Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-20
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubicam.
Copyrisnt. George Matthew Adams.
HEARTBREAK.
Chapter LXXXVIll.

Chapter LNNANlII.
The drive home was in almost per-
feet silence. When th ey came in sight
Of Pennington, Alice turned TO Lawrence
''Do you hate me now?' she asked.
There the eternal, tormenting, emotion
nj feminine came out in her. She could not
return the mans love, vet she did not
want to give it up entirely. But her sense
of fairness came back to her almost at
once. for she add ed quickly.
You ought to- hope you do 1t would
make it easier for you"
mo, | don't hate you, and j don t
ever expect to-" Lawrence answered
quietly. You couldn't help this. Sub
consciously, I've been fearing this very
thing all along, from the first time you
refused to marry me because of the shadow
of the old love. That's why | wanted to
hurry our wedding thought the new life,
and the trips we would take together,
and the fun of building a home and per-
haps the children, that might come late"
his voice was very gentle and tender as
he spoke that all those things would
take your mind off this past affair and you
would forget it. That's why hated so to
have YOU 90 TO the college, though never
expected you d meet this man again.
Nor I-or | would not have gone,
Alice answered
It's hard to give up your friendship,
she added. That will be my punishment
Punishment" he turned to her in as
constituent. Dear child, why do you talk
like that? As though YOU deserved punish
ment, You couldn't help this. | don't
blame you.
They drove into Dexter street and stop
ped at her house Alice pulled off the fur
robe and prepared to get out
II don't think YOU have to sacrifice
my friendship, If YOU call its loss a sacrl-
fcc." Lawrence said slowly. There's no
reason why we can't bc friends. Not now
i couldn't bear TO sec you just yet, 1t
would hurt--a little" His voice told her
how much. But I'm genuinely fond Of
Your little friend Clara. and | love your
little adopted child You wouldn't want
me To give them UP too, would you.
tlcc smiled at him, though her eyes were
tragic.
Besides, | couldn't go along forever
without seeing YOU. So shall come around
again. as a friend, but not for little
while
He turned to her and held out his hand
Alice never forgot his expression. He look
"a like man who smiles in the face of
death. Then an awkward little complica-
ton occurred to her.
'lo our ring. and PIN, and these furs
Your mother gave"
For Gods sake, don't give them back
to me-" Lawrence cried. You needn't
wear them, at least. the engagement ring.
i you don t want to Put them away-only
don't make me take them back
"All right Alice said meekly, astonish
Cd AZ the vChcmence in his voice And she
heard the purr OF the motor, and the car
slid away
She had hoped 70 he alone. but her
mother and Clara were in the front room
and there was no chance to conceal what
had happened That il was all told in her
taco was evident for their faces showed
establishment and concern rs they looked
up AZ her.
why, my dear. what's happened"
Mrs Fairbanks asked, rising and gong
over to her.
Then Alice broke down For weeks
she had been nerving herself FOR the |
interview this afternoon Now il was
over, and the strain was gone The in
evitable reaction came
Alice laid down on the old sofa under