Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-14
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
1T CANNOT BE.
BY Marion Rubicam.
Copyright. George Matthew Adams.
{ hauter I\N\II.

"Can We he friends and only friends,
after all that has happened David re-
peated her question. looking past Alice
and far down the shining silver surface Of
The river.
Can We Alice asked again
The man turned to her, his gray eyes
steady and compelling.
I'VE can. We have TO be. he answered.
They sat Tor a long time, SAYING nothing.
The cmbers Of the fire blew about bit
David mechanically broke dry stick into
short pieces and tossed il on the bed Of
glowing ashes. The cold river wind blew
sparks and smoke about, and gusts OF
heat occasionally over the two people who
sat on the fat rock. Another party out for
a winters walk tramped past and were
lost along the winding path.
The sun was as bright and as cold as the
eyes of a heartless woman. But neither
Alice nor David noticed such external
things.
There's nothing else to do David
said, expressing aloud the thoughts they
had both been busy with I'm tied hand
and foot to Lois. She my wife whether
she lives with me or not. She wouldn
free me-even if YOU would ask me to be
free, even if you believed IN that sort of
thing
Divorce" Alice asked Il don't That
is, didn't. don know what believe IN.
any more. Everything is 80 mixed up
Her tone sounded drearv enough.
Il deserve 1t, 1t S my own punishment,
David said. I've thought that all along.
After all, ] was no child that she kidnap-
ped. And if ] was enough Of a fool to be
blinded by her surface prettincss so that |
no longer appreciated your value why !
deserved to spend the rest Of my life pav-
ing for it. ] thought you would forget and
be happy.
Il tried to forget I'm afraid l never
could"
But now I've seen you again. | cant
get along without YOU David erred. It
was, Alice felt deep in her mind an express
sion Of David's weakness Mere friend
ship, after the love that had been between
them. must be q sacrlhce on her part as
we'll as his lie was ready 10 make the
sacrifice because he had ID see her. and he
was ready 10 ask her 10 make II too But
this weakness endeared him to her siIll
more. For Alice was very much woman
And 10 woman, sacrifice for the man
she loves ls a sacred privilege
on did 50 much for me, Alice SAID
dreamily after q time
y? never did anything except
hurt YOU, David ansu cred
ou gave me an ideal Alice went on,
as though nc had not spoken Il never
had one before. Id been too busy baking
and cooking and cleaning and doing
garden work. / knew there were people
and things l didn' like, but never knew
why. ! never knew anything better
never saw the way 10 better my own con-
dltIon. Then ] met. you-and YOU were
different } on were my ideal Of a man
The man stirred at tins. and started 10
protest.
Then ! began 10 see the way out
Beng an oveTworked slave would never
help me- had to open up my mind. to
learn things, TO educate myself 50 | could
command what wanted From the time
they talked OF that Model Farm ! knew
what wanted to work there to learn
how TO turn barren earth into productive
soil, TO teach other over-worked people
who tolied for starvation living, how to
get more for less labor by using efficient
methods
Then your books came and had the
key to all the knowledge | needed right
there. ] would never have been able to
afford them, and ] would not have known
which ones 10 buy anyway Ii Was the
greatest consolation for losing YOU.
Then You rightly took chance with
your little sum of money and came here 10
finish your education. David ended the
story for her. And 80 ne met again and
opened up the old problem DO you think