The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-05-26
Chapter rs
LANGLEY


After all the talk and preparations
about gong to the city. it was we'll
along towards Fall before Ruth got
of She left Sunday afternoon, and
Saturday evening Langley came to
see her.
Saturday she was sure to be alone,
for it was the big night at the club
and all their friends were certain to
be out in the little farmhouse that
had been made up in temporary fash
ion as a place to dance and play and
firt in. Ruth had only gone out to
the club occasional for game Of
tennis since her fathers death.
So she sat this Saturday evening in
big wicker armchair, in a favorite
position-her knees doubled up so she
half sat upon her feet and so she was
completely swallowed up by the big
chair. -
Langley lounged back in the ham,
mock. smoking cigarettes and blowing
out clouds of blue smoke to catch the
lamp light and to be lit up into a sort
of blue illumination by the soft light.
Something amusing happened to-
day." Ruth said. Il had letter from
a Miss Joan Bryce, who is special
writer for woman's magazine, I've
forgotten which one. She wants me to
tell her about my share in making up
South Marketown. and all the things
in the way of Fairgrounds here she
seems to think i've put through"
so you have put them through.
What else did she say"
She wanted, she said, to interview
me. Isn't that funny? It's overnight
from here to New York where she
lives. Why should she be interested
in a prosaic little person like me-"
Langley blew out another smoke
cloud, watching it till it was caught in
the glow of the lamp.
There's such a thing as too much
nodesty, my dear" he remarked. You
have done all she claims and lot
more. Recognize it, and acknowledge
it. What did you write herr"
Nothing yet. I could call her up at
her magazine when l get into New
York, but thought I'd wait, then write
and say I hadn't done anything
Ruth, once in while you make me
mad"
Ruth laughed at this, for the man
was in earnest, SO much so that he sat
up on the couch to lecture her. She
listened meekly to his lecture, and
then promised to let the woman know
where to find her in the city.
You're the most amazing girl |
ever saw anyway. l don't know what
I would ever have done in this place
if it had not been for you,'' he ended.
Gone on to another town in the
course OF your work. she responded
practically. You did that anyway.
You went on to Ohio
And came back" he answered her.
Il came back to help you work out the
details of the scheme for a factory
town that was your sole idea, but
think | would have come anyway
Why" She asked it in frank curl
osity and without any trace of CO
quetry.
ITO see you, to be near you," he
said.
There was a silence, so sudden, SO
deep. that it seemed almost startling.
Langley had never talked like this be-
fore. To be sure. he had picked her
up in his arms the night after her
father died, but it was only as though
he we're grown man soothing grief
stricken child. There had been little
enough sentiment in an otherwise
sentimental action.
And now you are sending me away
10 New York for month" She laughed
nervously as she said it. She was
ready to say anything to break this
sudden silence, and these words came
first into her head.
Il have a special reason for doing
that. One thing is that | want you to
have complete change-the change
from small town to large, from people
with one outlook on life to people with