The Crittenden press., 1920-07-20
A REAL SISTER
Oy n. LOUIS RAVBoLp.

tcuSOuS iOI WuaA yoo uTC uoiuB. uut
ss long as you won't tell me what
they are, you can hardly expect me
TO be satisfied. HOwever-good-by I"
And he was gone.
Betty Reynolds stood as he had
left her, then crumpled into q for
lorn heap In the old rocker and sobbed
her heart out. Where was the Joy
In noble self.sacrihce she had expected
TO feelf All her being ached to run
after the man she had just peremp-
torlly dismissed, TO bring him back
and tell him II was all a mistake
she did love hIm-wOuld marry him.
Wsit--if she did. how about Suef
Betty was one Of those lucky girls
with 9 sister just enough older to be
both comrade and mother to the young.
er one. Even before the death Of their
mother. 1t had been Sue who laid out
Betty's party fr0cks. who mended the
torn lace In her petticoats, who rlHed
her own ribbon box for a bow where
with to adOrn Betty's fluffy hair.
But now something more vital than
a question Of hair ribbons or vacations
hsd arisen. Which Of the two girls
should have Jack Hemingway
Her opportunity had come. II she
refused Jack, she felt sure that. ulti.
mately, he would marry Sue. Also. she
suspected that Sue cared for Jack.
Hadn't shs Of late caught certain
happy wistfulness In Sues gray eyes,
The tall girl who entered the room
q moment later seemed more than
three years older than her sister, Q
fact due, no doubt. to acting as both
mother and father TO gay little Betty.
She gave one quick glance at her sis.
ter. Then. stripping on her gloves,
she said quite casually: isn't Jack at
the cornerf"
Betty looked up. startled. Then.
very braveiy. she began her campaign.
He didn't stay as long as usual. prob
ably because you weren't here"
Sue said nothing for q moment.
Then she sat down on the arm Of the
chair and put her arm around the
girls shoulders. Little sister," she
began lovingly. want pIece Of
newsi You know Doctor Dsiabarrs.
my chief In the lab, well-wouid you
fancy him f0r--for q brother-in.iawr r
Betty stared at her siser In bewil.
derment. Then In Hash. realization
came to her. "Sue Reynolds she
cried. and leaping to her feet she
whirled her sister In a breathless dance
about the room. "Oh. thought
thought II was Jacki And I sent him
away and now ! can have him! And
oh, you darling. rm so glad for you r.
Sue was shaking her gently.
"Listen. dear. you mustn't mention II
to soul. Nobody knows yet"
mot even Doctor Deiabsrref''
teased Betty, snd In her happiness
missed her siter's startled glance
"Oh. Sue. must telephone Jacks
boarding house % leave word for him
to come right ub, evening. And
while I'm out 20 y2hone I'll get q
whole chocolate caReand some straw.
berry mousse TO celebrated" Z
Sue sank down into the rocker
Betty had so recently vacated. And
even as Betty had. Sue busted her
face In her hands. Dear heaven
Would that she had the right TO say
before the world that she was Doc.
tor Delsbarre's ahianced wife Daily
working with him in the laboratory
Of the city hospital. she had come
to look upon him ~ the most won.
derful man she had ever met.
As It wss-well. size had done what
she did for Betty's sake. Jack. glum
apd unhappy, had just told her At the
corner how he loved Betty and how
Betty. for some reason she would not
give. had turned him down. And Sue.
with the tender intuition Of an elder
sister. put two snd two together and
made exactly four-no more. no less.
Sue had herself well In hand BY
the time her sister came home. Betty
chsttered like issgple and supper
was a gay afair! After q sociable
washing up OF the dishes the younger
girl cane up to her sister soberiy.
I'm awfully sorry. Sue. after what
you saId-but you really didn't say ]
mustn't mention u TO him, and ! was
just coming out Of the shop loaded
with the cake and oil and ! bumped
right into him! And before I thought,
! congratulated him"
"what--who--Bettyr
"Doctor D-'aharre. Of course" said
Betty. "ADd he's coming up this eve
ming. ! hope---,here's the bell Jack !"
Joyfuliy she dew to snsw-r
While Sue--well. Sue was trembling
from head TO foot. What would he
think She must get Betty TO make