Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-06
sllLY NOVELETTE,
CAPTURE
By Rose Meredith

LIT glorious future toyethcr--they had
1Ghed like children over the various
lngs. that the fringes ensnared, nu-
% leaves. wisps Of flying paper. once
ewny feather from some passing bird.
then. afterward. when a foolish
N understanding had cloudcd every :
~. Elizabeth had pulled off her ring
;nie rins-!and dropped It into his re-
xycyant hand. The ring fell and. drop
RsMe. the delicate setting caught on the
Netched fringe! He had laughed
Y ex1m!y as he set about it's dlslodyment
~ hate the old thing" she half
.eoosd, az she brought IL from the
wardrobe and tossed 1t about her shoul.
n oers. Tho day was cold and her suit
was rather light in weight for the ad.
vqncihG season. 3d..
Outside the wind was moaning
among the bare branches, and as she
walked briskly toward the trolley car
tie heart of the little music teacher
feIt bleak and bare as the empty nests
N the swaying trees.
AS the car moved on. Elizabeth
sn0ught OF the uninteresting pupil she
Vas going 10 teach---Annie Smith. a
child who had insisted upon learning to
pay Hearts and Flowers and there
hed eeen many. many lessons. but An
ME still stumbled over the same passages
until Elisabeth was ready to cry with
vexation. Today. Annie was more ex-
asperating than usual she had hinted
that her mother was not pleased with
her prcgrcss. and she hal stumbled and
fallen weeping over the dreaded passage
In the old favorite.
To her own surnrise. Elizabeth COM
fortsd the child--for a while she forgot
her own loneliness and pain while she
brought smile to wet blue eyes and
sullen lips. Let us try again." she
sugaested gently. and 70 their mutual
snrprise they had tried again and con.
luered. 1t Was a glad little face that
vas lifted to Elizabeths sad one, when
the hour was ended.
''You have made me glad again.
0niled Annie Smith.
Elizabeth thought Of those words as
che waited for the car that was to take
her home. Would anything ever make
her glad again? She knew that. behind
her own little air of bravado she carried
an aching heart that never could be
Elad again without Billy Droke. She
brushed away hot tears and entered the
cheeks. Some ono moved along to make
room for her. strong hand steadied
her as the car lurched forward.
THANK you." she turned and smiled
mechanically at--Billy Drake, rcsum-
4Ne his seat beside her. The wrap set
tied innocently about her slender form.
: dsar familiar gesture. was quite un-
c,nsciously smoothing the back CT his
sleek head. She saw 1t all-she knew
if--shc felt him so near. and all the
while she sat straight and small. look
Ing straight ahead out Of brown pansy
eyes. Ary one sitting beside her might
have Thought her lovely face naughty
and relentless.
The fat- wheeled car clattercd nner.
rily on its way and Elizabeth noted with
Queen street, her stopping place. Billy
yas nrobably going home-hc lived a
1iIc 6eyond Queen street, and when
would she meet him again, even by &C.
eident1
stOueen ~ beloved the conductor, as
the car rocked to a standstill.
her blue wrap about her and started for
&: g: ss. door, ,,sas she e tes s h sfsssns % tug
coI"red % IL, her ,'n face a. She felt a slight
wei,ht on her sleeve-what was the
vrefched fringe doing now? Had 1t
cnnsht in some ones umbrella. or pock-
etHock? Billy Drake had sat on her
risht-sbe would not look around, for
there was A titterinc laugh behind her.
y A0YnA else WAS RetIlnR OIL ClFeCllN
h~hjrd her
..Sten lively there" sang out the mo-
<orrosn iovinily. as the car rocked away
~ .ts AL. wheeled career.
EIivsheth whirled around md con-
%ronted Rijlv brakes amused and, at
-. ssme t,n,e anoiocetir smile.
~ am sorry, Eliz-Miss RUSSELL
~.nidn,t helm l. vou can zee that--''
"I.,n wbot;, sbe asked frostilv,
A. ths ssms instant she looked down
~ ..swDsaw The fringe Of her rixht
ssssve wound impishly around one of
~: Suttons Of his oy.rcoat. In this
-, had sbe innocen,ly ensnared him
s-th. IN, had led him down the aisle
srA H.re he was:
Whst IN ;ptoisrohl. nos;t;on
~ d;dn't s,nsct TO ,et on here he
.,.ins;,ci. ~ wa. roin. m "a Kinq
ss
IN AZ am v.-x sorrxn sb. sa;d stimv
A.th.. IN sudden burs, ~ Va, atom
4 ~ sSS.d ..WSv Jid,'t vo,, ,,,t - m
II ,6 Mo- ~: v.s,chai
sSssut,, az: ,,iI.S .;,o-o,,r,v a. tbs
ssTr .o,si. Lnot,sd thre.G.
III stnoS hsinioSs,v w.tchir~. 10,
..rwv i;tti. Sscs His stern sscs
.SSsH..d u,b.nnr sb.. hoth
V S;,o "h;Idc hv.,I;nn
\ ,s-acic,. hmmrs ~ ,be;r lives v;,b siiis