Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-15

Snrlstine was moving resuessY. As
Gladys looked down at her. she began TO
laugh in her sleep--a little chuokie Of
Gladys smiled, too, involuntarlly. She
was happy In her dreams. at any rate.
And then suddenly Christine awoke
with start. She sat up In bed, throw
Jimmy" But 1t was a cry OF. ter
SSr.t sSr. mot mot Of !0y. '!'%S|y''immy--d0nt M Z;
She was sobbins now--wild, pitiful
sobs.
GLADYS put her arms round her; she
held her tightly.
ut" "It's all all right, dear. I'm heTeI-notody
and soothed and kissed her she held |
her fast till the sobbing ceased, Then;
I've been dreaming" said Christine |
tnrsmollnF trembling thOusa,he snlSsred
was going to hurt me-"
Nobody can hurt you while I am
here dreams are nothins--nobody be.
Christine did not answer She had
when Jimmy had tried to, strike her
when beside himself with passionate
rage and misery he had lifted his hand
to strike her.
She, She fell asleep again. holding her
Two days passed uneventfully away.
but Kettering did not come to Upton
House. Christlne's FIRST faint resentment
and amazement had turned to anger
an an anger 5nsa,, which % she kept hidden, or so
She hardly went out She spent hours
curled up on the big sofa by the window
reading. or pretending to read. Gladys
wondered how much she really read of
from the crowded library.
The third morning Christine answered
Sangsters letter. She wrote very Btilt-
edly she said she was sorry to hear
that Jimmy was not well, but no doubt
said she was enjoying herself in a quiet
way, and very much preferred the coun-
try to London. -
"I have SO many friends here, you
see" she added. with a faint hope that
to Jimmy, and that he would gather
from II that she did not miss him In the
very least .'
And sangster did show 1t to Jimmy !;
to rather weak-looking Jimmy, prop
ped up In an armchair. slowly recovering
from the severe chill which had made
him quite Ill for the time being.
a Jimmy who spoke very little and
asked no questions at all. and who took
the letter alphabetically enough. and laid
You wrote to her. then" he said In
differently.
Yes"
You might have saved yourself the
you had asked me I could have told you
or course you suggested that she should
come"
Yes"
Jimmy's eyes smiled family.
interfering old ass" he said affec-
Sangster colored. He was very un-
happy about Jimmy; he had always
known that he was not particularly
strong. and, as q matter Of fact. during
most surprisingly thin and weak, though
he still insisted that there was nothing
the matter with him--nothing at all.
There was a little silence.
Il suppose that's meant for a dig at
about having 50 many friends.
She means Kettering, suppose"
Il don't see why she should" said
Sangster awkwardly.
Jimmy laughed rather grimly.
Well, it's only tit for tat II she does"
he said. But I thought" He did not
finish did not say that he had thought
Christine cared too much for him ever
to give thought to another fellow. He
turned his head against the cushions
and pretended to sleep. and presently
Sangster went quietly away.
He thought that Christine had--well
not behaved badly How could any one
blame her for anything she chose to do
or not to do. after what had occurred 7
But still he was vaguely disappointed In
| ner he thought she ought to have come
Just to see bow Jimmy really was.
But Christine was not thinking very
| much about Jimmy in those days at ali.
seemed to have got filled up with the
| figure OF another man; a man whom
she mad never once seen since that drive
| over to Heston.
Sometimes she thought she would
to tea sometimes she thought she would
| walk the way In which she knew she
restrained her.
And then one afternoon. quite unex.
pectediy, she ran into him in the VILLAGE,
He was coming out of the little post.
once as she was going in, and he pulled
up snort with a muttered apology before
ne recognized her; then--well, then the,
i%ta GUth k,o got req and a little flame crep'
~ Thought l was never going to see
you any more" Christine said rather
nervously. Are you angry with me?'
angry" He laughed a little. why
ever should be angry with your
bine brsine Iact 49, i've been In London on
"oh!" She looked rather skeptical
sne raised her chin a dignified inch.
You ought to have told me-" she SAID
He looked at her quickly and away
again. "'
II missed you" said Christine naively
That Is very kind of YOU" There
was a little silence May I-may walk
asnt1n q little way with your" he asked dim.
III you care to-"
He checked a smile. II shall be u,-
lighted" he said gravely.
They set out together =.
| Chri9tIna falf W.
| ed all at once; her eyes sparkled, her
cheeks were flushed Kettering hardly
looked at her at all. 1t made him afralu
because he was SO glad to be with her
Gladys had been when she asked nun
not to come to Upton House again. He
rushed into conversation he told her
that the weather had been awful in Lon.
don, and that he had been hopclessly
said And I kept wondering what YOU
were" He broke off, biting his i'm,
ished 1t for him quickly. "Wcii, / was @
sitting at the window most o. the time
me,n , she said with a laugh.
She frowned little: she looked W
at him with impatient eyes.
| What Is the matter? / know some.
thing is the matter; can feel that there
Is. You are angry with me: you-'
~ MY dear child. l assure you / am not
There Is nothing the matter except, per,
haps, l am a little-worried and--ant
He laughed to cover his sudden grav,
ity. Tell me about yourself and-and
Jimmy. How Is Challoner?"
| He had never spoken to her Of Jimmy
before; his name had been tacitly un.
mentioned between them.
Christine flushed; she shrugged her
shoulders. II don't know he wasn't
very, well last week. but I dare cay he