Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-09
THIS STARTS THE STORY

at his mothers reqnost and asks Mol
towes to deliver a letter 70 the gtri
Mioky discovers the girl, Esther Shep-
stone, to be tho one Re had met ctyino
on tRe street Irstead Of delivering
the letter Ashton gaze him he ,orttes
arother. a kindiier one, and signs
Ashton's name to It. The letter COM
forts Esther: ONE Day ~nsm 49, s"o ,,ro re,
Mason, onother bodrder IN the house,
there. June expresses the totsh that
they should be friends.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
THERE was something so breexily dis
L arming about her that Esther held
out her hand.
you're very kind. hardly know
| what TO say. I"
2 ,.Don't say anything" Miss Mason
answered airily I'm going to like you
I knew should somehow when I first
heard your name. Oh, hope you don't
think It's awful cheek" she broke out
with a sort of embarrassment. "TVe
got a sitting room here. as we'll as
bedroom, and I always make my own
tea, It's better than you can get down,
stairs I've got a Are there, too, and
II you're ever cold hope you'll come up
and sit with me. I'm out q good deal,
but YOU can always use my room when
I'm not there, IL you care to. rake on
your hat and come and sec IL now OF
are you too tired7 don't want to worry
O"i'm not q bit tired" Esther said,
laughing; che felt little bewildered by
this sudden offer Of friendship: but June
\ ment she took of her hat obediently,
J Wen bring the cat, too" Miss Ma
son said she swooped down with
quick and ,dvs caught sst the she cat sad
AHrWhat's his name Pc
~ Charlie" said Esther shyly; Hes
very thin. but they weren't kind to him
whsss ,s, he selsnsea snsms SefGre simply loathe
people who are not kind to animals
Never mind he'll soon get all right. Now
come along-I'll help you unpack your
She led the way upstairs. and Esther
She had been feeling little scared Of
this new boarding. house. She felt
grateful for this girls unaffected over
Mines the best room In the house !"
Miss Mason informed her. She pushed
Se. The s,ssp SS9T of DOWN amd msks
yourself at home, I'll get the tea In
half a minute. know you'll have an
other cup. I shall, anyway. Do you
mo" said Esther.
well, I do. hope you're not shocked.
find It's 80 soothing when you've got
nerves and I'm friBhtfully nervy per-
son ! am hardly ever still; I'm always
She went back to the teapot made the
tea, and poured out q cup for Esther.
rs that chair comfy?-yes, lean back I!
What are YOU looking at? Oh; my pho piH,
She turned with one Of her rapid
movements, caught up a photograph
There That's one Of the incest men
ever met In my life," she said enthusi-
astieslly; Don't you think he's got a
Esther took the portrait laughingly--
she thought June Mason one OF tho
most amusing people she had ever met
then she caught her breath on Il little
ssmethered exclamation as she found
tured eyes Of Micky Mellowes.
- June Mason was too occupied with a
fresh cigarette to notice the blank look
that Allied Esthers eyes.
She sat there on the big chair, staring
at Micky's portrait with a sense OF
foreboding. Surely II was something
digger than just chance that had intro
duced him into her lifo for the second
time. ...
My people wanted me to marry him
at one time" June went on airily. II
might have done 80. only liked him too
vel; He didn't care for me, except as a
friend. and II seemed a shame to spoil
.t,so put my foot down"
You mean that you refused him p
Esther was Interested; she was re-
memoering how Micky had told her that
he had never really cared for any wom-
an IN all his life.
He never asked me, my dear" Miss
Mason answered candidly. II let him
ala ala tnad and y y N wouldn't be any good II he
ileVed. We were never so nearly in
love with one another as we were when
marrIss we 1Gsa kneg ~, that we didn't mean to get
IT finished mo with my people, though"
she. she added. 80 cleared out and came
mean "AnsMnM,ssS,~ Mr ssj,ow.. Esther asked. II
Miss Miss Mason looked family surprised.
,How did you know his nancy" she
sssed, DID tell you? I suppose I
man n,a; Oh on, he's all riEht he's the Kind OF
Sot another gtrl on the tapis now.
tSnrk KNOW u It will come to anything,
foe fSeISn; biro Anyway she's not good enough
.,,Syou seem very fond of him." Esther
u am. He's u dearl ! should love 10
see sS.a nun happily married to a girl with
ino% os1Ts S,nn OF Ss,t sold IKE his own. think
smased II they knew the amount Of good
MiSHy manages to do" NV"
yourself" Miss Mason reminded hsr aopss pe.
proachfully. And It's not fair that 7
should do all the talking. l know Your
name, and that's about all Have you
sot ,ay any people7 Where do you come
Esther flushed a little.
4 There isn't much TO tell YOU. T
haven't any people. I was born in India,
ana my mother died there. don't
Know anything about my father. was
heIt nome 10 an aunt and she looked
AFTER me I'll about three years ago,
wneh she died, l came to London then,
you know Eldred's?"
DO ! not7" said Miss Mason fer
vently "Scrumptious things they make
put what prices can't AFFORD them
very often. but ] go In there great
aeai I know the manager. and he's
soins 70 DO some business for meat
ieast ! hope he is. II can get my
STUN In his place II will be a splendid
ming All London shops there. Won
isv '"' ''''''eS' 'na'
Esther looked mystihed.
you meanT N
June Mason laughed merrily. She
hsd very infectious laugh and trick
or covering her face with her hands
while she was laughing.
forgot that you didn't know |" she
sald: I seem TO know you so well, I
can't remember that we never saw one
another before today. My dear. / make
race cream. Walt a moment"
She sprang up and disappeared be-
hind q mauye curtain into an adjoining
room. Esther heard her moving about,
opening and shutting boxes and singing
a snatch OF song all the time, Presently
with little pots and pitfalls OF all sizes
and descriptions. She pumped down ON