Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-20
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
Priscilla to the Rescue
nv II. LOUIS RAYBOLD


Ssntbs of the couch hammock. "Not
tbe achievement, but the achieving, Is
nv ioy! However, what's the imme-
dote cause of your wrathv'
Opipch, your Pekinese,' returned
Priscilla tartly. after wheedling him
ont of your long suffering father.
you've as much use for him MS for the
i;tchep mon. The creature is far fondcr
Of me because 1 give him his meals
than of you, his owner
siGet along with you, Priscilla :" and
lane. suddenly indignant, sat upright
and flung a cushion ut her cousin 2
fo;r head. Then stopping, she gathered
The tiny subject of discussion into her
arms. Little doggie mustn't like other
nroples better than me !" she warned
Him crooningly. The next instant she
tumbled the puppy mnceremoniously
into Priscilla's lap. "1Ieavcns, here's
Dick already "
fance Of twenty -four hours standing.
vas swinging in Mt the gate, his pleas-
ant eyes alight at the sight of the girl
he loved A moment later, as Priscilla
made swift and tactful retreat indoors
he took Jane in his arms.
Jane, darling, we must be married
me out to Shanghai and the trip will
be our honeymoon ~
Richard Newton had come to War
rensville for n brief sojourn as tempo
rary manager Of chain Of stores. Com
bining the attributes Of a best seller
hero with a few individual attractions
Of, his own, he had strangely caused no
end of futtering in the community's
feminine hearts--among them James
In fact, the rumor was shuttled about
among her gossipy little crowd that
Jane was actually hard hit and was
making dead set for the newcomer.
And il must be confessed that. in so far
as such thing was possible for a
modest, well bred girl, Jane certainly
was. A carefully casual meeting now
md then, bid to call when the warm
summer night made the darkencd We
randa cool and invitational, an irresist-
ible gown-but every girl knows the
formula.
Dick had come, had seen, and after a
conservative delay hll the more provoca-
tive. had been conquered. Came the
hour when Jane whispered a properly
hesitant ''yes"-and now, in the near
future. nearer than she had dreamed,
tinkled the wedding bells.
Then, about the ears Of those CON
cerned, on the very day before the we'd
ding the universe all but tumbled.
Jane, her nerves worn to an edge by
: crowded days of preparation for an
event which would occupy at most n
brief hour or so, went suddenly to
pieces.
"It's-it's all a mistake :" she walled
TO Priscilla, who had paused astounded
In the act of stuffing with tissue paper
the sleeves of taffeta gown. IL
don't want to be married."
"Of-all--things ~ cried Priscilla
quite aghast. Jane Crawford, are you
crazy?"
"M-maybe." sobbed Jane. dabbing
at her eyes with silky bit of lingerie.
Il was certainly c-cirazy about Dick
until | got him. And now"
lin other words" said Priscilla
coldy. "he's a second Pinch. Well
what are you going to do about it?'
"Will you--will you tell him?" asked
Jane timidly.
For full minute Priscilla stared
blankly at her cousin. Then her glance
swept the room heaped with wedding
fncry and her expression grew thought
ful. "Wcll." she said at last, II sup
pose. as your maid Of honor. I'm at
your beck and call for most any old
job. So here goes l happen to know
that Dicks over at the house chinning
with Dad" She sprang up lightly,
tossed the taffeta gown in the trunk
tray and was gone.
During her cousins absence. which
was longer than she had anticipated,
Jane altcrnated between sighs of re-
lief and spasms of dread. What would
Dick say? How would he take it?
Would he-men did do such things
90 off and kill himself?
When Priscilla returned her eyes held
an odd expression altogether unfathom-
able. "Jane-I-I fully intended to do
as you asked-but, read for yourself :"
She extended mans size envelope,
then folded her hands and watched
James face aS she read:
Dear Janc--What will you think of
me? | regrct-well, let me bmrt the
whole thing out. feel like n cad. but
are you sure we had better go through
with this: DO we care enough, after
all ? Hadn't we better rectify mis-
take before it is too late?
RICHARD NEWTON"
For moment there was silence
silence so deep that the discordant tick
ing Of two gift clocks in distant room
was distinctly audible.
Then Jane flew to the telephone.
You, Dick? Well. listen! You cant
mean what YOU wrote! You-you--
why, my heart would be broken. Oh,
you'll think have no dignity-no
pride 1t is all right? Thank
heaven :"
Jane turned to her cousin. Don't
YOU ever tell II single soul. Priscilla
that | almost wasn't married AS for
Dick, just know | can make him
happy"
After the ceremony the following day
Dick managed a word with the maid
Of honor. you sure were n brick +"
he told her gratefully, putting me wise
how to deal with Jane yesterday. OF
course, it was only the excitement,
but"
"Of course" agreed Priscilla, "only
"a word of advice. Dick. Don't ever
let Jane feel too sure OF you 80
In the limousine that bore them away
Jane cast n suspicious glance at her
husband. What were you and Pris-
ella talking about? ! warn YOU I'm
going to be frightfully jealousT'
"Jealous|' cried Dick, drawing her
close. ''As If l could ever, ever, in all
the wide, wide world" he paused
suddenly mindful of Priscilla's parting
words. well. darling, If hadn't met
you hrst, Priscilla is one of the girls
would like to have married."