Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-22
-. nrARrs THE STORY

CRESTED n0Jd t,Jend. Ashton, tDho says
| he fndS n'' 'to,pu aud his sUoethedrt
he e Ioao,Jb Ioao,bgy;s request and asks Mel
et his nI',Joliper q letter to the gri.
bwens ia J,,covers the girl, Esther shep-
ntchy ~ be the one he hdd met crgtng
s.o"Ikt y, tke street. Instead o. de"vo,umg .,t.g.
the % letter Ashton 0aVe os m'"' and m s,ons
onotnsy,,. na,ne TO a. Esther tells
Ashton ber intention to accept a po-
Utoky " an,on,ensts to Mrs. Ashton,
sitson ,usrw uS Jealous Of the phantom
and nv" has created, ts tncreduloua
lover .1", m she must not 90 there. ne
ao,oSss anu marriage 10 her und " re-
pOpG pstpsG she believes horsoJ engdgga
70 ashton. Mioky maru goes 70 ,pifh % Mrs. m
sees AS"d Snd ,crites another letter to
Cldte o% abo,r Ashton's signature. At
Lsthet .1iye ugr Nth Micky and June,
tm J".Tf NJ Mckv, Esther secs Ashton
trtenD bis % mother. Esther becomes
wnnm,rt,,icGl aud jdtnts McNy Jo,oes
ayJt, ..Ston 10 leave Engtdnd msns aog,
nM SS Mickv sends Estnet q ~ ',htons 1ops
and Ggy Iyhon he gets home his man,
rdme . hands him the evening paper
DtsVu uointo out q notice OF Ashtons
ond pV n Mrs. Glare. Micky ar
t.d,',"y,oo y,oi,a June to take Esther to the
fongtS,, and 10 keep al nepspdpors
eoa"' ." her. but she ouerhedrs tU9 men
I,onm,,sntiu0 on the marriage ana JHes
tsaf their remarks We 81, n,d
zee, g,., " ,oliotps her. He comes dcross
hoSg co,dis and scene ensees.
M h,ects o. TO being folloDed: Mtcky
be og,. ~. that the letters, etc, sup
fels no bopc come to her from ASH
yosen '..nHtv did not come from htnt
Ion ",dvits to having torftten heW
'ena e,sy He 10 dngered at her "Su
s~st Of him and leaves ne. t.btnn
Asn,o" As.s. o his narrtage but asks that
ooNessosst ost,nue friends. HIS ,ndrrtaoe
beg ook ,nakc no difference, aud ne hnd
iooptu ~ ,noueu noD. She rohhdfy
psn'y ~ ho,p detestable he. Is and
fens ~" N fhe hotel, Dhere she dgdtn
rs,sw rus, w,ckv. They journey nome w
I'VE Nm.soc and for ,oeeks DO NOT meet
o1oin She returns hts preSSnts:, ~. Om.
r;oht at reception MnNy ,,da ~
Isbton Dragging to some Jr1ehuS "
is''o,s 'ooo,s,,,nintGnce ,Cith Esther before
vs. u.T L.o,r Wickv. Micky demands an
n,"ov ns and none forthcoming fstJf
opooSyS used, and Mtcky announces
Iort.e rstber and he haze been married
Aos .,, ,reeka but the euent has oeeh
49, rsnt S,ecret at the totsh OF the or1de.
aND HERE 1T CONTINUES
1--WE NEVER given any Of you cause
l n doubt my word yet" no said
soarsly. And I'm sure youh agree WIN
:. that this man should be made to re-
,.ct what he said and apologize"
"csrta,nly-he ought tc apologize. It's
#,graceful-infernallyd disgraceful," said
, man who had been listening to Ash
tons story eagerly enough momeh'
ago. o,,,.,,oro"
rSaro was a chorus of assent-the
men who had been ncioifts MioAS a' '''
et him go.
His face was livid, his eyes FURIOUS
mt he knew that there was no othei
ccurse open to him nobody In the rocn
Sad any sympathy with him now. :,
~ apologize" he said savagely.
didn't know that--the--lady-Mo
MAD marr!ed-the lady" -.
His tone added that even now he dc
moi believe il; he edged away to th'
door and disappeared.
Mlckv dropped into a chair; he looked
thoroughly done up. Some one pushe'
4 glass OF whisky across to him. Ther'
was an uncomfortable silence. Perhap
'.
hey nil remembered with what relisl
they had listened to this spicy bit o
Ecandal
Never could stand Ashton" some on,
bald presently, in gruff abasement
fworm--the man is perfect outsider !!
There were several grunts OF assent
the sympathy was decidedly with Micky
After moment he rose to his feet.
u suppose an apology Is due from
ne. too" he said; he spoke with diff
putty, But think any, of you-in tn
bame CirCumstances-
He waited n moment.
quite right - certainly.
should have done the same myself"
Micky smiled family.
"And am sure you won't let this 81
eny further-for-for my wife's sake,
he added
They pressed round him. shaking hin
by the hand and reassuring him. Mick!
took II for what II was worth he knew
that those OF them who were married
nen would so straight home and tel
her wives OF the scene at Hoopers'
and he knew how speedily the stor.
would spread.
He got away as soon as he could anC
eft the house
Driver opened the door and Mick!
bald.
You've been with me a good man.
pears, Driver"
Yes, sir"
And you've been a faithful servant.
Thank you. sir
The mans stolidness did not change {
fraction.
Mtcky took gulp at the brandy.
IL you we're TO hear that I'm married
ol wouldn't be surprised, would you?'
asked with a rush.
Driver stood immovablc.
Not In the least, STR"
10Y would even say that you knew
M lye been married some weeks
should, sir"
,.Iood you may 60"
.ttnank YOU, sir, and goodnight"
1Iood'night," said Micky.
N Nna now, what was TO be done now
"hen ne left this room three hour
~ mad been with the determination
pa' me past behind him for ever, ant
nsI mad he done? Only walked NOR
epy INTO his quixotism and seriousl!
''uIpfomlSed Ip the woman he loved.
wbao unouEht suddenly OF June: Jun
mo' with all her bluntness. had a grea
g. and O. deep understanding.
vomee one would not want explanations sh
"ouLd know why no had done IT, an,
ympathzr '' ~ CIV
conon nuI June was obviously not the on
mmS, 'Mtu Mtu II was not to June that h
"ssl confess
to1 iTe clock in his room struck twelve
s'e TO do anything tonight.
thirse was an intolerable, purposeles
,aDssa He sat down at his desk an,
ItS"el M. MS head In his hands His Who'll
s seemed to spell failure. With sud
10 WHIP IMPULSE he seized a pen and begaj
rsU sUr ne first few moments he hardl
ke raaosat m."t ne wrote: It was only whe
bat' t'eaened the end OF the first pag
MA, ne seemed to realize with a star
ba wa. me ne had done. He looked back a
written lines with something Of
TyoS sToS Ihrre was no beginning to III
sr' no date or address; It simpl
ar,ea on as II the pen had been guide
some influence outside himself, som
esperate need
dont know what YOU will think whe
ou set this letter. am writing it be
Suse tonight think | am half mad.
' you so much there seems nothin
mor ne Whole world that counts an
toorrG, now that am beginning to under
Snd mat can never have YOU. Esther