Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-25

| 'eu' Sne sort OF sorry Tor you
Sorry for mel" Bertha's voice rose
passionately. "weli. she needn't % io1 Se !
Scraggly, bomely thing living in that
tumbledown old house as a caretaker !
Sorry for me! Why I look younger
than she does this minute I'm pret.
tier! I'M
Cunnin' barked apologetically. He
was little and old and sleepy. Bertha
flew to let him in. She cuddled him in
her arms.
Did 'um lazy ole master put 'um
out in 'ee rain alone"
Charles shrugged his shoulders. Ber-
tha was hopeless so far as he was con .
cerned. Impossible. WEAKNESS again
possessed him. Life stretched out in :
tolerably before him. He went up to
bed without a word.
Bertha paused outside his door. Cum
MIN under her arm. Whatever she
meant to say was forgotten when she
caught a glimpse Of her slim self in
the lovely negligee reflected In the hall
mirror. She smiled complacently. After
I all, what had she to fear from an un-
attractive woman like Maggie Sher-
manF She could afford to be magnani-
nous. Besides, she was bit puzzled by
the way Charles was acting.
If you really want me TO 20 call
on her, why l WILL" she conceded. II
| suppose she must be having q stupid
time, not knowing anybody around here.
l guess you're about the only person
who's talked with her, and of course
you mad to--as long as your aunt had
befriended her MS she did. But you
90 have to admit she is terribly dow
dy. She won't be invited much any.
where even IL I do call on her. But I'll
80 once, anyhow, and see what she's
like"
He nodded absent -mindedly. He
wasn't in the least aware Of what she
was saying. He was thinking of Mar
gerry. S glowing eyes; he was remember
ing how her voice had deepened when
she had said. oh, how | shall love
paying back even little of that debt
! can't begin to give you anything like
the lovely moments that
1t was pleasant when his light was
out to lie on his arm boyishly and think
back to the surprises that he had
planned for the shabby little girl around
the corner. He remembered dusty
road. pink with periwinkles, along
which they had trudged toward the tiny
lake in which he had taught the eager
child'to swim. How delectably cool the
water had been How restful the tender
green of the willows that arched above
the pool
His tired body relaxed with a jerk.
He slept and dreamed that he dived
into the inviting depths of the pool.
Mysteriously he came up at Aunt De.
borah's feet, and in the lovely grape
vine shadows Of her old side porch she
let him boast of how he should some day
set his particular world afre. In his
dreams he waxed rich and influential,
kind benefactor OF score of youngsters
like Maggie. adored father Of three or
four cherubic daughters, proud father
OF robust son or two!
He awoke blcsscdly oblivious of the
never to. be achieved but refreshed by
their inspiration he was in extraordi-
narily fine humor. tingling with pleas
ant expectancy of what the day might
bring forth. He walked to the station
with the Anderson kid, chuckling all
the way at the youngsters naive cor
descension. He arrived at the station
two trains ahead of time.
Somebody left you million dol
lars?" quizzed a nosy neighbor Mar
gerry had already dubbed the Chronic
Obvious.
This kind of a day makes me feel
that way Charles was baudly COM
placent. "1y w. State aunt called this
kind Of day 'scrumdigunous' !"
Bertha spent fully two hours that
afternoon dressing to call on Margery.
She meant to dazzle her, to overwhelm
her, to put her in her proper place. For
after all she was nobody but a girl who
had washed dishes for family named
Robinson. She was an ugly ducklins
who hadn't grown into a swan.
Pretty Mrs. Shirley was very pleas
ant to look upon when she was ready. |
Her bronzod hair curled smoothly un-
dor her broad brimmed hat: slender and |
appearing in soft blue frock |
that made her eyes seem bluer than they |
were. She tripped TO the end of the |
street on heels so high that she was |
naughty indeed. She regretted her |
chauffeur's Illness as she hadn't re-
tion it and her benevolence toward him |
as soon as she arrived, and she intended |
to call briefly and formally.
Margery was in the sideyard giving
TIudge a bath. She wore an old linen
riding habit, her bare feet were thrust
into Chinese straw sandals with gay red
straps. She had been washing her hair
It hung, half-dricd, across the shoul-
ders of thoroughly wet blouse.
Don't mind sitting on the steps
while l finish off this purp, do your"
She was casual. not in the least awed
by the elegance OF her caller. II sup
pose yours never dives into the mud
nfter ilirtatiOus frOggies-mine is such
n trifier ~ she scrubbed vigorously.
Poor dear, it hurts him worse than 1t
hurts me-"
Bertha swallowed hard For some
reason she found her thrOat
aching. She could think of nothing to
say. She wished desperately that the
Jhcr woman would go on talking. But
4 stupid pause followed in which Mar
gerry seemed quite obivious that Bertha
was taking an unwilling inventory.
"Her skin is wonderful-she doesn't
wear corsets-she isn't pretty, but her
feet and her hands archer teeth are
IOvely-the back of her neck is lovely
but she isn't pretty! She isn't! !" Her
thoughts whirled wildly. Blindly jealous
she struck.
"No, don't stop. can't stay very
long. I'm just on my way to a tea.
Charles thought you might be getting
lonesome when--when you haven't
much, to do and don't know anybody
here"
Margery put down the scrub brush.
Haven't responsibility in the
. giddy, gorgeous feeling. Rented
funny old catboat, bought new
rroquet set. some fishing tackle-oh,
I can hardly keep both feet on the
ground thinking on all the things I'm
going to do this summerl Golf and
tennis and ride and swim
UIs TINT ell ynn'ra going 10 dn2N