Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-04
THE GIRL WHO
SMILED THROUGH
By Marion Rubicam.
Copyright. George Matthew Adams
THE NOTE.
Chanter LXXV.

Alice tore open the letter, her hands
ice cold and shaking. The other girl
tsctfuilv withdrew TO the other side of
the room and pretended to be absorbed
in her book. But she glanced at Alice
now and then. her queer grecn-gray eyes
full Of sympathy.
The note was short enough. 1t said
merely:
ssDidn't YOU think I would know you
in my class today l can understand why
YOU didn't want to stop then and speak
to me--thcre's a tiny tea room called
Nardoli's near here. viii you meet me
there at three this afternoon"
The letter was signed simply David,
Brief enough and non-committal, casual
in tone. but Alice read it over and over
and stood staring at it a long time. Chris
tine stirred restlessly. Her curiosity nearly
got the better of her good ludgment-she
did want to know the sequel to the ro-
nance.
Alice turned to her finally.
"You guessed right. 1t is from David--er
Mr.. Thorne, and he wants me to meet
him at Nardoli's, at three"
'Uml Well, he knows that Nardolis
has bad reputation with the college now
for pro6teering, so few students go there.
Besides, three is an hour ahead of the tea
rush. You'll be safe from scrutiny and
gossip"
"Scrutinvl Gossip Alice echoed the
words. They hurt her-such words IN
connection with herself, and with David.
s'But can't go-I won't go, she said,
almost desperately.
Christine pulled her knees up to her
chin as she sat in the middle of the bed,
and regarded Alice thoughtfully.
Il. will - chs, IA
finally in a matter-of-fact tone. 'lf you
don't 90 now, YOU will go later. Better
90 now-tbe first meeting is the only bad
one. 1t wilT'be embarrassing, but only for
few minutes"
"Why do you say if don't go now III
90 later?" Alice asked. 81 mustn't see
him-that's all there is to it.
"Why notP Are you still In love with
him?" Christine asked bluntly, her white
arms clasped about her knees.
Alice turned to stare through the
window. After a time she said
''No."
you're not?"
"No. I'm engaged to marry Lawrence"
Christine ran one slim little hand through
her mop of red hair and began a little
speech that she felt Alice needed.
"Nly dear" she said, do YOU know
YOU ittu Il w tooh attti Nou.
Well, I'm YOUR grandmother, for to-
day at least. Although you are six years
older than /. YOU are really so much
younger, | feel have to look after YOU"
In spite of herself, Alice smiled a little.
Il always felt | ought to look after
you-you are so small and so young,
she said.
"That proves we both love each other,
Christine said simply. "But In worldly
things m a generation older than you.
| believe YOU when YOU say you aren't
In love with David any more. But the
romantic glamour of the first love still
hangs about you, as 1t does about other
girls Your common sense tells you that
David was not worthy of your love be-
cause he allowed this other girl to take
him away from YOU. You're engaged to a
perfectly adoring man, a regular fairy
prince. | know he's all that's nice because
he finds ways to do so many lovely things
for you.
''Then along comes the first man, and
now YOU are beginning to doubt your love
for the fairy prince. My dear, the only
way to prove il one way or the other, is TO
see this man.
sWhat will that prove?' Alice asked.
you'll see him after an absence Of
htH Ntats tfA YOU NNsf
time enough to have gotten over your
Illusions if they were illusions. Just think,
you've had so many new experiences to
give YOU whole new outlook on lfei
You'll probably find your David quite an
ordinary human being after all, and the
fairy prince will have all the field TO him
self again.
And if ] dont?'
''It's better to find it out now, isn't it, if
that's the case?" Christine asked. "Any-
way, it's cowardly to run"
"Yes," Alice said. 'sIt's cowardly to
rum
She stood still, staring through the
window. Presently she turned
What dress shall i wear?"
Christine gave a sudden laugh, hopping
lightly off the bed.
Thus does woman capitulatew she
cried. ''Why, you shall wear that stunning
black satin, and the gray squirrel coat and
cap that make you look so beautiful. You
must look very fashionable, very sophis-
ticated, and very self-possessed for this
meeting"
Tomonow-David.