The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-16
Chapter "a.
LETTERS,

When Ruth had been in the city
about two weeks, she received her
first long letter from Langley. She
had written him asking him whether
he really sent the flowers that she
found in her living room when she
arrived at the hotel. and how he got
them there, and telling him how she
loved them.
In answer she had a letter with
some instructions regarding her bust
ness in the ity, and postscript say
ing he was glad she liked the flowers
and that there was no mystery in
getting them there, beyond writing an
order to a well-known city florist to
have them delivered to her.
Then came his telegram saying he
was off TO Chicago for short vaca-
ton.
Meantime, she had been thinking a
great deal about Langley in the few
hours she had to herself He grew
more attractive the longer she was
away from him, and the day she mo-
tored with the Coopers through a par
ticularly lovely part of the Hudson
valley, she found herself wishing often
that he was along to enjoy the trip
with her.
The fact that he had gone to Chica-
20 worried her a little-in Chicago
lived the girl he had once loved, who
had for years KEPT him from taking
any interest in any other woman. Ruth
remembered their last talk before She
left, when he said he was entirely free
from the old affection and that he
fnr he
lieved him-now when she heard he
was in Chicago, she quite disbelieved
him.
Without knowing it, she had put
halo of romance around him, because
OF his old love affair, because of the
broken heart she was sure he was
carrying around with him yet.
"A broken heart always makes n
man more attractive to woman
dan't you thing, Miss O'Neil?" Newell
Cooper said to her one evening Newell
Cooper was the younger brother OF
the Mr. Cooper she was doing business
with. But as he himself was not in
business. her talks with him were al
ways when she was at tea or dinner
with the Cooper family. He possess
ed large income, was rather a well
known musician and composer, and
was noted for his wit
why should il make a man moro
attractive?" Ruth asked in return.
Because she always thinks she can
mend il Of course" he answered, smil.
inf down at her from his superior
height. He was very tall too. and
dark and affected the small nous
tache that seemed so popular with
the young men who frequented the
Cooper's.
THAT was a bromide, and | apollo
rize for it," he went on. That's been
said in every would-be clever maya
zine for years. But don't you think.
seriously, that a broken heart makes
a man attractive?"
NO it would make me sorry for
him"
Exactly! There you have proved
my bromide so true that I withdraw
my apology for It. I wish now I had
broken heart for your sorrow"
Il can't imagine you with one. You
take life so lightly" Ruth said, smiling
back at him.
But later on she thought over this,
and wondered whether Langley's old
love affair had really made him more
appealing to her. especially because
she was in the same state and frankly
felt sorry for herself
Later on, too, she had learned that
Newell had been very much in love
with a beautiful young SINGER, who re-
fused to marry man whose influence
put her on the operate stage. And
she found herself liking this good
looking man very much better be
cause of the story Mrs. Cooper con.
fided to her
So when a letter came in Langley 5
handwriting, postmarked Chicago, shl
hesitated a moment before she opened
ii.
1t was long and chatty and interest
ing TO read. Towards the end of Il
he said:
You have probably guessed thai
my reason for coming here had some
thing TO do with the girl | used tc
know, whose story you have heard
from me | wrote to her first. Il
make sure she was in town before
decided TO take my vacation here