Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-22

THE JOURNEl.
Chapter LXXVllI.
The pause lasted a few moments Lang
ky's cigarette had gone out. lie hao ofol,
ped it INTO the tray on the table, anu ps,J
large hand lay there on the table, cieneiieo
a little. so the knuckles showed white;
Ru,h kent looking at il Ms she talked, anu
urconsc,ously thought what q strong
sne looking hand Langley possesseu'
She went on with her story
oYo,,'ve been n wonderful triend 10
ma We've worked and payed together'
we've all sorts of interests IN common om1
II friendship is basis Tor love, we-"ei''
We have that basis. Only n.
She paused, looking up at his lace i'e
waited for her to 90 on. -,
"o,Iv of course, IL takes more tiian
s-;o,dsS;r, 20 make love affair-or
ha,ny marriage. I'll admit IT takes that.
pcrbsns friendship is even the most mn
,,or,ont element in love-but 1T ism I all
Tberc's something else, don't know what
it is" u,,
The man smiled little:
"sIt's that something OF course that
o,.,r, noet and every ritter has been
irving 10 put into words for centuries.
perbaps IL does not analyge--
ITS the thing that made me ready
"a give up everything | wanted to do or
20 be when Tim put his arms around me;
she said, the red coming more strongly
into her cheeks. "lt's anything you say
u don't pretend to know. Only rs long
- bovo,.t that. whatever that is, m
not in love, and | would not want TO
marry N
She looked again at the strong, weli
shaved hand which still lay in the circle
of lamplght ON the table.
cts no use being sentimental be-
cause We re- here alone for the moment,
sbe went on little cruelty. =" You aren
M love with me that way either. know
II Won had been, months ago when you
pcLcd me up and held me in your lap-the
night after father died. do YOU remember
and | was CRYING so-you would nave
kissed me You didn't II wash sentl-
mcnt. YOU were Just sorry for
Il was a little afraid 70 kiss you' he
confessed nalvely
Ruth looked up at him, suddenly
not quite able 10 look as frankly INTO
lis eyes rs she had been before.
Il have another proof it's only friend
ship. She said You've persuaded the
committee to send me to New York, and
ymi want me to go-alOne. You know
IN see Tim again and YOU know | have
been m love with Tim Tor years, ever since
w were children
You'll forget It all soon
"\o. | think I'm the sort that loves
once and only once " She said 1t very
seriously. and sho believed H. I'm 2l now.
almost - That's grown ZIP enough to
know my feelings Anyway, YOU are send,
lng me 10 the city where the one man
love is living. and YOU know ! shall see
hm Now. If YOU were in love with me. you
would not want me 10 50 there.
HAav4ru f4r
her a. She sat curled up IN the chair.
II think you're only a child, after
an. he remarked irrelevantly. Il have 2
spocial reason why want you ~ 60 TO
New York. and to see MIR Tim. But u
not tcll YOU what il is until YOU come
home again.
She leaned back looking up At him
Its wicked 10 sav I'm in love with
Tim. ~he answered But | will tell You.
and I won't ever tell anyone else. ! am
Perhaps he was not as hne man as YOU,
parhaps he hasn't YOUR ability. but ~
course he IS Younger, so he hasn { had 50
much chance vet. and at present he
has to earn a salary to take care oi a
wife and baby, 50 he has 10 play sale
Perhaps being tied down to domostT'
routine is going 10 kill him Tor career
7 don't know
ability. fo, she wants only good times
and She hasn't any ambition nor any
great intellect Tim has and Langley, We
we're good friends, too. That is, we tramp
"a and talked and lie told me the wonder
ful things he wanted tO do and ! told him
the wonderful thing ! wanted TO do. III
loved the sort of music I did, he loved th'
serious books father ard read. I'm SUR
VIC were tho best of friends So YOU sec
had a basis Of friendship for that low
too
But IL had more Her check
felt hot. but she went on bTavely. w hel
he put his arms around me had all tn
other sort Of love that woman has +
have for man an-and a man for a woman
to make happy marriage VIC woui'
have been perfectly happy Few marrle'
people are
"And you wouldn't even want m
70 kiss YOU goodbye
NO Let's Just stay friends-langle
dear. 1t isn't that sort Of love on elthe
your part OF mine-hut its very sweet
whatever it is. and I'm glad ] know you
could not have lived through this othe
thing without YOU.
He held out his hand and she too
"But you'll be here-when get back?
she asked quickly
"On the station platform TO, NEE
YOU -
And with that he left. And next nigh
Ruth found herself in the sleeper, ono
moro listening TO the clicking Of the wheel
over the rails as she sped on her way t
the great city Of her dreams,
And this time. too, she felt that grea
thing, were awaiting her there.
Monday-The New City.