Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-16
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story Of Woman's Transformallon.
~ MARION RUBINCAM.
rrossctsi by 0corwr Matthew ASiems.
A LITTLE TALK.
CHAPTER LXNEu.

Chapter LXXXII.
Rut whatcves ideas | might have had
that evening about Francis Meade and
the beautiful brown-cyed girl, were all
changed by our tea the next afternoon.
The next day WAS "Wednesday,
think, and Wednesday, Violet had some
laboratory work at college that usually
took her until very late in the day. In
fact, we stayed up late Tuesday eve
n'ngs, because we could sleep late next
day, for her first lecture WAS at noon
And "Wednesday we usually had de-
laycd dinner because of her work.
SO this day / was starting dinner
when the phone in Helcn's room below
rang, and Helen called up for me. 1t
was again Francis Meade.
Would YOU like TO run uptown and
have some tea with meY" he asked. II
am tied up for dinner, but l can stop
for you on my way from the office, and
send YOU home IN my car.
Naturally | was overloyed, and l ran
upstairs To dress, wondering whether
my suit and fur were still good enough.
lie came before 5, and we went to tie
tea room of quiet hotel where we sat
m n corner on sofa, with the flowers
on the table partly screening us from
the rest Of the people. Tea on a silver
tray was put before me, and | poured
u, feeling little thrill of pleasure at
even this intimacy with him.
We talked for an hour, and / asked
him great many questions about the
technical terms of the stock market
words Bud used and that were still un-
known To me, and words that the brown
eyed girl seemed so familiar with
She's so very clever ! remarked.
Yes, Cecile is very quick in many
ways. But she is not half so clever as
you are.
''Oh please | exclaimed Don't talk
like that Why, <here is no compari-
son between Us.
There isn't. I'm we'll aware of that"
| looked up at him doubtfully. His
voice implied something l did not dare
believe. lie was smiling at me-that
sweet. half-amused smile that became
him so WE'LL have seen him smile in
Just that way at children.
But she is pretty-and fashionable
and witty-and she knows so many
things | never dreamed Of"
Superficial things, he answered They
are fairly easy TO acquire. I'm not say
ing Cecile is superficial or shallow-she's
really an extraordinary woman. But
her surface qualities are her main assets"
What do you mean
That in the real things Of life, there's
no comparison between you"
Again | looked up at him doubtfully
For instance, if Cecile had a niece who
wanted 10 go 20 college, she would never
give up her whole inheritance to send
her there"
But how did YOU know l did that9''
"George-B told me-"
But IL was small amount. And
the spending of il has been the making of
me. You cannot imagine how awful il
was IN those days"
II can't imagine YOU anything but a
most sweet and appealing woman"
A waiter brought our check but we
sat for moment more after it was paid.
"I'm glad | spent it on vi and myself |
Remember all I've had out of it,
I'm glad too. Otherwise | would |
never have met you, and j would have |
missed knowing a personality that has |
done me more good than any other ex-
pcriencc,'
could not answer this. My heart
was humping so hard / could almost
hear az. We got up TO leave.
On my way IN | picked up the eve
ning paper from the doorway. A small
headline on the front page caught my
eve as | began 10 skim over IL. ] stopped
IN the hall TO read IL.
Another Messenger Boy Robbed"
Thinking of Pete and al we knew
shout his crowd, began TO read it. II
WAS not very long.
while going to the bank from the
office Of Meade & Judson where he was
employed" il ran, George Pearsoll. a
messenger boy, WAS knocked down early
this afternoon. A leather wallet was
stolen, containing few thousand dollars
in cash and many fhousands-the exact
amount WAS not givcn-ln bonds and
securities.
The boy was not seriously injured He
received blow on the head which stunned
him for AN instant. The robber, appar-
entity part Of the gang operating around
Wall Street, leaned from a cab, stunned
the messenger, ripped off his wallet and
got away in the confusion. The police
refuse 20 say whether or not they have
clue
/ leaned against the wall, feeling sick
and dizzy. Meade knew this--he must
have known II. Why had he not told
me? Then / remembered vi, and hur-
ried upstairs. j must tell her this gently.
You We read 1t too" she said, turn
ing 20 me as ! entered. 'sBud phoned me
about II this afternoon-when i got
home"
WAS he hurt?"
"Not seriously, only big hump on his
head and headache. But the police
think he knows lot about this, and
they arrested him. Mr.. Meade went bail
for him-otherwise he would be in Jail. |
Think Of that-Bud in jaill'
Tell me more about 1t, ] begged.
Tomorrow-The Problem. :