Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-12
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubincam.
Copyright. George atthew Adams.
THE ANSWER.
Gorge :, atthew Adams.

| way through lie by her optimism. uer
J sunny nature has carried her through her
fathers death, her mothers invaldism
poverty, and necessity for hard work,
with a smile and a feeling of hope. When
| she meets David Thorne, falls in love and
becomes engaged to him, her cup of
| happiness is full.
| An orphaned cousin, Lois Kennedy,
1 comes to live with them. She wins away
/ David persuades him to come to the
city and marries him. Alice is heart
| broken, and takes refuge IN work and
| study Lawrence Marlowe offers to help
| her in her studies.
The following summer baby is desert
| ed bv a poor family. Alice adopts it and J,
through Lawrencc's interest in the child
grows more friendly with him. He asks
| her TO marry him.
CHAPTER Lv.
Alice had told Lawrence that he could
/ see her any time after week had passed.
/ And Lawrence, with true lover eagerness,
came at the very end of the designated
| week.
Alice smiled when she opened the
| door for him But she was pleased never
/ theless, because he had come 10 her as
/ soon as he was allowed.
/ lie was his usual polite self to Mrs.
/ Fairbanks. Eager rs he was to be alone
| with Alice, he was too courteous TO show
anv impatiencc with the old lady's con-
! yersation And Alice liked that. too
But after Mrs Fairbanks had made
her usual excuse about going upstairs
to read Lawrence turned TO Mice with
the question in his eyes.
you said YOU would tell me in
week, and its been a week, a long one,
be began
Il know" Alcc asscnt6d And
don't know now any more clearly than
| did then.
Lawrence came over to her and took
her hands in his.
DO you want me TO tell YOU all over
again that | love your he asked gently.
You know do. love youl like to say
it. | shall probably tell you So several
times day the rest Of your life If YOU II
let me.
There was SO much wistfpness in his
voice that Alice had to, smile again She
wondered ut herself tonight. She was SO
sclf-posscssed' When David had told
hcr he loved her, she had been 50 frlghten
ed she fairly tremhlcd; she even had run
away from him one evening, the first
time he had taken her hand. that even
inc when the roses were So fragrant IN the
cool AiF Aitt t#t'' ifiAIt ~ NbitAffiAi ttAha
the beauty Of II fairly hurt
Was this calmness because she was
older, and naturally more self-possesSod?
Or was i because She had been in love
with David and was not with this man.
II want to tell YOU something first.
she began. her gray-bluc eyes fixed serious
~ upon him
Lawrence settled down TO listen. Mice
looked at him steadily and quietly. He
was good looking, she thought to her
self. his features were we'll cut his nose
narrow and little high. his brown eyes
showed great intelligence, his smile was
charming. She liked brown hair too. and
I.awrence's was a rich dark brown,
straight and little shiny when il was
smoothly brushed His voice too, was
always well moduated =
But she had TO tell him.
Did YOU ever know man named
David Thorne?' she asked. lie was
here more than year ago. when they
were starting the Model Farm
'Ithink met him, but don tremember
him Lawrence answered.
"I'm in love with him. Alice answered
quietly That Is, | was. very much 50,
and Ne were engaged. Then a little cou-
sin OF mine came TO live with US. and he
fcll in love with her. | released him from
his engagement TO me when | thought he
was attracted TO her. She went back to
the CITY where she had lived. and some
/ time afterwards he gave up his position
/ on the farm and went 20 her and they
were married.
That's why ! said / didn't know,
/ last week when you asked me to marry
! YOU | am still in love with David, but
4 Tavid Is married. ] haven't heard from
+ him or Of hlm since that time | suppose
he is happv-of course, ! hope 50. ] wish
| did not love him. but do. And | can
not marry YOU II | am still in love with
another man, can |, my dear?
Lawrence was looking at her steadily
while she told her story. He did not show
the establishment she had expected
You can, he surprised her by answer
ing. "Becars' you are not IN love with
this other man. You only think you are
Alice shook her head.
Il wish | weren't, but ! am, she said.
Lawrence came over 10 her lie put
his arms around her as she rose from her
chair. and kissed her cheek.
YOU'RE not, he said stlll very gently
cts the glamour Of the old romance,
It's the ideal of the first and only love
Every woman chcrishes that ideal.
Its been a long time, hasn't 1t? And
il was voar first love affair knew about
it-peonle told me when they saw | was
in love with you you know how GOSSIP
goes in this town And I've watched yot
closely, too, and ] know you're not II
love, not as you think.
How can YOU tell?" Alice asked, he
face still turned away from him,
He wasn't worthy Of you # be coulC
even look at another woman, Lawrence
said. please say yes dearl Even if yoI
think YOU don't love me very much nov
say yes. aud | II prove to you that you do
Perhaps you don't really love me now
enough to marry me. But you will. Onl,
say yes now
Alice looked into bis eyes for a lon
moment Then she let him kiss her mouth
which was her silent way of saying yes
After he had gone her eyes were stil
troubled But it was sweet TO feel tha
someone loved her.