Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-09
THE ONE UNNANTED
BY RUBY AYRES
author of a bachelor Husband" etc.
Copyright by Wheeler Syndicate. Inc.

But to my surprise she said nothing.
She looked almost subdued, and / be-
gan to hope that she had realized how
useless IL was to try to interfere.
] spent the afternoon at my bedroom
window, hoping that Mark would come
over again, though he had said moth.
ing about IL. Hut though ] stayed there
till | was chilled TO the bone, and II
had got so dark that could hardly
distinguish anything, he did not come.
, and | went down to tea dispiritcdly.
Tea was solemn affair that day. Mr..
and Mrs. hlbCrry hardly spoke. though
they looked at me from time to time
as IL | had committed some deadly sin
and ] was thankful when the meal was
ended.
] made up my mind that | would
write TO mother that night and tell her
my news. so that she would get both
Marks letter and mine by the same
post. ! could picture her surprise. and.
as | thought In my ignorance. her re-
lief. TO think that the one unwantcd
daughter in the family was safely Of
her hands forever
In spite of what Mark had said, it
never occurred to me that they might
seriously object. If it had been either
of my pretty sisters who had chosen
/
different. | knew, but for Newell. I
had never mattercd to any one.
SO | put new nib in my pen and
had sat down at the long kitchen table
to write my letter when the dogs tied
ny in the yard outside began to bark
furiously.
Mark" !" I thought and my pulses
began to race.
But it was not he. for he ALWAYS
walked in without knocking. and this
time the crazy, old fashioned bell al
the front door tangled unmusiCaly
through tho house.
heard Mrs. Albcrry go TO answer it.
and then I heard mans voice. and n
moment later she came into the kitchen,
"A gentleman to see you. miss. and
oh. dear. no fire in the sitting room
| again. II I'd only known he was COM
lng---'
II didn't know either" | said
/ GROSSLY. And who is he. nuyway:"
The man answered for himself. step
| ping into the coy light of the Kitchen .
and u was Lionel Champion.
! dropped the pen and jumped up.
Goodness.' ] said> "whatcvcr have
| you come fOr?"
Mr.. Champion laughed as we shook
! hands.
"Wcll. rs yon are so frank. will be-
th" same" Il" said. "I'vc come 20 see
you
''But l only saw you ycstcrday." /
SAID. amazed. II thought you were
gong back 10 London with father"
so | did. and ! came back again
this morning. ! am staying at Lang
ton. ] told YOU ! .!Iad n house thorc,
or didn't ]? forget Anyway. I have.
and as time hung rather heavily on nv
hands ] thought | would come over and
ask when You will LET me give you
your first riding lesson
"Oh. whenever you like. cried i'm
pulSivrlY then stopped. and my eyes
fell. "Oh. I'm 80 Sorry." broke out
in confusion. "but--hUt I'm afraid !
can't. You SoC--you SOC. lots of things
hav" happened since yesterday"
II" raised his brows.
"SinCc yesterday. In So short a
time? What sort Of thing -
looked down at the letter had bo-
gun 10 write; tho words Dear Mothrr'
stared up nt me from an otherwise
blank sheet Of paper.
"Wcl,---if you must know--Im en-
gagged to be married." | said with Il
rush.
He echoed mS words incrcdulousiy.
Engaged to be married?"
nodded "YcS-- and oh. please don I
say that I'm too young. or cali me Il
rLild. or anything aggravatnG like that,
bc"aus" | know my own mind perfectly
we'll. and thut'S all about it,
He asked curtly: "And the lucky
man do | know him.
. nodded. "NCs--at least. yuu told
mo You did. It's Mr.. AnderSon-Mark