Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-08
Micky sat very stIll,

Shc looked at him In faint an'"1e-
ment. E
you'd u '9psst e s you that ss sssssSsi ssssssss
in confusion.
Micky leaned q little closer over the
table.
you said las. night that you didn't
believe in mans friendship for
ESmfn ins to make ss saiS You s.,sys ws IN e. m @ f1
going to be your. friend. The fact that
you are engaged makes no difference
to me-, IL 1t doesn't to you."
She looked nt him earnestly. a.,
IL you mean that" she SAID, i
think I'm very glad"
who the-the lucky man Isl"
She shook her head.
nowo,, W can't tel s EEOsi,rd EoSii Ara he's away
Her, voice changed q little, her eyes
looked past Micky an II for the mo-
ufent she had forgotten him.
Micky watched her jealousy.
night. is all right today, is that it?"
Yes somehow I never thought
It would be, but this morning."
This morning." he echoed as she
II had u letter this morning" she
told him. and her voice had softened 30
wonderfully that Micky caught his
breath. oh. wonder II you have ever
peen as unhappy as was last night,
ana then had letter, wonderful let
ter, like ! had this morning?- There
was something in II that seemed to put
everything right straight away; some
tning that I've always wanted before
ana never had. l can't explain II any
better than that, but perhaps you under
stand. I'm just telling you because
reel SO happy ! must tell somebody, and
because l didn't want you to misjudge
MN as l did yesterday. I thought he
a.dnt really care, and j wanted to die
put today, when his letter came"
She broke Off Into a little happy laugh.
MicKy had rammed his clenched
hands Into his. pockets; tho blood was
hammering In his temples his brain felt
IN q whirl; somehow In all his widest
this.
1t was his letter that had brought
that new look OF happiness to her eyes |!
HIS letter which perhaps even then lay
against her heart; the first love letter
ne mad ever written to any woman. and
she believed 1t to have been written by
saynond Ashton!
=, He did not realize how long he sat
there without speaking till Esther spoke
o MIN again There was a little anxious
note In her voice.
I'm afraid I've bored you horribly
with all this. I know It's no interest
to you, but l felt that I must tell some
body"
Miclsy reused himself with an effort
It's OF great interest to me-" he said
And you mustn't ever say a thing like
that again. We're going to be friends
and real friends nre always interested
III everything that concerns the other
I'm more glad than / can say that
you're happy. Il only hope its going
to last forever"
Perhaps there was q dubious note In
his voice, for an anxious CLEAN crepl
into the girls eyes.
you sound as II you don't think that
1t Will" she said quickly.
Micky made hurried disclaimer.
II do think so. of course 7 do! Yor
deserve all the happiness. you can get
and whoever the man IS, II he doesn'
make you happy"
He stopped, with frownng memory o.
Ashton and their parting only las
night.
Are you going back to the prixtor
road?" he asked after moment.
"Oh. no; paid them before left this
AFTERNOON, 80 / shall go straight to the
II should like to walk there with you
II may" said Micky.
"Of course you may"
And when shall see you again ?" h,
asked. You're not going to vanish fol
days, are you? I've got no end OF tim,
But I haven't" she reminded him
AT least. shan't have when I star
work. But ] should like to see yor
again" she added kindly.
THANK you," said Micky with fain
sarcasm.
He felt vaguely disappointed with tn,
whole afternoon. She was holding hin
go decidedly at arms length. He sup
posed 1t was that Internal fellow Ash
ton that stood between them. Their,
was sort of irony, too. In the fact tina
Inns hnI l,,r = ta
tabl shed him more firmly than ever II
this girls affections
They had reached the new boardinl
house now. and Micky was relieved t
see that It was n decided Improvement
on the one in the Brlxtpn road.
The windows were not boxed up, ant
the steps and the bell were clean. i
was on the sunny side of the road, too
and had an air Of chaorfulness about II
RS much better than the other one
isn't it?' Esther asked.
Streets better" he assured her "I
shouldn't mind living here myself. -
He, waited. but she made no comment
and he felt rather snuhbed.
There was q little silence.
Don't you Ike the place where you
are living now?' she asked after a mo.
nent. Don't they mako you comfort,
able there?"
"oh, iEs comfortable enough" said
Micky He wondered II he looked as
guilty as he felt but don't believe
In sticking on anywhere too long. a
change is good for every one. I shall be
shifting out some day soon, expect"
There was a little silence.
II shall see you again soon," he said
And II there Is anything I can do for
you--"
THANK you. but there isn't" She
spoke quite kindly, but Micky had the
uncomfortable sort Of feeling that her
thoughts We're elsewhere He waited a
moment. then held Out his hand.
We'll, good-by."
"Good-by. and thank you for my tea
She nodded and smiled and turned
away from him.
There was nothing else for Micky 70
do but TO go; no raised his hat and
walked of discousolately.
CHAPTER ~
When Esther went upstairs TO her
room she found the door standing open
inside.
She stood still for moment In
amazement she thought perhaps she
had made a mistake and come to the
wrong room but a glance reassured
her: the rumber Of her room was TWEEN.
tY-three, and this one was twenty-three
she pushed the door wider and went In.
Her boxes were there. standing one
upon the other, so az to make more
space In the small room and on the
rather shaDbY rug Dy tne nrtDlAce
woman was kneel!ng with Der back to
the door.
She did not hear Esther enter. and fOr
q moment the girl stood staring at hei
In blank amaZement. she could not SEE
her face. but she could see that the wo.
man was small and slightly built, VIII
a wealth OF Jet black hair co!led In be-
coming CarelesSness, with a couple OF
yellow pins to fasten It.
She wore yellow blouse. which
Es'her would nave thought hideOus on
any one else. but somehow against thot
picturesque
Esther moved 4 little deliheratel,,