty mistaken-he's s Ike all the rest of rhem--changeable kle-flirtatfous." So ran the tenor bf Miss Shirley's thoughts.
 How secretive David Burke had been, too. about these meetings.
 'I suppose he thought that I'd be jealous!" Shirley's pretty lip curled contemptuously. But tears of loneil- ness had crept into her eyes.
 She hailed a passing omnibus Tn Shaftsbury avenue and climbed up to the roof It was goIng toward the park, The roof was crowded. There was only one seat vacant. right at the back, beside an old. old man with an asthmatic cough.
 The other seats were occupied by loving couples Their voices-low- pitched, romantic-held a positively cooing note. Shirley had selected one of London's principal mating grounds the roof of a London omnibus on a summers evening-and the sight of so much romance all about her made her own forlorn condition doubly hard to beari
 The very seats--in all their cosy in- timacy-were surely specially designed for tete-a-tete.
 Shirley could bear it all no longer Gingerly clinging to the railing, she descended. pulled the bell cord, the bus stopped-and she found herself once more on terra firma.
 Here garish posters caught her eye The soft notes of an orchestra were waited to her ear.
 Bright lights beckoned from a hos pita ble- locking building. Fate had or dained that the bus should deposit Shirley outside moving picture palace.
 For half a. crown she. purchased "stallv and went inside.
 But here. alas, romance once more was all too rife,
 Upon the screen a buxom damsel with proturberant black eyes lar- gushed and 'vamped." The violins and the 'cellos of :hes orchestra were wailing out popular song hit of the moment saccharinelv sweet.
 And all about eresapparently- love-sick couples, holdi-g hands, or, frankers still. with arms entwined in charming abandon cooing in the sym pathetic dusk.
 for half an hour. Then an attenda-t found taxi for her. and she sped off 10 Waterloo.
 An idea against which she had been fighting for the last two hours con solidated in her mind. It wasn't dig nified-it wasn't right--nay. even more. lt was deplorable-bu. she would write to Jim.
 "It's extraordinary that I can't see him alone for good half-hour's talk!' Shirley's pretty mouth set in firmer mould '1ll just drop him line and ask him for definite appointment. without any other interfering person hanging around" This with a little bout at the memory of David Burke Maybe he's really got an explanation of some kind.
 Thus did Miss Shirley defend her own line of action.
 In the waiting room she got some paper
 q particularly want to see you, Jim. she wrote. q am going back tc the White Cottage. after a wretched time in town Won't you come down and call on me-ey-n If it's only flying visit? I'll take good care thas we shall be quite uninterrupted. and can talk things out together.
 q shall be a: home all day tomor- row-and the next day. too. And I'll be waiting for you. Jim.
 DO come--I want so terribly much to SC you,-Shirlev.
 She placed this missive in an en- velope. hurriedly, for fear that she would change her mind.
 She addressed 1t to the Bath Club, found a stamp and posted it.
 "Thank heaven. that's over. she said. softly.
 restaurant, for she was hungry. now this weight was off her mind
 tAnother fascinating chapter
 tomoorow)