Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-27
The Second HONEYMOON
!. u,,.oSs IN THE STORY
BY RUBY M. AYRES
Author Of "The Woman Hater" and "The Black Sheer

sSro,ides. Jimmy poss'o"o'o'V VI
oss WITH Cynthia Fdrro~.
CYNTHIA FARRoW, ersluaM ''aoe
beauty, With soore oJ oam"e,s'
CHRISTINE WATT s,ucotn m"'gs sss
ssr.d oiyi. nhou ne has not seen for
y..rai years she fs visiting ~ the
ciy ,oith her mother.
Jimmy Chdiioner ts engaged to marry
Gynt,nte yu,rs :. %arto0i 's handed nd d' so.eMMrs
Wvaft and her daughter, Christine,
.roxld Hke to see him, They pere old-
T,n, friends. ,Christfnc tods 0rt
.wsethcd,t aud 10 70 delighted .,. 70 re,
"eyy cordial AZ the end Of the play
he yt,ifs Cynfhia In the muke-np room
and fnds her strangely stdndoD'sh
Jimmy, yQu'u hate nte-yoh!l-oh
Vhv didn'a you get ny letter. ,,,,,,. sne
f-D she stopped.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
THERE was little silence. Challoner
L rose to his feet, He was rather white
sbout the lips. There was dawning
APPREHENSION in his eyes.
NGo on" he said; what Is It you
But he knew already. knew before she
told him with desperate candor.
II can't marry you. Jimmy. I'm sorry
but--but can't--thats ALL"
The silence fell again. Behlnd the
closed door in the crowded theatre the
orchestra suddenly broke into a ragtime
Challoner found himself listening to II
DULY. Everything felt horribly unreal
II almost seemed like a scene in play-
this hot crowded room the figure OF the
gown, and--himself!
long glass on the wall opposite re-
fected both their figures Jimmy Chal-
ioner met his mirrored eyes, and little
how white he was. He pulled himself to-
rether with a desperate effort. He tried
10 find his voice.
Suddenly he found IT. cracked,
strained. asking a one-word question
She did not answer at once. She had
turned away again. She was aimlessly
opening and shutting little silver pow.
der.box lying among the brushes and
makeup. All his life Jimmy Challoner
remembered the little clicking noise 1t
ME lie could see nothing Of her face He
made a sudden passionate movement
Cynthia, in Gods name. why -
He laid his hands on her shoulders.
She wrIggled free Of his touch. For an
instant she seemed to be deliberately
Weighing something in her mind. Then
"Because@because my husband is still
living" . o,.,,.
echoed the words stupidity: He passed a
hand over his eyes. He felt dazed. After
a % moment he laughed. He groped back
ward for a chair and dropped into It,
"Still-living! Are you-are you sure?'
So II was not that she did not love
him His first thought was one Of utter
A. 80 w..N hn
She put the little silver box down with
a. sort Of impatience. YES" she said.
She spoke so softly he could hardly catch
the monosyllable.
Chaiioner leaned his head in his hands.
He was trying desperately to think, To-
straighten out this hopeless tangie III
his brain. but everything was confused.
OF course, he knew that she had been
married before-knew that years ana
years ago. before she had really known
her own mind. she had married a man
q worthless waster--who had LEFT her
within few months Of their marriage.
She had told him this herself quite
straightforwardiy: Told him, too. that
The knowledge hammered against his
brain, but as yet he could not realize It's
meaning. Cynthia went on 1erkily.
~ only krew--yesterday. i wrote to
you lat first thought 1t could not DO
true But---but now I know 1t Is. Oh.
why don't you say something - any
thing" she broke out passionately.
4. Challoner looked up. What can say
II this Is true?
at is true" her face was flushed.
she were trying to keep back tears.
After a moment she moved over to where
he sat and laid a hand on his shoulder.
Jimmy Challoner turned his head and
kissed II.
Don't take It so badly. Jimmy. It's
It's worse for me-" her voice broke. A
cleverer man than Jimmy Challoner
might have heard the little theatrical
touch In the words, but Jimmy was too
genuinely miserable himself TO be
critical.
At the first sob he was on his feet. He
put his arms around her; he laid his
cheek against her hair; but he did not
kiss her; Afterward he wondered what
instinct II was that kept him from kiss
ing her He broke out into passionate
protestatons.
II can't give you up. There must be
some way out for us all. You don't love
him and you do care for me. II can't
DO true, it's-its some abominabie trick
to part US, Cynthia"
''Itt, is true," she said again. 1T is
true"
She drew away from him. She began to
makeup. She hid her face in her hands.
Once she looked at him through her
white fingers to see how he was taking
T. Jimmy Challoner was taking II very
BADLY indeed. He stood biting his lip
hard. HIS hands were clenched.
For Gods sake. don't cry" he broke
out at length. 1T drives me mad to see
you cry. I'll find a way out We should
nave nay, been so happy. I can't give you
He spoke incoherently and stammer-
ingly. Ha was really very much In love, |
and now the thought of separation was
burning glass. magnifying that love
thousandfold.
There were voices outside. Cynthia
as u she had been crying very bitterly.
That's my call. shall have to go.
U19nt UU9nt Keep me now. I'll write, Jimmy.
III see you again.
pens?"
Il promise" He caught her fingers
ana kissed them. Darling. I'll come back |
tor you when the shows over. can't |
oear to leave you like this You do love
DO you need to askT
me words were an evasion. but he did
not notice II. He went back to the stage |
o SOx FEELING as II tho world had come to
He forgot all about the wyatts In the
stalls below. Christine's brown eyes
ttarned toward him again and again.. but |
~, no never once looked her way His at
ttsentlon was centored on the stage and |
u'e woman who played there.
ohe was 30 beautiful he could never |
Enve her up, he told himself passionateiy. |
Win Win each moment her charm seemed to |
SLOW. SLOW. Hs watched her with despairing |
yes yes lie without her was a crude i'm |
possiDility. He could not imagine exist
Snce N a world whore he might not love |
nSer. Stemr. That other fellow--curse the other |
rage, "'' ''''' ~ '''p''e"'
me brute had deserted her years ago |
s shu LETT her to starve He had not the |