Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-19


WHEN Barbara reached home 1t was
raining. She paid the taxi driver and
hurried into the lobby of her apartment
house under the umbrella of the mag.
nihcent doorman. Upstairs her own
apartment glowcd under the softness OF
many lights. Zella had laid out all her
things on the bed. Barbara felt soothed
| in spite Of herself, and she forgot to
some extent Elise and the affairs of the
| afternoon
| She did not see Keith until they met
! in the draw ing room. She forced
! Eaicty into her voice lest he suspect the
/ true state "f her feelings. and when
she went "n; to MIN. she chartered ex-
! Citcdlv Of everything.
They we're almost silent in the big
| limousine as It whrred silently through
the rain-swept streets. Arriving at their
destination. Eleanor was the first girl
| whom Barbara ran into. in the bedroom.
reserved for the guests. Eleanor was
! standing before the mirror carefully
! ppplying nakc-up. Her small Cirlish
! face looked 1iwCst hoggard. There were
: lines i'm II that should he In no young
girls face Sh" showed plainly how
! she would rddp as she grew older. II
, cut Barbara 10 the heart as she looked
| at her Eleanor greeted her gaily.
Hello old dear" And then as Bar
! bara answered gravely. Eleanor flung
over her shoulder, still the moralist
| Barbara. haven't you grown up YETI"
Eleanor, what have you been doing
to YOURSELF Barbara asked irrelevantly.
Eleanor laughed and tossed her head
Having good time" she said gaily.
by the way did YOU speak to Keith
| about Miss NewberyT
Barbara was glad that Eleanor's sharp
eyes were scrutinIzing her own face In
the mirror at that moment, for she had
chance to collect herself before an
swering. and she said calmly, Don't be
absurd, dear, l never gave it another
thought"
At the table Eleanor was placed next
| to Kendall Randall. and Barbara could
not help observing her sister, who grew
more hilariously lEhthoarted as the
| meal went on. Aftcrward they all went
went alone with Kendall in his hign
powered racer. They did not appear an
evening, and Barbara felt almost sick
about Il. Surely, surely Eleanor could
not be as entirely callous as she seemed,
Wasn't thnre anything that might pos
sbly touch her heart. wake her to a
realization of what she was doing? And
what was the matter with her own at
titude toward life? She seemed changed
and unable to enjoy the things that had
at first meant so much o. her. She had
looked around the gorgeous table that
evening, banked in flowers and gltterinC
with crystal and silver. and then she
caught snatches OF the converse tion
around her 1t was daring. in many
cases crude, many OF the women there
were striving desperately to hide their
unhapplness, and what was 1t all for
after all?
On the way home from affairs. she
had been wont to nestle close in keith's
arms. Now she sat in her own corner
of the car. commenting on certain bright
! gnOtg of VIA evening and chatting fitri
ously lest there be any awkward siences
suddenly Keith reached out and drew
her to him. Her heart leaped and she
had sudden impulse to draw away. but
she knew that she must not do this. She
must never give him n chance to say
why, Barbara. is anything wrong
She must. she would play the game, ano
as soon as she saw her way clearly she
would take definite steps. hut In til,
meantime he must not suspect. And sc
minutes, until with little nervou:
movement she sat upright as though e
point out something TO him as they
passed. and then as they were nearly
home. She did not return to his arms
Two days later she called up Elise
at her office and made arrangements L
call for her in the car at 5 o'clock. Elise
{ was standing IN the lobby of the biz
white building as Barbara drove W
and fifteen minutes later they wer,
turning into narrow side street of
Washington Square and had stopped
before 4 rather tumbledown house. Bar
bars followed Elise up three flights o.
stairs. waited on a narrow landing Will,
she fumbled for her key, and then en-
tered low ceilinged, charming room
with easement windows that ran across
e the front OF the building. The furntur,
j was made up of odds and ends anc
! was painted gray. There was an in
expensive rug, some gray cretonne, and G
, WedRewOod tea-Set on wicker table
To barbara place like this was
: revelation She had no idea that It wa!
possible to have a real home for 50 it'll,
7 money. Ev, rything fascinated her, ant
D later over the tea-cups she found her
4 self talking very frankly TO Elise abou
K other matters