The Washington times., 1920-02-18

ney's tomorrow evening. might
come by and escort you homer"
THAT will not be necessary" SIZE
objected.
"But I'd like to come" he plead
ed.
You see" she hesitated. IT do
not even know yet il shall re-
main to dinner"
"You could phone me tomorrow,
couldn't you." he urged.
She could not be too insisteni.
yes" she promised. finally, II will
telephone you"
Later when she recalled the con-
versation OF the evening she won
dered IL she had been weak in yield
Ing to Will Dayton's request. Yet
she hated to wound him. Something
she did not ask herself what
had made her more tender-hearted
than she used to be.
She had not meant to encourage
this man. for she knew che could
never love him. She hoped that
something would happen to change
his sentiments toward her.
ono icit SoiHcWnat cIuUdTt uboSo
by not knowing IL she were to dine
at the Rodneys. She would GER
tainly not do so on HuEh's invita-
ton. If his sister or his father
invited her, that was another mat
ter.
The mornings mail brought her
a letter from Laura
Dear Ruth" II ran, father has
told me that you do not wish us
to talk to you of tho very wonder
full thing you are doing for us-and
I have assured him that shall not
talk Of it.
But 1 cannot fulfill this promise
without first writing this letter to
you to tell you that I love you and
that you are the finest and most
unselfish friend any girl ever had.
"Of course I understand that one
reason you are taking upon your
self this hard duty is your desire
to help Doris. Please believe me
whom I say that-while I am sorry
for change Of mind-I do not really
feel hard towards her. 1t Is better
for her to be perfectly honest re-
garding her sentiments about my
brother than to commit the sin Of
marrying him when she does not
Yet II seems now as IL the time
when poor Hugh may marry is so
far distant as to need little con-
sideration.
But to 60 back to what I started
out to say suspect that besides
your love for your sister, you are
moved to what you are planning to
do because Of your friendship for
me and for Hugh. And for that
reason I want to assure you that
am grateful, and that Dad Is too,
and that Hugh would be IL he knew.
IT sometimes wonder how things
are going to turn out for the dear
boy. but the only thing we can be
sure OF Is our present duty OF keep
ing him as happy as his blindness
permits and to get him strong
enough to live his life sanely.
II have said all I am going to
about your goodness, or about
Doris, until you give me permission
to say more. So please do not fear
that l will burden you with ex-
pressions of gratitude or utter one
word OF criticism Of Doris. Trust
me, Ruth.
You must stay to dinner tomor-
row evening. Hugh tells me you
are coming to him late in tho after
noon. / want you to dine with Dad
and me and cheer us up. feel as
II you have been sent to us by
Providence at this juncture: Low
lngly, LAURA"
Ruth's lips were curved in hap
by smile when she had finished
reading this note.
"They are doing all they can to
make my. task easy" she unused.
And I will do all l can to make II
successful when | stop to think
of all that Is involved, I want to
turn and neel But I can't And
II Is for Hugh. May I have tho
nerve TO win outl
Now I will telephone TO Will
Dayton that he may call at the
Rodneys tonight and bring me
home. suppose I ought to do
this-fbr Il win grstify him--per- e
haps-And / promised him ] would
let him know when I would be
ready TO have him como for me-" .