Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-09

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AND HERE, IT CONTINUES
uYoO your" said Harden, and there
II was an eager note in his usually
.riet voice. ''Do you really mean that !
,4Ssn am more than repaid, l can as.
nrr ma YOU. It's a long time since any
ope said such q kind thing TO me-"
. We took the check from his desk
I vhsre she had laid 1t down. and fold
~ II in two put 1t into her hand. clos.
,ss her trembling fingers round It. !.
II don't want to be thanked again. y
be said whimsically.. run along and
ny Of the horrid man with the
snstache." .. -
he felt as If he were talking. to a
child who had got into trouble and come
70 him to put things right; he. would
probsbly have been amazed II ne had
Known that Molly was thinking, OF him
A. the knight Of whom she had dreamed
ever since she first read fairy story.
"But / shall always be thanking you
!. NV wi Ihe7rt," she said softly, then sud. /.
Ssniy. "Oh, 1 should like to kiss You
and and thank you properly" she added
I'm There was a moment Of absolute 81.
,.nce Harden had flushed crimson.
TSs offer was made 70 innocently,
n spontaneously; he hated himself be-
ssnse the memory Of another kiss, given
end received last night flashed sud-
Ssniy through his mind !; what would
sks say-this child--if she could know
sbout tiff she could know how her
shest man in th6Aworld" had fallen?
He looked away--he felt that he could
not bear to meet her gaze, and the ca
fernsss faded from her eyes, and she
stood there in silent confusion.
Then suddenly she turned toward the
door; she felt as IL 1t were miles and
miles away, as II her trembling body
could never reach 1t.
"Molly--come here, Molly"
She did not want to obey, but she
turned against her will, and went back
10 where he stood.
a He looked down at her with n curious
emotion in his hard face.
"Supposing ask you to give me
ali your Kisses" he said roughly.
"Supposing I ask you to be my wife !"
She looked up at him with parted
lips. The little girl expression had gone
from her eyes, and they shone with
some new, strange emotion.
"Your wife !" she said in whisper,
as II the words were something too
wonderful to speak in ones ordinary
voice, and then again. "Your--wife !"
Harden moistened his dry lips:
MARRY me. he said. "Will you
marry me?"
He felt in dream; he seemed to he
listening to the voice of a stranger I;
he felt confident that in another mo.
ment be would wake up and find he had
fallen asleep in his chair, but the mo.
ments passed and he reused himself
with an effort; he took Molly's hand.
do you think you could like me-
inst a littlc?" be asked her.
like you!" He never forgot .the
tone of her voice or the sudden flash
q happiness that crossed her face.
"0h," she said quiveringly, ''if you
knew how much love you"
{ And then Harden came out of the
nightmare Of unreality that had held
him bound, and realized what he had
done.
This child his wifel He felt that
even If 1t killed her to know 1t, he
must tell her that 1t was u mistake
that be had no love for hcr-that he
wanted no woman for his wife but
Llith.
II am---very fond-of you too" he
nid. II will do my best to make you
What a betrothal! Poor child! Poor
little Molly! She must guess, he was
sure. But no, she was smiling serenely
her cheeks rose flushed.
She went to him. resting her head
against his coat with fond gesture of
trust.
$50 it won't matter u bit about the
money now, will it?' she asked
presently.
''Not bit." he answered. He tried
to put some life into his voice. but it
sounded dead; his arm closed mechan-
ically round her--after moment he
bent and touched her hair with his lips.
II will do my best to make you
happy" he said stiltedly.
She gave q contented laugh.
II shall sure to be happy-with
you." she said.
She looked up at him. "And I sup.
pose I! may kiss you-now?" she sub.
mitted hesitatingly.
Again that little hesitancy. but Molly
tdid not. notice it; then Harden bent
bis head.
Yes, please kiss me-" he said.
She kissed him heartily enough, but
more with the warm affection of child
than the passion of grown woman,
and u thrill of thankfulness passed
through his heart.
Perhaps after all it would not be such
bad thing for either Of them; she
was young; she would not be exacting !;
no doubt they would get along quite
we'll together, and he really was fond of
her; be had liked her from the moment
when he came across her trespassng
y his wood and she had looked up from
ner lap of primroses and answered him
with such sweet sauciness.
CHAPTER NV
Harden Faces the Truth
a cynical smile crossed HartlCn' 8 fnca