Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-13
The Woman Halter
BY Ruby Ayres

We'll, I shall stay till he comes"
very good, SIR" Greyson went away
and Tranter sprang to his feet again
more to stare anxiousiy up and down
the street
There was demon of suspicion in
nis, n,s heart What was the meaning Of It
tended to hate and despise all women.
why. then, should he 10 out OF his way
70 see this one. and why should she
go His Hs' Seans Ss ner Sssiy way to ring him 1pv
Instinct told him that there was some
thing behind this mystery.
he waited another half-hou and then
called to Greyson again.
IL Mr.: Faversham comes in. tell him
went sYss to s,r see him urgently"
Tranter went around to Mrs. pundass
He had no hope that she would be
IN but to his relief the maid, who was
a friend of his by reason OF generous
Tipping. hesitated before she shook her
luctance that Mrs. Dundas haS s,ye,,
orders that she was not at home to anv
Tssnter Tran broke in eagerly. r.
see aYes.bn, ms. is she ,!alone7".
She yielded with a shrue y, hor
shoulders, and Tranter went past her
Everything would be eSpiainsa G % aocnets' neM,
s,,,r; ne was sure. He had been a fool to
rodns He knocked softly at the drawing.
Come in." said a preoccupled vo,co
ahH ne turned the handle and went In
MTs, Dundas was lying ON n counh
eysr ey 'ne nre. She did not trouble to
from efn a drss ner r,, head or raise her eyes
srowing Goals, till Philip bent over her
"hS lald his hand on hers. '''
s She started to her feet. then with a
ieIea inR M hsr exclamation. the blood rush
then Your, S,i,, she said breathles.ly. and
,, men with a note of anger: II .aid 7
Ias not at home to any one. How
Tbsrn my @ maid allow you to come in p
her words '''' ''"' sii'ess or
T I'm sorry; !. did not mean that, But
an am tired. and my head aches"
ayers aya,, white face hardened.
.h, ou sent me away with that excuss
'his morning, he said. hoarseiy. '''
n,tu ,e raised her dainty head with dig
s,ang a.ThSt Hs,, do you mean' I don't under
, he caught both her hands IN b,a
po,. naru grip that made her wince"but
once his tenderness for her yyos n
bis biss1tten thing. The ugly suspicion a..
tns,,inIt s meart mad raised It's head and Was
ot,SurIhB MN afresh, ''
l. What Is the meaning Of 1, r,,,,o,
Hs Eo asked hoarsely. What have I dnno ?
ar Os heavens sake, tell mo what 7 he vo
nonsi nome. II was all right last night. wse
tbenWctiS happy when left you. and
me. You saiS ahiSGrHinsny0u Hnn bSG refused 70 soc
AS l had" she insisted WEAKLY "As
unkins Jns now Oh, you hurt me! You are
- He let her go. He walked awav from
neither Of them spoke. ''''i'eh'
linen Tranter said more quietly.
49,, peg your pardon. would mt
Ise I'xa nurt you for the world, but think
noon e oeen half of my head this after
where you lunched todayT.' 5 you tell me
a Her brown eyes shot him n baIf.do-
hant, half-scared look. " '"i -ue-
,o,,n, aont see what business Il In of
I 10 bo a0s, a0u are not my only friend. Am
l DO and for every moment NJ n,I i,,tns ,,si
oo,t nou Know you are not" He was
controlling himself with an effort "R,,t
has has you are TO be my wife-surely !
wbsn ine some som right to ask the question
then I yUg hear re.use yourself to me. and
n,,,i To- never said was going to be vour
VIE. VIE. she broke In, but her voice was
shaky and uncertain "@'
,a nranter turned around slowly. There
was something very pathetic about him
AT that moment. He walked over to
wnere she stood, and for n momsnt
iookeu down into her face with a curl.
1us sort OF blind stare She Shrugged
a.ro, shoulders pettsnIy ana moyeo
This Is all very melodramatic," sbe
sald, with an attempt at a laugh "bm,
~ ~ uoesh appeal to me, Philip; honestlv
.s so dhoesnL h l didn't know you could be
He hardly seemed to hear. He ,a,a
ms hands on her shoulders, turning her
toward him, and her white lids fa1i ha-
heath the painful insistence OF his ewes
osraI rp,d you lunch with Faversham?j he
For a moment It seemed as ~ she
wa was going to deny it, Then all at once nee
Yes, ] did. I knew you would he
He refused to fall In with bor nood
he went on painfully: when was A.
ar!r.aYnged-last night?" w -
"Late--after you came home?p
hrt She iried TO free herself from him,
out no held her fast. '''
II will not be questioned Nv ,,o, l.,
this manner she broke out, anrrl,v
what has 1t got to do with VOL?
tr,ongyt. tsnought Mr.. Faversham was your
Yes" said Tranter, painfu,,v. "r
thought so, too but now-now / am not
so sure" "'' ''''
81. There was a poignant siloncs; then
she broke out again:
oh, for goodness sake. don't stare
az me like that! What have I done,
Philip? thought you would be pleased
You always said you wanted me to be
friendly with Mr.. Faversham: and now
when It's all arranging itself so well-'
She stopped, wondering hopslossly II
ner words deceived him or II they
sounded as insincere to him as they did
TO herself '
She would have given great deal for
tho courage to raise her eyes to his and
tell him the truth. She wanted to saw
mat she had gone to lunch with Miles
have been with him than with any other
man In the world to say that a breath
or remembrance from the past had
touched her worldly. heart with its
sweetness and famed into flame the
little spark of love that had never really
died.
But after all, what had she to tell
himY Miles had said nothing about the
future. He had not asked her to marry
him. He had not even kissed her. Sud
bee brown eyes and splashed down.
oh, you are unkind," she said, In q
childish whimper.
Tranter caught her to his heart He
adored her, he said. He would not have
her shed n tear for him. He had been
mad with jealousy. She would never
know what he had suffered-but II she
said II was all right--if she could ex-
plain everything--he held her at arms
length, searching her tear-wet face with
passionate eyes.
"Lallie-they said that you rang him
up at his rooms last night. Why did
you? What did you want with him ?
Put yourself in'my place and sec how
haN ali