Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-13

rows OF coats and hats hanging there.
il she saw them there. She forgot that
he might have taken them up to June's
room. She turned away with little
sigh.
The door of the room opened before
she reached the landing, and June came
we'll and what success?" June
the old dear at the agency really had
something to offer you this timer
Esther nodded.
"Tell me-" she said. DO you know
any people named Ashton?"
Ashton !" June wrinkled up her nose.
Il know some Ashtons who live In Bry-
anstone Square" she said at last. "A
an she Ia, with white hair.
1T must be the same Mrs, Ashton"
she said eagerly. This is her card
mord shs saye Hs,.n, it to me 'oday--MTs' Ray
June glanced at the card and nodded
briskly
"stes widow, isn't she?". Esther
say sa any.snE MsSs5ns sSou, AT sfss'he didn't
I've, Yes, she's q widow right enough,
should think" she added bluntly. II
never knew the departed spouse, but
from all accounts he was a perfect ter
ror."
Esther said nothing Raymond had
always spoken of his father as being a
rare old sport"
There's a son, too" June said. "A
kind of Adonis to look at. beautiful
eyes and all that sort of thing"
Yes" said Esther. She, tried to keep
the ensernoss from her voice. DO you
do you know the son. too?' she asked
nervousy.
June gave a queer little laugh.
on yes. j know him That is to say.
the misfortune to meet him
Esthers hands were clasped In her lap
"Why-why-misfo she asked.
June Mason shrugged her shoulders
Oh, l don't know-it's hard TO ex-
plain--he's never done me any harm,
but there are some people one hates by
instinct, and Raymond Ashton Is one OF
the people l hate" She smoothed a
crease In the skirt of her frock. Hes
such a--such an awful outsider" she
added, unconsciously choosing the word
Micky Mellowes had used not half an
hour ago.
Esther sat very stiff. Twice she tried
to speak. but no words would come. She
knew that it was unfair to June to sit
there and allow her to go on talking
about Raymond, but something in her
heart seemed to have set a seal on her
lips
He's that insufferabe kind of crea-
ture who thinks himself Irresistible" ="
June went on. 'Micky has often told
me the way he brags about his 'so-called
conquests.' Conquests indeed what are
nsy but ia bi few poor sns S5s
tongue? Dozens of girls he's had. my
dear. literally dozens! Only tho other
day some one told me that Mrs. Ash
ton had to threaten to cut him or with
shilling IL ho didn't give up some little
person he was supposed to be going to
marry! I don't know how true II Is
mind you. but that's the sort of man he
ls-ire no time for him at ALL she
finished vigorously.
quietly, and Esther hid her face In her
hands.
She hardly knew why she was crying,
} she only Knew that she was utterly mis-
cradle.
She took Ashton's last letter from her
dress and read 1t through asain-how
could any one. reading 1t, doubt that he
loved her?
She kissed the signature passionstely
nobody In all the world counted but
this one man.
She got up and went over to June's
desk, which both girls used she felt that
much she wanted him;
when she had finished writing she
looked to the head Of tho paper on which
she had written for the address. and
then she saw a postscript scrlobled In
a corner which she had not noticed be-
fore.
Don't write to me here-1 shall have
iett TINS hotei by the time you get my
Ietter, ! VIII write again as soon as
possible.
IL was ike door win IRON oars being
tIsa eSs % u ner , race ,d snS eco Soura not %roe Soe
ali her Ionginxs and unhappIness she
must Just wait and wait. eating her very
heart out, till he wrote again.
| She tore nm what ahe had written and
threw 1t into the Are.
She went back to Junes couch and
curled up among the mauve pillows ;
life was so hard. so disappointing; It
tears i fe again az ana md' pPesensS %es saG
cried herself to sleep.
June came back on tiptoe; she stole
across the room and looked at Esther,
then she went back 10 the hearthrug to
keep Charlie company.
The fre had died down and she re.
plenshed It as quietly as she could, mt
ting a knob on at a time with her
! 0ngers ' '''
As she leaned over to poke them softly
together she caught sight OF a scrap Of
paper lying In the CRATE. 1t looked like
part of n torn letter, and without think
Ing. Juno picked IL up-the one word
writing. ~ "' '' ''''"e' .
June looked at 1t for a long moment
at Esther. still sleeping "'' s'""''D
June frowned; she hunched bor
shoulders impatientIv' '" "''
Some phantom lover, suppose" she
told herself GROSSLY: sho tbrau ,So ,,,,io
scrnp of naner into ,ho V nrn r ~, ,nc i.tir
IL burn with n sort Of yixcpish d",1sb,
Cu,nTru ''''s"''
,""r'Eh IN
"Micky Mellowes is coming directly"
June said tartly. "IC you don't want To
SEQ him you'd better go know you
hate him ."
the apron she had borrowed from ,June
and turned TO the door.
Before shc reached 1t June followed