Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-15
The Phantom LOUer
ry,s STARTS THE STORY
BY RUBY Ayres

sics,ts ths ,rtrd OF gTi &c nnds
WAC on the street from fhs thohghts
81 suicide ,otth wncn ,sne,, sne "ap ~
\. Snds AS friend, Ashton, Who says
4. isa,ano topn and ne spesthedrt
N IA, mothers request ard asks Mel
S".css 10 deliver a letter TO ihs yiri.
Tioky discovers the gtr! Esther Shep-
% ssons ~. ~ V,trsst Trstsod Of delivering
N latter Ashton oavs htm Ne prites
~Sothsr. a ktrdfter one, and signs
shfons nams to ". Esther tells
Mtoty Of ksr tntentton to aooept q po-
sition as ar,dnuensh 70 Mrs. Ashton,
d Innsr ne has created, 70 increduious
and tails hsr che must not 90 there.
Ys proposes n,drrfd0s to nor and Is
rsieotsd she bsNeVes herself engaged
10 Ashton, and tslls Mn, Of the letters
d. hg: rsSssy'd SS o s... M'nts Hsson M'sss sss
Ssss ths hotel oisrks v there are any
istf~-s FOR Ashton. He recsives one
.ohtoh Nc opens, ond "gIonoino at the
Trst too words the blood risAes to
~ tacss
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
h,HgRB he faced tho greatest moment
IN his life; a. to whether he should 20
N with this thing or wipe II out of his
he once and for all
Ashton had done with Esther: he was
urs that Ashton meant to marry Mrs,
Glare This being 30. was II wrong Of
him to try to give Esther some happi-
hess In place Of what she had lost
Bhe had refused to marry him--she had
aid that she could never caro- for him |;
bould he hope to make her change her
nind7 In his heart he was sure that
,o could he wanted her so badly that
seemed to HIM as II the very force of
NJ, desire must compel sorno return from
her.
II was q great risk---but '''
"rll chance IT," said Micky under
bis breath, as he read:
MY Darling Boy--You can never
know how glad and happy I was to
ret your letter tonight and to know that
can really write TO you at last
have been 90 miserable during these
weeks in spite Of all your goodness-and
vou have been good. 1t makes me feel
mer,ssr how Sorrid / often was to you
before you went away. When you come
bnok l will make II all up to you, and
bhow you how nice I really can be, be:
bause do love you--l have never loved
lny one out you. Ahshn you oo ,huon
very much down on my luck when II
bame. They haven't q vacancy for me
(ust now at Eldred's, or else they did
lot want me back, and I am going to
h q new boarding house, as you will
Zee; IT'S ever so much. nicer than the
Brixton road. and I shall be able to
|tay on now you are 30 generously send
ng me money. I have made a nice
NAA sdEt Al Ittr
.i.son-rsSs i,S%G @S tells els mo that she knows
your mother, and you. tool did not let
her know how well knew you. dear,
rs thought perhaps you would rather
said nothing about It She has a
her--a NJ. Mellowes.-she tn nks the
world Of him. but think he Is detest-
Micky caught his breath hard. After
, moment he went on reading:
butte a 'somebody. but I cannot see
Snythlns out Of the ordinary about him,
bnd he isn't bit good-lookng. He |
snows you. too-hut he does not say
)nuch about you. Dearest, It seems such
bannot help. wondering if you really
miss me and. want me as much as I
want you - Sometimes I would give
Just anything to lay my head on your
Ehoulder and say how much ! love you.
D
20 kind she Isn't any one Of my very
bwn, 10 she? And now wonder II
you will be very angry with me II / ask
you something? I don't think should
tave dared to. only, your last letters have
bant como out to you and be with
lou? We could get married, and we
Phoud be ever 30 happy even II we
hAve to be poor--at least, I know
(ould and from your letters, somehow.
Fsalized that there Isn't much happiness
lway from me. have had the offer
q q good post-1 won't tell you what
I s, as ! want It to be a surprise to
Ike mo to come. will just leave every
hing and como to you. Couldn't you
'end me a wire when you set this let
or! ] shall be longing and waiting to
lear from YOU I am a little bit afraid
hin ny Scar rfs ss .s.T sSw fsGs snx sesss
no. and I keep poeplng at II and read
ng what you say there. and somehow
feel that It's going to be all right With
" my love for ever and ever. LALLIE.
isnature a long time after he had
cached the end.
He could picture her 30 well--wait-
ns for wire that would never come.
Chapter XII
Aiolty was Mt Junes whom q letter !
axns for Esther. She read II eagerly,
nd nni.hsd just as June left the room
M!oky moved q step. nearer 70, Esther
You have had GOOD news7" he said.
She looked UP startled. II
Micky's eyes famed
That being so. Of course II p use, .
our mind YETI" he said again.
Esther gave a stifled cry,
."Aro you trying to insult msf" she
sked under her breath
He half smiled.
larry mo-"
There was no time for more.
June came back. v
y must co." he said. He turned to
sther., Good-by, Miss shepstone." !
Ia, Ss Sd sd nos osr assn't To- shake was sns
18th her she was glad that June went
see him OF. As soon as the door had
ossd on them she took her letter out
gain she pressed the paper to her lips, v
It was worth waiting for worth the s
lOsed her eyes for a momen, and and Z
fought Of Raymond Ashton. How she a
ust have misJudged him In the past c
did not soom true now that they had i
yer quarreled, or parted in anger that g
4 4 nn. nsd ever ever been so unhappy that she !,
june came running up the stairs, she
as singing cheeriiy; Esther smiled as h
10 listened Il must be won ~,
erful to always be as happy and light u
larted as juno was
We'll, dreamerf" said Juns She shut y
,sr 70 where her friend sat. "a penny 81
r your thoughts"
She looked at Esther's flushed face In u
q firelight a
, And so everything 10 all right after NJ
chr" she asked.
Esther nodded. --. q
And I'm really not going to Mrs. Ash III
ms after ALL" she said with a sort
shamefaoed delight "only I didn't $,
hnt 70 say so In front of Mr.. Meliowes W
Oh. aren't you glad?" she y,
ked anxiously. E
. ny N.Y. DEAR Of course I am !" said June AZ AZ