Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-02

the Sparks home and occupying con-
siderable of Kathryn's time. When
| she did realize what IL medht Mrs.
| Sparks felt jubilant at first, believing a
| way out Of the financial dilemma In
which she found herself had been
opened. If Kathryn would marry Mr..
Gordon the Sparks family would be Oh
easy street.
1t made no difference. at first, that
Kathryn was only nineteen while
Nathan was forty. He did not look
more than thirty, and might have
passed for that, only Mrs. Sparks re-
membered a school birthday party long
| ago in which Nathan and she had been
the principal figures because their an
niversaries came on the same day, al
though he was three years her elder
Frances, in her younger days, had been
| a bright pupil and forged ahead of
others Of her own age.
When love came to be considered
Mrs. Sparks was skeptical. She did
not say there was no such thing as
love. but she was rather inclined to the
view that marriage was a business
partnership. Kathryn's father had been
killed in n railroad wreck in the West
after leaving his wife and baby during
one of the periodical domestic disagree
ments to which the Sparks household
had grown accustomed. Fortunately,
his life had been well insured and thus
the widow and her child had been able
| to keep the wolf a safe distance from
the door.
Then suddenly one day Mrs. Sparks
came to herself. Could such n marriage
be n happy one? Could n girl of nine
| teen settle down with a man of another
generation? Could his wealth possibly
atone for the wide difference in their
| ages? She recalled the song, which told
Of a girls beauty being ''sold for an
old mans gold" and it made her
afraid. What had she been thinking Of!
She must interfere.
But how could she interfere? Ger
tainly it would not be quite right for
her to take the matter up with Kath
ryn after she had permitted the affair
to 60 this far, yes and even encouraged
il with her reticcncc. II would be un-
diplomatic, too, for such interference
usually defeats its own aims. But
Kathryn's beauty must not be 'sold for
an old mans gold" II there was any
way to avoid It. Nathan was not an
old man by any means, from Mrs.
Sparks viewpoint, but in contrast with
her daughter he was.
AS Mrs. Sparks thus cogitated she
looked out of the window of her bed
room and saw Nathan Gordon get out
of his roadster and start up the walk
to the house. He progressed with n
determined gait, and something told
Frances that the crisis was at hand.
This was substantiated presently when
she heard Mr.. Gordon downstairs ask
ing for your mother lnasmuch az
Kathryn was the person addressed
Frances was the one sought.
Il believe she's upstairs, but she may
have gone out" she heard Kathryn
say. "Ill go up and see"
Hes coming to ask permission to
marry Kathryn Mrs. Sparks told her
self. II must postpone it--until have
| time to think a way out of the mess "
| She slipped into n Jacket and hur-
ried down the hall to the back stair =
way. Descending. she FASTENED out to
the garage and presently emerged driv =
ing the Sparks family motor. At q
fast pace she drove out into the street
and away.
Nature is good person to consult
when problems arise. and Mrs. Sparks
drove into the country. Her mind Oc-
cupied with her new found troubles
she happened to glance backward ant
see Nathan Gordon $ roadster pursu =
ing at good pace. With him was
Kathryn.
Frances opened the throttle and the
little car hummed but the big roadster
behind drew nearer, uttering shrieks
which might have meant get out OF
the way or wait a minute" Mrs.