Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-08
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
BY Marion Rubicam.
Copyright, oeors. Matthew Adams
ALMOST A CONFESSION.
Chapter LNNNII.

Sh,, .ried not to see David. He did not
ask her TO dine with him when LOIS was
in town. though one evening she saw nm
AZ n concert with man at a time wben
she knew Lois to be home. She wondered
whether they ever did 50 out together.
Then, too. Lawrence came to see her
ovar the Christmas holidays. He was
vary tender and gentle and sweet. Alice
felt as She had never felt before. that
curious wistful quality that he had. tie
took her TO visit a friend OF his mothers,
a charming old lady who had house
in New England and who kept Alicc
with her New Year Day, when Lawrence
had to go back.
She saw David once week when ne
Iectured 10 her class, but. aside from that
not for almost two months. Then one
morning. as she was leaving the building
after the biology class was through for
the day, he caught up with her :.
"Conc to Nardoli's for lunch, he
begged haven't seen You Tor SO long
sav no Alice let herself he taken to the
oIi;et little tea room where she had seen
him before.
How is Lois?" she asked. This always
seemed good question; it built up fence
between them and made them both realze
their positions he was married. she
was engaged. .e,.
"I ,ois is not well. he answered: She
caught grippy cold BY getting overheafed
at dance
"Pm sorry Alice murmured per
functorily. j.,
I'm afraid I'm not, David answered
"She will not wrap up properly when she is
oyerbeated. and she will not listen to
sensible advice. She likes to ance all night,
almost every night, and refuses to t3ke
care of herself as she should. Sympathy
gives out and annoyance sets IN under
those circumstances.
All feeling OF constralnt had been
lost between them long ago. Alice haG
talked a LOT about Lawrence; It seemed
natural enough for them 20 be talking now
of Lois"
''In charge of an excellent nurse IN nei
apartment.
ssIn her apartmentI' The words es
capcd from Alice before she could sfoE
them. She turned red
sIu her apartment. You don't imagine
she's living in mine, do YOU? Dav
asked with a trace of sarcasm in his tone
But I thought-that is, she wrote
-"alice grew still moro red with embar
rasSment.
~ know she wrote you that VIC were
married She wrote week after the mar
riage and told me a month later, L'aVlt
said. "But she's had her own separate
apartment for more than year. She sait
wcwould both be happier living separately
since | didn't like any Of her friends. an'
She didn't care for any Of mine. She wa
right. We are happier-both oi US.
His voice had become hard as be spoke
Alice had never seen this mood.
'She said it very sweetly, as You car
imac; ne. She was very atfcctionate. m
purred like little kitten and said | Wa
fhc dearest man in the world TO under
stand and not fuss And | cheeriui1
rented and furnished another place fo
her
.'But / didn't know thought yo'
were in love with her Alice did moi
know how to handle this situation a. All
'T.ois is the sort Of woman every NAL
loses his head about for a time, DAVE
said 'tShe's liberal education 20 most 2
them. The affair is harmless enough. 10
Lois is as incapable Of giving anythin
in return for their alteration, as she Is ol
holding their love for any length OF time
Lois did fascinate me. She was soi
anu pleasing. Sit I1dA ~ ttCf ~ : tAasNAils
for appearing when | was blue or lionel,
and coaxng me into better mood. Sh
could get ANYTHING out of me, and !.
never know she was doing it. She can d.
ii vet She made me promise to double
her allowance at least, she says | prom
iscd. ] don't remember doing so. bu
she says ] did
did she make You ask her to MARI!
YOU that way Alice asked with suddei
sarcasm.
YES, she did, He fairly blazed it out
TO Alice's amazement. 'tShe says | pro
posed to her. | don't remember. dic
kiss her. know that-and the next thin
/ remembered was her arms around m
neck and her cooing voice saying hov
clad she was | loved her.
He broke off suddenly, then wen
on-4I did love her, after a fashion-unti
I found out how calm and cruel and sell
ish she was beneath her softness. Sh
never loved me-she ism capable of lovin
anyone but herself!'
He put his hand out across the little
table and laid it over Alice's. why dl'
YOU break of our engagement ne aske'
hercely. ''You took away my deienc
against her-and man needs defenc
against that type of womanl Alice,
YOU knew-you'll II think me weak and
coward to talk this way, and perhap
I am. Perhaps it was your wonderfu
strength that attracted me, your mag
nifcent optimism, your
f'Don'tW Alice cried, unable TO stanr
any more.
Mondav-SacrIfice