The Washington times., 1920-01-14
The T'UO
Voices
BY Virginia Terhune Van
= de Water.
Astksr Of Msay reveis ss1 oas Of
the Csuntry's B<ss-kn~ws writers
OF short Stories


OF short stories
CHATTER XXI
Copyright, 1920, Star Company
~ oRIS came into the drswing
- room where as before, Ruth
was waiting for her.
'TWellr' the younger sister said.
Doris dropped into a chair And
buried her face In her hands.
Ruth stood still. looking at her,
She was confronting a problem thai
seemed too big for her to handle
Hugh's happiness. his health. his
life, filled her horizon so complete
ly that she found IL difficult 90
look at anything else in it's proper
perspective. At last she spoke.
What is the matter. DortsY
1T is all so dreadful!" the other
moaned.
aYes," her sister said gently.
going to her and laying her hand
On the bowed head. "it is verS
dreadful. desr-but we must think
first OF all OF Hugh"
Doris lifted her head suddenly
And what about me?" she d.
msnded. Am ] not to be consid-
ered?"
Ruth spoke slowly and carefully.
U.s. you arc " Dt NCiJ ilua iI
considered. For your own future
ar well as Hugh's, IL involved
Moreover. you must remember that
Hugh's life or reason may be at
stake"
1T is not my fault" the older
girl murmured.
What do you mean7" Ruth de
mandeJ.
81 mt>N that / am not responsl-
Bile for this awful thing that has
happened, and II does not seen,
quite fair that | should suffer for
II, does IL. Ruth
mot fair, dear, perhaps, yet that
Is one OF the consequences that one
pays for loving. j sometimes think
II is the highest pri"" We pay for
love, that of suffer with our
loved ones. And you must try 70
remember that you are making life
seem worth while for Hugh in spite
of his blindness. That ought 10
make you very proud"
Doris stood up suddenly. "well.
ii doesn't" she said DULY. Ruth, q
was awful after you came away
just now"
Her idea Of Love.
But you did not show 1t, did
you? You"-she hesitated and swaA
lowed hard before finishing hey
question-"you kissed him good
by. didn't your"
Doris nodded. I kissed him on
the forehead, and he caught me in
his arms and kissed me until
thought Tshould scream. Oh" witt
shudder. Il tried not to see his
awful blank eyes"
Ruth was very pale. Doris word
shocked and sickened her
You will become accustomed "a
his changed appearance, my dear
We must be going now" starting
out into the hall.
But / want you tell me wha
happened when you were upstairs
with Hugh" Doris said suddenly
You have not yet explained why
you called me by your name when
! ] first went up there, and late NJ
| spoke to Hugh as If you had just
| arrived. Really, Ruth, I do think
some explanation is due me-"
Certainly it is" her sister agreed
guardedly, that her voice might not
| penetrate to the upper floor. "And
l will tell you all about it later
ing"
Very quietly, she opened tn
front door and the two girls wen
out togetheri
They walked home in siIence
something in Ruth's bearing warn
ed Doris not to talk.
Mrs. Courtney was lunching witt
r friend today-a fact that Ruth
recalled gratefully. For - few
hours she need listen to no quss-
tions from her mother. nor reply
! to them.
The sisters had their luncheon a..
If nothing had happened. The.
talked little during the meal and
were in Ruth's room before Dor
asked the question what had beer
in her mind ever since she left ii,'
Rodney house.
what did you tell Hugh" sh.'
demanded now, standing in front o;
| her sister. Were you able to max g
him understand why I left him 50
suddenly--how badly / felt at the
change in his looks?"
II did not try to-" Ruth answered.
bluntly. why should ] hurt him
like that? No--I gave him to w."
derstand that you arc going to b.
with him as much as possible"
you promised him that" Dor
exclaimed incredulously. "Wby
you had no right in the world {"
let him think that / had told You
TO tell him any such thing"
~ did not give it as a message
from you" Ruth informed her. at
was an assertion. For, Doris, pre-
tended that was you. He does no
know yet that you were not the
person who comforted him
''He called me Doris He was
very happy at thinking that you
were there.
80 it is as II you-not had
been with him. He shall never
guess It was not. And you viii
have TO do what he believes you
ar going to do, dear"
"You actually had the courage,
Doris said as II trying to make
herself understand the situation
you actually had the courage to
go through with the pretence that
YOU were ]? Now ] see why you
made believe that il was Ruth
coming upstairs. At ffrst II seemed
to me as IL you were a bit crazy
Why with hystcricsl eigglc-
chow did you dare? l think u
Nus NV fully funny and cIcyer fo,