Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-16
THE APOLOGY.

THE AfOIott-
Chapter XCIX
Ruth did not answer for so long that
Tim repeated his question. Anyway,
we weren't engaged when ] came TO
New York were we, Ruth!
He was still standing, or rather lean
ing against the table, head down and
arms folded the smoking cigarette held
between his fingers.
Several dcns flashed through Ruth
mind. What did he mean?
Did he hope they were engaged--or
that ,thev weren't? Did he feel that in
some way he had done dlshonorable
thing in not letting her know how affairs
stood between himself and Myral
Was he irving 10 soothe his own con
science when he asked in this way whcth-
or or not they were engagedI
What do YOU mean? Ruth asked.
But she answered 10y saying immediately
I've wercn t.
But this, again. had tho unexpected
effect on the man Instead of seeming
relieved Tim grew moody
Even so, | acted pretty rotten, no
remarked disgust of himself IN his tones.
You couldn't help falling IN love with
Mvra' Ruth bcgau TO defend him against
himself
THAT lust it wasn't" Tim straight
encd up suddenly and turned 20 facc
Ruth, still leaning OF lonOglnE AGAINST
the big table Ruth Eyou'vc got t. hear
me san this. don't care what YOU think.
The pirl settled down in the chair,
and waited
''You can SAY We vcrcn engaged when
came here that $ part of your sweet
ness hut We were At least certainty
| considered myself So when ! landed mere
and when | went 10 work
Il wasn't getting much. and out OF
| that ! tried t. save httIc bought
| my lunch in cheap place, and some
/ tunes went without | walked instead
| Of riding to work. did All sorts 81 thIogs
| like thnt t. put by nichcls nnd quarters
| liked 10 do il knew YOU were having
| a hard time there alone IN that barn 81
| a house, trviug to make cIuls mrrt and
| | used to go hungry on the DAYS whom !
| got So worried tor fear you were hungry
| too. You were pretty poor then
Il remember quite wcl, liuth Sud
quietly .
was vour fncnd and | WAS 80 lone
some anyone whose face III rvcT 7cen
/ before would have bccn welcome ! nCvor
| liked Nyra much iu the old Gays at home
/ She used 50 niu after me-
Ruth stirred impa'lcatlY She did
not watt Ia hear this, but linn went on
"She used tn run after me | thought
vau know t. She even called me up 81
! take her 10th, II tsS dtnce W h"u you ugr1d-
uated. though she knew wanted e
ask YOU
You didn't, till tie night bcfolc
Because Mvrn had phor 81 and
| promised to 90 with hcr ! gl,css he got
au attack ~ conscience III" day before
/ for she called up and sud samctmug elNout
/ getting her dates twisted Of course
asked YOU, always wnntcd u ucvel
wanted to sec any q the Flrlsin our crowc
al home but you.
anyway, got 70 know Myra bette
i'll the city she was different ~ thought
Sic wa@ Her cousin had 2 good effect n
her You know Nyra takes after ~,
With Gnbv ard shell como home full .
Gahv's manncrisrrs and tricks Same
way with Emily same way with ever
some az these people living arouud y
chat We We pcked up since We married
He ground ont the smouldeurg en-
of the cigarette II an ash tray on n
table. and went on
but ] thought she WAS lots difIercn
and much more Interesting. And WA
lonely. "a / came around lot She ha
such pretty clothes-not ike those p
girls al home wore She WAS So So
Never mind ! know, Ruth said
She could see just how allunng Nyr
az the age had beea
II kissed her orcc That was whe'
q IL. oh 7
Won But she liked il and l kissed he
agar II course ] began to nun aroua,
town with her ! had to buy good clofhe
III 90 with that set 80 ! borrowed morey
Ana w let dnfted along The othe
fellows paid the bills for the parties unit
I was 81 sick OF not havinf money i wa
: ready ID rob for II.
Then that guy-I forget his mans
game along TO re-adjust our othc'
He was pretty efficient, he knew rus
how much labor We needed for ever
lob. and where the men should woT'
and how TO TX them SO they worke
better He made psychology test 5 {
some. and made lots char sc Jobs 20 one
II the office they were better fitted for.
But be found ] was USELESS theT
not needed only an addition OF u
payroll That meant exit for me-but
lie was avfully decent He was SO sort
he 20, me another job-and 81 bette
salary You can bet I was glad he cam
around then
so when be mentioned be was goin
on 10 Marketown l gave him lett
to YOU, by way Of sh owing hIm / vi
grateful And ] thought you might rel
BIN a rOom-you needed people III yol
house. DID be come? ] forgot his name
was it VIII 2"
Ruth pointed 10 a card that lay VI
der the great bunch Of roses on the tabh
Tin read tit said Langley Williams
He looked up suddenl y