Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-10

ried along to interview another beauty
| specialist about the 'swlndle," az Micixy
politely called II.
CHAPTER vi
| Mlcky went straight home when no
| left June. What he had heard about
| Esther had disturbed him very much.
He loathed to think that she was un-
happy.
with sudden impulse he sat down ana
wrote to her. After all. she had ac-
cepted his friendship; there was no
| reason on earth why he should not write
and ask to be allowed to see her again
| He wrote most carefully lest she should
| discover some likeness to the letter he
had written to replace Ashton's
Might he take her out to dinner one
night? Any night would suit him. And
did she like theatres2 He had a friend
| who sometimes gave him couple of
| seats for n show. lie would arrange
for any night she liked to mention.
He thought that was n neat stroke OF
| diplomacy-of course, she would not
think he could afford to buy seats, and
| anyway II was true that he had a friend
| who often gave him boxes and things
he would have to be careful that Phil
| lips did not send along q box this time
| though.
He ended up by hoping formally that
she and Charlie were quite well and
comfortably settled into their new home.
sincerely. Mlcky Mellowes."
When he had finished tho letter, he
| realized that he had written It on his
own heavily embossed writing paper, 30
cheap sheet Of unstamped gray paper
| and write Il all out again. Then he went
out and posted It himself.
As soon as II had gone he wished he
deuce of q time to wait for reply: he
calculated that he could not possibly
| hear before tomorrow night.
But in this he was pleasantly disap-
pointed. for his own letter reached the
boarding house that night, and Esther's
| reply was waiting for him with tho kid
| ney and bacon in the morning.
! Micky's heart began to thurnp when
he saw the letter beside his plate he
had never seen Esthers handwriting, but
he knew by instinct that It was hers-
he scanned the frst lines eagerly and
his ace fell.
Dear Mr. Meilowes-Thank you for
your your letter: ! am sorry, but I cannot
70 theatre. Yours very truly, Esther
| Shepstone."
Micky's faoo was pathetic in It's dis
appointment, He read the few curt
| lines through again and again, vainly
trying to fnd something more behind
the unmistakable refusal, but there It
was in all its bald decision.
Micky stood with his hands deep
| 80 tbN liibO Ills pOCktIS, BlOWtTlIR INTO
the fire. Driver advanced a step.
| Beg pardon, sir-but wasn't you
, well?' he asked stoically.
Micky began to swear. then his mood
| changed and he laughed
Il want you to post q letter for me
In Paris" he said
Driver was too well trained to show
amazement at Micky's instructions. but
ust for fractional second he forgot to
answer with his usual Yes, SIR" and
stood immovabe Then he recovered d
himself, and said II twice with hurried
apology.
Tomorrow morning will do"
MSiGky SnSt SAD said You can go by the first
anxiously.. He mad sort of uncom-
Portable feeling that Driver must be
tnlnKing he was not quite right in the
head. After a moment he dismissed him.
ard rummaged among the many
papers and letters, there ill he found a
sheet OF paper embossed with the name
o hotel In Paris. 1t had not been
used. and Micky henved a sigh Of re-
He went to bed late that night. He
forgot all about his promise to go round
70 the Dolands. He spent the time writ
ing letters and tearing them UP again till
the wastcpapcr basket was full then he
burnt every scrap Of paper II contained
There were two finished letters lying
on his desk. one was sealed and ad-
dressed, but not stamped. and the other
was written on n sheet OF Driver'B plain
Totepaper, which Micky folded and un-
olded with sort OF nervous dissatis-
faction.
Ito contents we're not very long, but
hey had taken good deal of compos-
InG.
Dear Miss Shepstone--1 received your
note III reply to my letter and cannot
help saying that I feel very hurt at your
decided refusal to allow me to take you
out. ] thought We were to be friends?
Have been so unfortunate as to offend
YOU? If so, can only assure you that Il
has been utterly unintentonal. Won't
ou let me see you. II only for n mo-
ment? ] will meet you at any time or
IoweB"
He gave a dissatisfied growl as he I'm
shed reading 1t. Not a very eloquent
& &npistLci There vas so much more
20. He folded It again and thrust It
into an envelope; then he addressed IL
| nd Ia d It beside that other on his desk,
comparing the two handwrtings with
Not in the least alike. Nobody would
over suspect that they had been written
by the same person.
-, He 4. rang S for Driver and gave him the
want You to post in Paris. Mind YOU,
put enough stamps on. You'd better
have 1t weighed"
Yes, STR" Driver looked at the other
letter. "And-!s that for the post, too,
Micky put his hand behind him with a
guilty gesture.
NO; III post that myself" he said
and he went out then and there into the
cold night and did so.
As IT, dropped into tho letter box
Micky looked up at the stars and sighed
Nhj.t the dickens could he have done
| 20 make her 50 distant? At any rate hr
would let her Sc" that hc was not 10 be
80 easily snubbed. II size didn't answer
ms letter he would 80 boldly around and
| stay there iii me saw her.
he waH halfway to bed before he re-
membered that he had promised to go to
| ne Do!and5 that evening He stopped
short with his necktie half undone and
swore.
| What the deuce would thew tbIrl ~
him? ''''" VI
Wen, he would have to plead that head
ache still, that was all, and IL Marie
cHoSc TO cut up rough. MiCkv
telt mean because he rather hoped that
she would, He knew that he wanted
| ,helr friendship to cease, but man like
he did not altogether like having to take
the initiative. Marie was a nice littiT
girl, and II It hadn't been or that rela-
tive OF hers dying on New Years Eve
Wen, ne would probably have been en-.
gagged 10 her by this time
lie went to bed feeling miserable
Two days later Driver returned
Micky beaIned
you've got back. then?'
The man took Mlcky's hat ana coat
and turned 10 20.
Micky stared.
Everything all r!ght2' he asked
with q touch Of anxiety
Yes, sir"