Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-06
THE GIRL WHO
HAD NO CHANCE
GOING AW Az.
~
BY Marian RubfncAm-
Copyright. 1919, by the McClure News
paper Syndicate, New York CITY

GOING AWAY.
sYNorer OF PHDHpI N0 CHAPTERS
Ruth O'Niel and her chum, Myra
Weed, had been churs from chlldhoo d:
When they graduate from the High School
at Nj arketown, they plan to 60 TO the city
together, Myra TO study if she feels ike
il, and Ruth to take business course,
since she must help support her family.
But Ruth's father Is taken SICK, and the
money TO send Ruth must be used to
send him South. The girl feels that her
chance of amounting TO anything Is lost.
Tim Turner, who is IN love with Ruth,
asks her to many him, but she wisely
refuses, because they are both 80 poor.
Tim goes to the city to make money 70
marry her, and of course secs much Of
Myra, who is staying with q well-to-do
cousin. Ruth at first is glad that her two
best friends ca see each other, but gradual
-ly learns TO distrust Myra, who Is beoo N
ing a ruthless little firt Myra tries 20
make Tim fall in love with her. Ruth
hears, finally, that Tim and Myra are
engaged, and her whole life seems ruined.
Chapter XXXvu-
When the girl left, the three people
IN the library turned and stared ct each
other IN amazenent.
what do YOU suppose il means7"
Aunt Sarah questioned, her eyes troubled.
HAS anything happened TO her."
Duncan O'Niel rose from bis chair pain
fully, and started for the door 81 think
l must 90 BEE Ruth never acts like this.
Better not, Father" Mrs O'Niel said.
81 think it's nothing but nerves, and she II
be better alone for awhile. III go up IN
minute"
She turned to Sarah 'You see, she
hiss been running this houseful Of people
all winter, and going the work and shes
just played out. She wanted so TO go 70 the
city, and now she can't do it
"Yes, it's Just the result of nervous
strain" Sarah agreed, her face relaxing
a. this satisfactory explanation.
But none Of these three could know
that il was not the ending of q strain,
but the beginning of one for the girl
lying on the bed with her face buried
under pillor TO stife the sound Of her
sobs. II was, Of course, the end of
the strain of uncertainty-and there
i. 8 relief in really knowing about thing,
even if the knowledge is that the worst
has happened.
But it was the beginning Of an ex-
perience that gave the girl a strain OF
cynicism from which she never quite |
recovered.
After a time. the sheer exhaustion of |
sobbing quieted her nerves, and she turn /
ed over on the bed TO stare weteyed, into /
the darkness.
Myra and Tim were to be married, |
and she had heard it from Myra her
self She did not know what that might
mean-whether MTa was telling it TO
her to spare her feelings. whether Tim
a. all -. l..
now SO little that he did not even want
to bother 10 write.
Timl She remembered his nice eyes
that squinted up SO when he laughed,
and how easily he laughed and how nice
his laugh was, and his voice. He was tall
and good4OOking. OF course he would at
tract great many girls. OF course he
would be lonely and would see a lot of
Myra. And In the end MyTa's prettiness
and her nearness would triumph II was
curious that she had not forseen it all last
fall when she said goodbye 10 him, glad
that there was one person in the city to
be kind TO himi
But she loved him 50, and wanted
him sol Unconsciously she reached out
her hands into the darkness to touch his
and then they dropped. She wanted to
put her arms round him again, as she had
tIle idSJ lew Hdppy evenings before ne
left. But her arms were empty, and her
very soul was empty. Only her heart was
full of sorrow.
Her mothers voice called from out
side her room.
Ruth, can do anything?
No, she answered, "only let me alone"
And she turned again TO bury her
head and cry in the pillow
But after a time her common-5ense !
came back to her. Dinner must be ready,
md she bad 10 face her family and her