Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-06

anu 4, you, ne SAID graVely, Dut
he did not touch her. He stood quite
still, looking down at her with rather
sad eyes.
We'll enough toto give up n great
deal for my saks?' he asked presently,
with an effort.
She nodded.
well enough to give up everything"
she said in a whisper. Everything I
have-it isn't very much-but-"
lie put out his hand and took hers
he drew her down to sit beside him
on the sofa where Don had lain through
so many weary hours looking out into
the ugly street. He kept her hand In
his as he began to speak:
am poor man-you know that,
Jill. | told you when l first met you
that l had no money-that l was up
to my eyes in debt; that THAT | was
locking out for wife with money--a
rich woman"
Yes" said Jill, her lips curlcd into
4 little grave smile. A rich woman
lie knew that she had not a penny in
the world. She broke out impulsively :;
II don't mind being poor-we can be
happy even five have no money"
He did not answer then suddenly he
laid her hand down gently in the ian
OF her black frock and rose.
lie went over to the frcplace and
Nood staring down at the shavings
which filed ito
You don't understand poverty-as
| understand it, he said in a strained
voice. You don't understand the sort
OF poverty which is mine. | mean: the
sort of poverty which has to keep up
an appearance in spite of everything.
and live in n certain amount Of style:
and so about and belong to clubs. and
and =" he broke off
Jill said nothing, but her eyes never
eft him.
He went on: "You spoke Of Lady
Elrica Hewing just now, Jill-you said
She finished the broken sentence for
him: "Nlr. Sturgess told me that you
we're going to marry her."
She smiled as she spoke: she was
no longer jealous of Lady Erica
tyre. Surprising that what Mr..
Sturgess said is-truc:''
Jill stared at him; her eyes grew
wide with mystfcation. She could not
believe that Tallentyre had really
SpOken-his voice had been so harsh and
unmusical. She moistened her lips ner-
vously.
"Why-why do you say that?" she
asked tremulously. 1T hurts mel
! can t bear to hear you say n thing
like that"
She put her hands down, and
cutched at the sides of the couch to
steady herself; she did not know why,
but her heart was suddenly filled with
deadly fear-and yet. after all. what
had he said? Nothing. only
Somewhere downstairs the silence of
the little house was broken by a
woman's shrill laughter.
Jill started, and passed hand
across her eyes-she wondered for how
long she had been sitting there staring
at Tallentyre's averted face. She
tried to find her voice, but it seemed
to have shrunk away to whisper.
II only he would speak. If only he
would just turn and look at her. But
the minutes passed away and he did
not move.
She dragged herself to her feet at
last and went across to where he stood
her trembling lips formed a question
why don't you speak-why don't
you say something?"
Tallentyre moved then. When he
spoke his usually lazy voice was all
rough and disconnected he breathed
heavily between his broken sentences as
If each one cost him an effort.
I've tried to make you understand" :"
he said hoarsely, but ! suppose I've
failed. Ever since the first day we
met, I've done my best to try to make
you see me as | am. You
don't seem to understand. Jill
I'm poor man-in my way ! am prob.
ably poorer man than-than the hus-
band of the woman who runs this
house. He at least has no
appearance to keep up. while
] *' he shrugged his shoulders.
II We got to dress well. and get about
with the right people-it's .
it's impossible that can throw up the
sponge as men do in-in novels and
plays. and clear off abroad and make Il
do Of it somehow: I'm not built that
way-1 hate roughing it-I should
loathe to sleep on the floor or. out in
the fields-those sort Of hcroics don't
appeal to me. | like comfort
I like valet to shave me and press
my trousers he laughed
mirthlessly. He realized all at once
how useless this argument was-how
unimprcssed it would leave Jill, no
matter what he said.
should be impossible for him TO be
happy in n couple Of rooms, on n small
income, even with her. Why. he would
loathe the life, and find it impossible
absurd
When he stopped speaking she made
no comment, and he stumbled on
again:
''l've got to marry for money, or go
under that's the case in a
nutshell. I'm presenting
myself to you deliberately in the worst
possible light. I'm no hcro--I don't
pretend to be; couldn't be If | tried
I've never dOnc Il days work
in my life. and ! don't want to
I'm born lonc, If you know what
that means I'm the sort Of
man who ought to have been given
twenty thousand a year aud no rcspon-
sibilitics never had any
brains suppose suppose I haven't
You all this now. But you've got to
understand that ! cant marry you, and
why. | care for you more than
I've ever cared for any one in all my
life. Perhaps that ism saying great
deal. but if were rich man -"
lic stopped. with little indrawn
breath, Only.tu rush on once more. "But
IT'S no uac talking like that.
You don't understand. can see You
cant look at tho situation from my
point Of view; you are dcspising me for
every word am saying know you
are. thouGh ! am not looking at you
You think | ought to be happy
Just to have YOU, and let the rest Of
the world 60 hang violin
nv heart know you 'rc right from youy
noint nj view but il & nOint nf Wow,