Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-25
IN D15EY NovSLErrE
At the Crossroads
~. A w PEACH

u barton Ellis looked WIN sV"o' o,,,
- bis Office window at the tall
~. beyond the square, with his
Iuilaihhts m the problem before him.
Qout that he had come to the
he ssds snd and that road TINT invited
sTo vas not the road that ne wanted
g iie, i,ne with his gaze was the dark
~ I'D round cheek OF the girl who
@ worth far more than the meager
he had been able to pay her
| his lawyers income. She bad
I'm faithful to him. and quiet com
vsSeship had grown up between them
,rtil the thought OF losing ner had De-
scme a constant worry 70 MN. -,
cow. cus tnrned to the papers on his desk.
"a .stote which had been in his caro-
AZ 30 be settled. lie had handled 1t
wa wasell that 1t had yielded $40 900 more
any one would suspect. BY omit
that account from his papers, the
tSnooD would be his. and no one in
world would ever be the wiser.
M Ws.h that money he could place him
IN q position that would bring more
snnortunity, end his present hand-to-
pnrrtb struggle and make possible. per.
Nns-a home. and in spite Of himself
Glanced nt the dark head and
stcbed the white, capable fingers busy
vi Ii withdrew from the papers in front
y him set of three. and folded the
sshers into the envelope. The pers-
Ssrstion broke out over him. and he
xayered; then he sealed the envelope
HIs foresight had made possible the
thousands. They woul Id be his.
Ths golden glory. OF the late sunset
sveen square. He closed his desk with
trembling hand, and turned.
soTime to quit. Ruth. Suppose we
- 10 lunch together" he suggested.
She looked up with a smile from eyes
over which the long lashes laid their
Ssrkness. "Just three more lines,
niease," she said, "and IN be ready
Outside the building they turned In
tbs direction of a favorlte restaurant.
o. the way he came to mall box,
and he held the long envelope ready to
Sroo Il in. For a second he paused,
men he dropped the letter in and
aarted quickly along.
Over the shaded table in the quiet
corner of the little restaurant he faced
ksr. Never had she seemed 80 sweet,
wholesome and sincere to him with the
memory of his own guilt upon him.
ruth. I sometimes wonder why you
are willing to help me when you could
command better conditions and salary
than I can give you.' he queried.
don't talk shop. II LIKE think
want to be in it." she answered.
ellis future" The phrase hurt rs
he thought Of what lay in the darkness
Of the mailbox. He turned the con-
yermtion. and they chatted Of this and
that. 'the nothings that make up life,"
until they parted.
The next day at his Office tho bottom
fell out Of the sky. for she sent him
word that she would not be at the office.
His own sense Of guilt heavy upon him,
be figured frantically on ways by which
she might have discovered his act. But
the day after she appeared. the same
vinsome, comforting presence that had
come to mean so much to him.
On that dny he received his second
shock. On that day into his office came
the gray headed Mclean. head of the
great investment firm of the north of
he State. Quickly he came to bust
ness.
ELLIS, happen to know of the fine
way you handled the Dartmore estate.
II was clean ten or twelve thousand
above what was normally expected.
We've decided to make you our legal
agent here and the retainer will be
satisfactory he added. naming a sum
that made Ellis catch his breath. "Of
course you will accept?"
When the whirlng room had settled
Ellis came to with a gasp. He had not
rent the money, and yet the gruff
Scotchman had referred to 1t. What
could be
He looked In the direction Of Ruth,
X TO find her dark head turned In his
direction.
II couldn't help hearing, Barton.
4 What glorious opportunity !" she said
eagerly.
But something in her eyes-a look be-
yond his analysis struck through him
sense Of great hurt-of love in
agony.
He sprang to his feet with single
( cry, Ruth !"
She came to him with rush. hiding
her face against his cont, while his
arms pressed her tighter and tighter
I, to him
"Ruth-you know!'
Her head moved on his shoulder.
His heart sank from light down into
shadows that no human plummet can
ever sound; but the chill that went
ever him brought the dead calm of
Tell me. You saved me. but how?"
he begged.
You forgot that had seen the
papers, she said, and then breath
isssly she told him how she had with
iawn her own small fortune left her
y her father and how making use of
hef experience in his Office she had