Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-11

Tallentyrc stayed in his rooms all tho
morning following the Hillyards' din
He felt an almost morbid dread Of
mingling with his friends he hated
me thought OF the many congratulat tions
NJ would be forced to receive, and the
fire OF good -natured chnff which would
surely be leveled Mt him.
He had hardly slept a wink all night.
hundred times he had cursed the i'm
pulse that had driven him to ask Elrica
to marry him. He had no spark of
love for her, though IL he had never
met Jill he would probably have drifted
into marriage with her months ago, for
no better reason than that he was hard
up, and that she was willing to marry
Sometimes he wondered that she had
not been more ambitious; be would have
| been genuinely amazed had any one told
him that beneath all her artifclality and
worldliness. the Lady Erica was very
fond OF him. and that the fact of his
nesitancy to propose to her had hurt
the spOilt beauty more than anything
else could have done.
If he had lain awake all night. she
had cried herself to sleep; she could
not understand in what way she failed
to attract this man; she knew perfectly
well that he was marrying her simply
and solely for her money.
But she would have him at any price
for his sake she had put UP with
months Of abuse and rccriminations from
and there's an end % Of it," 'she' she always TaS;
ended an argument calmly. That is
always supposing he asks me- she
supplemented. with sort of dry humor.
You can have no pride" her mother
stormed at her. "A pcnnilcss man like
Cyrus Tallentyrc-and to dare to treat
YOU as he does. Where is your pride,
Perhaps / never had any where he
lily. Anyway. it's useless for you to
argue: I've made up my mind"
Her father had stormcd from another
point of view
The mans fortune hunter; it's not
you he wants at all. but your money
to pay his debts = = Not one penny
of mine does he get = = ="
Which won't break his heart-or
mine his daughter responded un-
moved. Thanks to deceased and
wealthy godmother. Erica could afford
to quarrel with her father. she had
more than sufficient money of her own |
to make 1t worth while: but she had
never been so unhappy In all her life
as she was during the night following
her engagement.
He had never even kissed her-appar-
entity had not wished to kiss her
the thought ranked and hurt unspcak-
ably.
She rang Tallcntyre up in the morn
ing. and told him that her father and
mother had refused to congratulate her.
lie frOwned at tho tlippancy of her
voice.
Perhaps they Nro WISE" he said
hardly.
Erica laughed; nuLNdy would have
guessed from her laugh rhat there were
tears in her eyes.
Perhaps So" she agreed There was
little pause. thcn---
II think you'd better trot i0Ind to-
day. just for the look Of the thing, you
know" she said. IF you let nr
know what time you'll come. III be
Tallentyrc said he would come to
tea. He sighed as he hung up
the receiver: he supposed that for all
the rest of his life he would have to
dance attendance on this woman.
He thought Of Jill. and wished he
had not seen her last nisht-he thought
Of the past. and would have given his
soul to. have had it over again.
He made a poor prctCnse of lunch \
ing. and fell asleep aftcrward in his
chair. 1t was o'clock when his man
reused him and reminded him that he
was due at Lady Elrica's for tea.
Tallcntyre sworc; his head was split
ting; he changed his clothes with bad
grace. and drank neat brandy before
he went out. Hi man wished to order
taxi for him. but Tallcntyre refused
the air would do him good. he said
He walked down the street slowly;
he did not want to see Elrica again
he dreaded meeting her father and
mother. and receiving their lukewarm
congratulations.
Life was horrible thing to him that
day--it seemed so purpOselCSs, and then
then 1t seemed purposcless no more
as he turned the corner of the street
and came face to face with Jill.
The hot blood rushed to his Temples
for Il moment his usual sang froid
deserted him.
Jill flushed little, too, but she was
quite self composed.
"I've just been to tea with Kath,"
she said gaily. "And she told me the
news | must congratulate
you, though | really thought you had
been engaged for ever so long" she
explained laughingly.
CONTINUED MONDAY