Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-22

If you don't, it's because you won't
face the facts"
Dick chucklcd and threw an arm
over David's shoulder,
"You old hypocritel' he said.
you're trying to get rid Of me for
some reason. Don't tell me you're go
ing to get married ~
But David did not smile. Lucy,
watching him from her post by the
window, saw his face and felt spasm
of fear. At the most she had feared
a mental conflict in David. Now she
saw that It might be something infinite
ly worse. something impending and i'm
mediate. She could hardly reply when
Dick appealed to her.
"Are you going to let him get rid
of me like this, Aunt Lucyt' he de-
mapded. 'Scntcncod to Johns Hop
kins, like Napoleon to St. Helena ! Are
YOU with me, or forninst meT'
II don't know. Dick" she said
with her eyes on David. "1f It's foi
your good
She went out after time, leaving
them at it hammer and tongs. David
was vanquishod in the end. bat Dick,
going down to the Office later on, was
nuzzIed Somehow It was borne in on
him that behind Iavid's insistencc was
n reason, unspokon but urgent, and
the only reason that occurred to him
AS possible was that David did not,
after all, want him to marry Elizabeth
Wheeler. lie put the matter to the
test that night, wandering III in dress-
ing gown and slippers, aS was his GUS
tom before going to bed, for brief
chat. The nurse was downstairs, and
Dick moved about the room restlessly.
Then he stopped and stood BY the bed,
looking down.
"a few nights ago. David, I asked
YOU il you thought 1t would be right
for me TO marry; il my situation JUS
titled it, and if to your knowledge there
was any other reason why / could not
or should not, You said there was
not
"Thcre is no reason, of course. II
she'll have you
II don't know thnt. I know that
whether she will or not is pretty
vital matter to me, David"
David nodded, silently.
"But now YOU want me to go away.
To leave her. You're rather urgent
about it. And ] focl---well, ! begin to
think you have a reason for t."
David clcnChcd his hands under the
bed clothing, but he returned Dick $
gaze steadily.
"she's good girl" he said. "But
she's entitled 10 more than you can
give her, the way things are.
/ That is prcsuppos!ng that she cares
for me. | haven't al idea that she
does. That she may. in time Then
that's the reason for this Johns Hop
kins thing. is it,
That's the reason" David said
stoutly. ''Shc would wait for you.
She's that sort. I've known her all
| her life. She's as steady as a rock.
But she's been brought up to have II lot
| You do as / want YOU to; pack your
things and go to Baltimore. Bring
: Reynolds down here to look after the
work until I'm around again.
But Dick evaded the direct issue thus
opened and followed another line Of
thought.
"Of course you undcrstand.' he OBJ =
served, after renewal of his restless
pacing. that I've got to tell her my
situation first. l don't need to tell you
that | funk doing 1t, but it's go to he
DONE
Don't be fool" David said quei .
ulously. "You'l set lot of wOme I
cackling. and what they don't know
they ii invent. ! know en-.
"Only herself and her family
"Why?"
because they have a right to know
It,"
But when he saw David formulating
further protest he dropped the sub
ject.
I'm not do it until we've gone into
1t together he promised. There 5
plenty of time. You settle down now
and get ready for sleep.'
When the nurse came in at II 0 clock
she found Dick gone and David, very
still, with his face to the wall.