Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-09
4E DAILY NOVELETTEV
VI A Game Worth the Scandal
a by l.. u. LANGDAIE


4 YER the sociable picket fence which
"a separated their pocket handkerchief
yards Mrs Amelia Jones and Mrs
~ lie Brown we're engaged in their
AHal mid-morning interchange of gos-
Yea" lamented Mrs Jones, my sec
I'd floor front goes out tomorrow and
" third floor back left yesterday, but
q. herwise I'm full up"
P Som l." said her portly neghbor.
i.At least, I shall be by tomorrow night
Ehen Miss Fleming comes. And don't
That mean--her comlnR-that your Sec
,pnd floor front will be taken? Least
tkme in ten years that the two OF them
oAsnt come on for week in the win
hss letter S0%Tiss Tas, wsss a tRs 4S.D O'hsT sss
!. 'raped her angular form more comfort
ss,Sly. over tho picketa Funny, nin't
urNshe lowered her voice conhdentally,
and scrawny, were within hearing. How
he comes and stays with mo and abe
comes and stays with YOU, and they don't
get married or nothing"
as she reluctantly started back to the
house. Got to run. That know-noth-
ing Celia don't do a stitch Of work when
my eye ain't on her And Miss Flem-
ing's room not touched since the Lamar
sisters left -
Presumably Mrs. Brown efficiently
got her eye on the recreant Celia. for
TTieming arrived she found her room
looking precisely as she had lett Il the
previous year, and bearing no traces OF
tho departed LaMars.
Dorothy threw hcr last winters toquo
on the bed. ran her fingers through her
hair to nun II up a bit, and then walked
.siver TO the window and looked out Il
oiope stuart gets here all right" she was
fang her brow. '1t's really quite dread
yol OF US to come, under the circum-
an snces, only-how I should miss II, after
pithout Thanksgiving or Christmas!"
~ Suddenly she started and a smile
et4,nsed her frown. There he is-bless
n heartr.. She wanted to tap well
c4me on the window, but ono did have
10 be 80 very discreet in these painfully
respectable boarding houses. particularly
under the circumstances As result
Stuart was not aware OF Dorothys ar
rival until. sedately demure. she walked
in upon him in the stufry living room be.
low.
Enthusiastically. he rose at her en-
10 SEE you-charmed g' Then at Doro-
thy's puzzled glance, he managed 10 con-
vey by turn OF his head and litt Of
hts eye. that Celia fingered somewhere
IN the offing and discretion was In order.
After one or two more exchanges OF
casual banalities, they made their escape
and walked down the street TO the ave-
nne like souls let loose from prison.
During the days which followed It
would be difficult to say who got ths
\ greatest pleasure out OF the Fleming
\ Rutledge affalr-the two people most
4 concerned or the spectators onn the side
lines. Addie Brown and 'Melia Jones,
Celia, and all the roomerS Every box
q flowers, every telephone call, every
taxi was a signal for renewed outbreaks
OF speculative gossip, the keynote OF
which seemed to be, Why don't they UP
and get married and be done with ~
Ten years Seeping company's a long
time these days" said the little dress
maker In the Brown hall bedroom.
And Miss Fleming don't look as young
as she used to-" returned Mrs. Brown,
to whom the little dressmaker had
spoken. 1--WE half a mind" she went on,
there must be some reason. OF
course. It's none Of my business bH; <
only knew"
And one morning over Tho fence size
broached n sort OF plan. Sound him
out. 'Melia," she urged. 'Mayh' rs
money"
Accordingly, that night Mrs. Jones
seized her opportunity. when stuart ling
cred over his dessert after belated ar
rival to supper
Times Is hard" she sighed, f!ck!ng
away the crumbs from the vacant places
But young fellows Ike yourself are al
avs we'll hxed!'