Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-10
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubincam.
Copyrfrbt. GEORGE IA ntAhov Adarna.
A MOTHERLY TALK.
Chapter XXVlT.

lnnptcr AANII.
II was long after ninc---a ate enough
hour in Pennington when Alice heard a
horse and carriage draw up mt tho gate,
and Lois sweet high voice asking David
to come in.
So it was lois nowadays who asked
David to come in' Alice jumped up from
the floor; if he did come, it would mover
do for him to see her in this condition.
Her nose grew shiny. her hair became dis
ordered and her eyes looked red and
swollen.
"No, thanks" she heard David's voice
answering. "It's getting late. and tho
house is dark, so think Alice is either
out or has gone to bed
Well, good night, Davey-boy--and
thanks for lovely afternoon" Alice
wondered whether Lois deliberately raised
her voice so it could carry into the house.
At tho same instant, she heard the bed, /,
creak, so guessing her mother to be awake
she ran upstairs, glad she need not see
Lois right away. She forced her voice to
"A cheerful tone.
Awake, mother dear? Feeling better7
Suppers ready, you know"
Feeling much better" Mrs. Fairbanks
tones sounded rested. Don't light tho
lamp yet. Send Lois up, heard her just
now, and she can light it when you bring
the tray"
Alice was relieved. Yet she felt her
mother knew all about it. But she did not
want to have her see the very obvious
signs OF the storm she had been recently
through, so she slipped cut of the dark
room and down To the bath room--the
one luxury in the little house-and hur-
Il
hair. She even returned To her room for
the rarely opened box of face powder, and
tried To use it to hide the effects of her
tears.
Then she ran down 10 make ten and
prepare the supper tray for her mother.
Lois was smoothing her hair before the
one mirror IN the living room.
Did YOU get my message? she asked
sweetly. II ran into David quite by ac-
cident He was going to the Farm, and
asked me along, knew YOU were too busy
to go, dear He was delayed and we had
supper there
"Ics. had the message. Mother wants |
YOU to light the lamp for her. | think
Try as she would, Alice could not make |
her tones casual. 4 glimpse of Lois in the |
mirror showed the little smile of pleasure |
aud triumph on that Young lady's face. |
But all she said was Poor dear auutie |
I'll go right away and read to her, too"
But Lois did not read that evening.
Mrs Fairbanks had propped herself up |
among the pillows, and when Lois had |
lighted the lamp, she saw for the first |
ime the sternness which that old face was
,apable of showing
But Mrs. Fairbanks voice was gen.
lie
M. H. Il. .,.J .,...i.. on. a.. |
hink YOU re acting honorably3 You know
bat David is IN love with Al'ce, and you
now that Alice loves David Do YOU
hink it Is fair to try and break that up7''
But I'm not, LOIS defended herself
otly How could ] help it if met him
" accident
You couldn't if YOU met him by ac-
idcnt, Mrs. Fairbanks stressed the eff"
nd Lois turned red and was silent
But you can avoid trying TO take
im away from Ahce-and you know YOU
re doing just that.
III he's so crazy over Alice, he wont
,ok at me. was Lois sullen answerA
Nevertheless, you are flirtingwith him
and YOU are not acting
onestly. | don't like TO remind you OF
npleasant things, my dear, but you
lust realize that YOU are our-guest
ere, and that certain consideration is
ue your hostesses. Mrs Fairbanks sense
{ delicacy was too grea. 10 allow her 10
mind Lois that she was being supported
Y them. but Lois was intelligent enough
, see all her meaning.
The ready tears came at once, but
his time they did not melt Mrs. Fair
anks' feelings as they had before. She
It propped up among her pillows, the
entle face drawn into hard lines, her gray
yes cold as stones. Her gray white hair
Us plated in loose braid down her
ack. Somehow, she was much more
oppressive this way. than when she
L in her big arm chair and knitted or
iatted with the neighbors.
II Alice hasn't sense enough 70 play
D TO the men, how can she hope TO be |
iything but an old maid?" Lois asked
ciousy
That not the point, Alice has other
lngs TO think of besides men and after all,
e is engaged to David. VIII you prom
? me 70 show a little more-shall we
II it courtesy, towards her in the future?"
And Lois nodded, weeping deiectedly