Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-18
The Phantom Lover
-,,a srARrs THE STORY
By Ruby Ares

ersss. AZ friend, Ashton, pho says
e /, leaving tom aud MS s'oeethodrt
,nofher's request and dsks Mel
e'.. 10 deliver a Letter TO the girL
gicky di,coy'ssrs ors ,"e =" TX sod % met cpyinO
non1 street. Instead Of delivering
on ,",t,y Ashton ouVe him ne Dritcs
Wv We,h,r k,ndlier one, ana signs
o.Ston, rams to u. Esther tells
M,"tv Of her Intention to accept po-
sit;on as dmdnuenas 70 MIS- hshton,
~ Nicky, Jealous Of the phantom
sna hs has created, 10 tncroduIouS
,av, she must not 90 there. He
ona ,o,ss marriage to her and Is re-
pppJ Sho believes herself engaged
,s,hton. Micky goes to Paris. Ho
s,ss Ashton IN company U,th hrs.
~, T ard WrItes another letter to
S., above Ashton's signature. At
b"vt, ~ t,,airs With Htoky and June,
I'm, s,ss Ashton IN boz Nth hts
1",S,, Esther becomes hysterfcdl
al iaints. Micky forces Ashton TO
ioups England nort dav, dgd MtEky
s,rds Esther it ,o, Uoas nn,ns ana Tyhcr Whcn
,st, home hs man, Driver, hands
IT, fhs evening paper to read and
La, out q notice Of Ashtons mar
ygnns 10 Mrs. Glare. Micky drrdn0os
,suh june TO take Esther 10 the coun-
NV ard to keep al neWspapers IRON IRON
.,,,iro on the marriage and feels
,sot tSeir remarks are true, Esther
-. IN Paris 10 find out Ashton and
V,cbv follows her IN Qtiok haste, but
AZ Dover ne Jdtls to reoo0ntse her
among the passengers, ana ne IS
| nohasf at the thought thdt She Woy
All be on the boat.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
TIE TURNED away and searched the
II crowded deck. The boat was full. and
mos, Of the people were women. but
,h.ro was nobody who looked In the
/ least like Esther.
She would be wearing the fur cont,
h, was sure-the coat he had given her
One or two people stared at him GU
rously.
II Esther were on the boat she must
have seen him and was deliberately
t,,pIng out Of his way; he glanced In
,t the open door of the ladies' cabin as
when they reached Calais. he was
arst of the boat he stood In the dark
ness trembling with excitement.
There were all sorts of people pour
ing past him-men. women and chill
dren. They all seemed happy and Gag er
"A couple OF F'renchmen standing near
him chattered incessantly: Micky moist
ened his dry lips; there was little
nerve throbbing In his temple.
Supposing he never saw her again
His hands clenched deep in his pockets
- = supposing he never met the half
shy glance Of her blue eyes-supposing
he never heard her voice any more-or
her laugh
The sweat broke out on his forehead
For a moment he closed his eyes with a
sick feeling OF hopelcssness, and when
be opened them again he saw Esther
standing there not half dozen PAGES
from him
The glare from huge arc lamp shone
full on her slim figure and golden hair
She was looking around her In a
scared apprehensive way as IL not
knowing where to go.
MIcky covered the distance between
them In a couple OF strides.
Esther" he said In queer,
choked sort of voice.
She turned with a stifed scream, and
= most unwilling relief swept her face
"Oh MIcky!" she said breathlcssly.
She put out her hand as II to grip his
arm, then drew It away. moving back.
How did you come here oh.
how dare you follow me ?" she
said passionately.
MIcky took her arm very gently.
I'VE found your note" he said. Il had
to come June said ." Then
suddenly his calmness broke. "Oh, thank
God found vou--thank God" he said
hoarsely.
Esther seemed arrested by the emo
tlon in Mickys voice she stood looking
up at him with wide eyes and parted
lips, then suddenly she broke out
again.
II don't know what you mean-IIl
never forgive June II she sent YOU after
me, I'm going TO Paris-Pm not child
TO be followed and looked after like this
Let me 60"
MIcky released her arm at once; when
he spoke his voice was quiet and rather
stern.
Please don't make a scene. l have
followed YOU for your own sake. know
! can't stop you from gGing to Paris.
I'm not going to try. All l do ask Is
that you will let me speak to you. If
what have to say to you Is useless. l
give YOU my word of honor that l will
leave you hero and let you go to Paris
alone"
She looked at him with stormy eyes.
Il don't believe lit isn't the first
time you've lied to me ." she broke
on breathlessly. Micky turned pale, but
ne answered evenly enough
:, You're quite Justified IN saying that:
I'm not going to try to deny 1t. But
we can't stand here all night---people
are beginning to stare at us ."
Il don't CARE" but she dropped
her voice a little. and when Micky made
a slight movement forward she fol-
lowed
There are no trains except slow
ones Micly told her. THE express
mas gone half an hour ago-I can flnd
you rooms in hotel close by for the
night ." His eyes met hers across
the table, and he broke out Esther.
ior Gods sake, let me explain things
70 you You've all your life: before you
tomorrow, II you wish 1t, III go away
and never see you again. But l can't
let you go now without telling you the
ruth ought to have told you before
1t was for your own sake l tried TO
Keep II back . ."
Here she searched his face disbclev-
ingly,
=. II you've anything to say against
Mr. Ashton" she said. II refuse to
listen. shouldn't believe anything you
say Tor one thing. Why, you don't even
Know his name--unless June has told
YOU she added hrcathlessly.
June has told me nothing but !
Know. all the same. ! knew the first
ana ana went back to my rooms. he was
there, waiting for me :"
he was there--who was there" she
asked shrilly.
Acknowledgment Ashton" Micky
answered
>, There was tragic silence, then
Esther looked dazedly round her in a
helpless sort OF way.
They went back to the station and |
MIcky found Il waiting-room with a
roaring fire: he dragged one of the un-
comfortable wooden benches close to II |
and made Esther sit down he closed |
'he door and came back to her.
Mlcky looked at her, and suddenly |
he broke out
Esther. speak to me-say something |
Tor heavens sake--"
This mornIng-was II only this |
seems so long ago. She
stopped for moment, then went on
again slowly. when we were at the
Inn In the vlllage-those men with the
car heard them talking ." She
stonned again
Yes" said Micky
She frowned M II his monosyllable