Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-29
Chanter LxxXIy.


! Chapter LXXXIV.
The next day, which was tho third
IN Ruth's stay in the city, she attended
TO q great deal more OF the work sssigneo
by her committee, and managed 70 oe
through in time to meet the young man
with the small moustache for tea, as sne
had promised.
"Having tea," as she expressed It., was
the most exciting thing that could nave
happened. She decided that when she
rot home abe would have tea served to
her as soon as she came in from her work,
and then have dinner little later. In the
city. they seemed to dine at extraordinary
bolrs-eight and even half past eight;
The girl smiled as she passed the crowded
dining room Of the hotel At home, she
was often thinking of going to bed when
these people were beginning dinnerl
But the two things that seemed to
her the greatest marks Of leisure and
h,x,lrv were-having tea, and her white
satin nepligee. And this afternoon, she
spent q pleasant hour talking to the
Young chap who wanted to know great
deal about her work and who seemed to
admire her immensely. And then she
went to her apartment.
1t was o'clock. and she was very
tired The excitement of the city, the party
the night before, the work she had done
that day, had completely exhausted her.
She looked forward to whole evening
by herself.
Besides, there were all the. boxes Of
purchases to be undone.
One takes easily to luxury. Ruth had
lazy, warm bath, and put on the negbgee
she had purchased few days before. Its
cleaning white satin folds draped her
figure and gave her slimness and grace
she never suspected. And there was a
little blue here and there too--she noticed
suddenly that her eyes were quite blue and
of a very pretty shade. She let down her
hair. and went in to her little boudoir TO
read the evening paper and to rest awhile.
'Shall you have dinner up here? |
myself will serve it" the little French
maid offered. And Ruth nodded, de-
lighted at the idea.
II must make out list of things for
Miss Vance TO buy for me, she said,
while the maid arranged the big tray
on a low tabl by the couch. Il must
have a boudoir cap, mustn't |, Marie"
I, The maid nodded.
(. "And some perfumes" she said, eager
to help make up the list. on have no
powder, no rouge, no smelling salts
But never faint, don I need that,
Ruth protested writing out her list:
The maid paused. "Stil you should
have them. And bath salts, and che
ran off a dozen articles, some of them
strange to the unsophisti Gated girl from
the little town. Ruth VIZ ote them down,
she wanted at least TO know what all
these things were. And she added
bathrobe, gloves, a handbag, blouses
and various other items to her ever
growing list.
A telegram came up TO her.
'fOff for vacation, too, thread. Going
TO Chicago. Langley"
To Chicago-that's where the girl lived
the girl who had taken so much Of Lang
ley's belief. and who had ennbittered him,
for yearslLittle chillyfeeling went through
her. Suppose. after all, he should see the !
girl and find he still loved her He protest /
ed he did not any more, but
Ruth lay back on the couch thinking |
about it. She had thought 81 Langley |
as the sort who only loved once. he
said he loved her now. But. after all,
hadn't this strange girl taken the BEST
of mis- devotionf Could he give TO the
second love all he had given to the first? |
Could he live the second woman IS he |
loved the first?
She decided he could not, and lay for
q long time thinking of this and feel |
ing very unhappy about it. She wanted I
to love Langley-in many ways she |
did love him. They were such good friends, |
so very companionAble.
She thought of the young man she |
had taken tea with-good looking, charm |
ing. intelligent, brave, adventurous, with |
an easy air that seemed 10 give him COM |
mand OF the world. Yet fascinating as he |
was-he was not the type she would |
ever care about
But then she was the sort that could |
love only once. And she was still In love |
with Tim.
More than that, she had to see Tim |
and Myra while she WAS IN the city. Other !
wise gentle little Mrs. Weed would feel |
offended, and some people would comment |
on it
Feeling that the dreaded affair might |
as well be gotten off st once, she picked |
I'D the always handy telephone. She re
membered the number, for Myra had |
written it In letter. Myras voice came |
presently.
This is Ruth
There WIS silence.
ruth O'Niel."
This time there was a gasp, then q /
torrent of delighted exclamations.
you didn't say you were coming, |
and mother hasn't written for ages. |
Did you just get In? Where are you?
When are you coming to see me?'
Ruth tried to answer all these ques-
tions in their order.
'fTim's here TIM The voice raised
itself calling someone In another room.
Its Ruth. III make her come to dinner
tomorrow Ruth-Ruth, viii you come |
up and have dinner tomorrow? / want /
you to see the baby, he's the sweetest |
thingp'
Ruth promised All the excitement |
had gone out of her. She was tired, and
great deal In dread of the visit to Myra's |
tomorrow.
Monday-The Visit
crrcDC nE rECCtE ANTI INE