Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-29


lie knew by the visible and audible
gasp Which ran around the class that his
shot had told, that by an ambiguous
turn of speech he had added unto him
eslf the weight and dignity and years OF
the benedict. He was chuckllng to him.
self as the class went out at the sim
pllCity of It,
And then he saw tho new girl standing
at his desk, notebook In hand. She had
given him her name Just before class
and in the momentary occupation of re-
cordlng II. he had not noticed particu-
larry how sngularly attractive she was
deep gray eyes, curly fringed, an
abundance of sun-gold hair, and a pl-
quantity serious mouth.
I'm friend of your cousins, Kitty
Chalmers" she said in a voice that
fairly sang itself, and che told mo all
sorts of things about you--hut didn Z
Just happen to say that you were mar
ried."
Thornton regarded hor with surprise
tinsed with embarrassment. II @ hadn {
expected to run into acquaintances in
this far section of the country.
rs that so?" he returned lamely ana
inadequately, marking time as 1t were,
while he pondered tho wisdom of re-
tracing his lnsinuation. Then the sight
of ~ girls mischievous face peerlng in
at the door decided him. He would con-
tinue as he had begun.
''As an economist advocating early
thing else?" he shamelesely evaded.
Perhaps not" sho hesitated, "only-"
Then she turned away. leaving Phillips
regarding her thoughtfully.
In tho days that followed. one fact
was horne homo TO Thornton. Ii his little
suhterfugc had been success In saving
him from the attentions of his pupils
as A. whole It had seemingly had quite
tho opposite effect with Eleanor James,
the friend Of his cousin Kitty. Instead
Of avoiding him or leaving him care
lessly alone. she quito frequently. II uf-
obtrusively sought him out-aftcr class,
during his hours Of consultation, Mt the
occasional affairs at which both faculty
and students mingled. Frankly, she dts
cusscd with him hCr hopes and ambi-
tions, her tastes and interests. and long
before Thornton admitted It TO- htmself,
he was deeply. desperately IN loNe -.
Gradually, their acquaintanceship, nj
first developing within the college pre-
cincts. drew them farther ahcld. came
an occasional dance, an evening Ut tnc
thea atrC, and long, companionahle walks
I'm the bare brown woods of fall. All or
It left the man In state OF IN nu',im.t ,,,n
Thanksgiving for two things - first that
his wife was purely fctional, and second,
that fctionaI or otherwise, Eleanor
chose to ignore her completely
one thing only bothered him; why
was Eleanor hoing Eleanor Wiling 10
accept so SerenelE g.. ,L :,
married man. even If he had, Tor tne
tim,n heinr, carefully made them seem
,,crelv nlatonic? That she did acCept
then, was odd and uncXplainablS, pu'
very. very pleasant
Then came an afternoon IN ma" NJ
whom tho first ice coated the lnNe. i.lea
nor and Thornton had Ncntureu lI.ts u
~ eccringlv safe stretch and had
straiphtvav plunged through. Thornton
had grabbed Eleanor, managed 10 naIs
On and shouted for help. And presently
tbc two o. them were hauled out: driver,
home in somebody's car, and all out had
pneumonia.
Thornton. Of the two, was the harder
hit. A week after Inc n,oanor n,,S""p' '''
| "I'rn. going TO tell you." he began with
| ont nreamhlC, chat 7 love you. But
first, | must tell you something else
Eleanor, holding up a protesting hand !, n,
| turned away her ewes. II suppose. sn"
said. very coIdly, you are going to tell
me YOU arc-narried But don't YOU
realize that that is why ! have sshooled
| mvself to believe, all along. that our
| friendship pleasant as II was. could
never be anything more"
! Thomton's words died on MS Ups. >"
/ Vie deception had come home to roost
| The love he might have aroused had
| been stifcd.
Eleanor" ut last he said, brokenly
! "I understand. It's my own fault. You
sec, I'm not in the least married. The
| story Of my wife was--was joke that
has ceased TO be Il joke
lie paused suddenly. for Eleanor's
eyes were gazing straight into his ard
! her lips wer" milling. "Oh Thornton
she cried. you old goose. I've always
been suspicious, hut when you were sc
sick, ] sent n telegram to your cousr
| Kitty to make sure there was no wife
who should he notified. Here is hei
answer
From 4 r0Cliet she drew bit OF vel
low paper and handed it to him
Cousin Thornton absolutely not mar
ricd. Why? Kitty"
Thornton crushed the paper and Flea
nor simultaneously.
Wire her." he cried joyfully. "Re
cause he had never met the right girl :"
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