Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-29

Right away. First the door slam
med. and then he dropped"
Poor old David! Dick had not the
slightest doubt now that David had
received some unfortunate news, and
that up there in his bedroom ever since.
alone and helpless, he had been strug-
Sllng with some secret dread he could
not share with any one. Not even
with Lucy. probably.
Nevertheless Dick made n try with
Lucy that evening.
Aunt Lucy" he said. edo you
Know OF anything that could have
caused David's collapsc?"
guardedly.
"A letter. we'll say. or visitor?'
When he saw that she was only
puzzled and thinking back, he knew
she could not help him.
Never mind" he said. .I was
feeling about for some cause. That's
He was satisfied that Lucy knew no
more than he did Of David's visitor,
and that David had kept his own coun-
sci ever since. But the sense of I'M
pending disaster that had come with the
letter did not leave him. lie went
through his evening Office hours almost
mechanically. with part Of his mini
busy on the puzzle. How did it affect
the course of action he had marked
out! Wasn't It even more necessary
than ever now to go to Walter Wheel
cr and tell him how things stood?
He hated mystery. He liked to walk
in the middle of the road in the sun
light.
But even stronger than that wns
growing feeling that he needed sane
and normal judgment on his situation !;
q fresh viewpoint and some unpreju-
diced advice.
He visited David before he left. and
ne was very gentle with him. In view
OF this new development he saw David
from different angle. fncing and
dreading something imminent, and it
came to him with shock that he might
have TO clear things up to save David.
The burden, whatever It was, was
breaking him.
He had telephoned. and Mr.. Wheeler
was waiting for him. Walter Wheeler
thought he knew what was coming, and
he had we'll in mind what he was going
TO say. He had thought 1t over, pacing
the floor alone, with the dog at his
heels. He would say:
U.
If you're worrying about what these
damned gosslps say, let's call it day
and forget It. ] know n man when !
see one, and IL it's all right with Ellz-
nbeth it's all right with me-"
Things. however, did not turn out
just that way. Dick came IN. grave
and clearly preoccupied, and the first
thing he said was:
Il have n story to tell you. Mr..
Wheeler. After you've heard il, and
given me your opinion on it. III come
to a matter thot--well. that l cant,
talk about now.'
IF it's the silly talk that 7 dare
say you've hoard"
"No. don't give n damn for talk.
But there il something else. Something
haven't told Elizabeth, and that III
have to tell you"
Walter Wheeler drew himself up
rather stifhy. Leslie's detection was
still in his mind.
"Don't tell me, you're tangled up with
another woman
mo. At least think not. don't
know"
1t is doubtful if Walter Wheeler
Grnsped many of the techncalities that
followed. Dick talked and he listened,
HOuulnR now anu tHeH, ana CtiNeHVOTINy
very hard to get the gist of the matter.
1t seemed TO him curious rather than
serious. Certainly the mind was II
strange thing. He must read IN on il.
Now and then he stopped Dick with a
question, and Dick would break in on
his narrative to reply. Thus, once:
"You'vr said nothing to Elizabeth
at ALL About tho walling off, as you
call it:"
mo. AZ first was simply ashamed
of It.. | didn't want her to get the Idea
that wasn't normal.
Il See
"Now. Ms l tell you. I begin to think
Two told you that this walling of
is an unconscious desire to forget some
thing too painful to remember, It's
practically always that, ] can't go to
her with just that. can I? I've got
10 know first what It Is.
"I'd begun to think there was an un-
derstanding between you"
Dick faced him s1uarely.
There is. ddnt intend II. In
fact, ] was trying TO keep away from
her. | didn't mean to speak 20 her
2ntil Id cleared things up. But 1t
Uncommon Co,co