Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-11
The Unforeseen

Ii. 'c S"yoSSCS't
SGVxYHAT is the matter with me-? Am
w in love with Carey Phelps? Is
there such a thing as love at first
asht?'
Cleo kept asking herself these ques-
tlons over and over. as muffled up in the
6oft fur collar of her evening coat. she
eat in corner of the taxi, speeding
+ home.
Beside her sat her escort. rather sui
-Wenly silent. but Cleo was hardly awar"
Of his presence. Her thoughts kept
winGing back To Carey. and she rcmem-
bered, tinglingly. the way his eyes had
looked into hers.
He was unlike any man she had ever
known. There was something de'ib-
crate about him, and he was plainly used
20 having his own way. How coolly he
had taken possession Of her in the
dance. and that utterly audncious thing
hadn't meant il. but neither had he
been jesting.
In all her life she had never been
hurt. She still believed in fairy tales
come true, and therefore it WASH t hard
for her to believe in miracle. For
the first time her sleeping emotions had
been aroused and her vivid Imagination
had begun to weave rosy dreams about
Z man.
But even in the midst of her cxult.
ing happiness. doubt kept creeping in.
and she realized that She was afraid
Of something. What was it: She
wrinkled her brows in an effort to
think. and then suddenly she knew.
Dick! Dicks threat, He had said
that always he would stand between
her and the man she would some day
love. What had he meant? She re-
alised the next minute that Dick was
abroad now. and that so far he had
Ndone nothing reckless. but the haunting
little fear persisted and she could not
rid herself of it.
ies II must be mad TO let my thoughts
run away with me like this she tried
to rea son. I'm SuppOsing things that
are utterly absurd. Carey Phr!ps
doesn't care about me. Why. he doesn I
know me. and | don't know him. Geo
Ridgefield. haven't you any pride; are
you utterly shamclesst' And then the
next moment with little stab Of pain
came the thought that perhaps this
would be her punishment. Perhaps she
would fall head over heels in love with
Il man who cared nothing for her Per-
haps Dick would be avenged in that
way.
"Who on earth i this man, Phelps =
asked the man beside her. speaking for
the first time. III" must have cast Il
spell over you, Cleo, for YOU haven't
been yourself since he danced with
you.'
!. With difficulty Cleo brought her
thoughts down to earth and fixed her
attention on Bob Ellsworth. She liked
.1sSb. she liked him very much as She
( had liked Dick Wheeler. She realized
now with start that shc had been
seeing great deal of him of late. Was
{ 70 possible that he had begun TO get
foolish ideas in his head; was it pos
sible that he too was going to tell her
that be cared?
"What do YOU mean, Bob. that
haven't been myself
'fWhy yoa'vc been SO. quiet. you
B haven't sparkled and Scintil'ated As yoU
y nnnerally dc. And the way that mar
xAelps took you away from me. just
%A&er I'd cut in. never saw anything
2aj ~ It. Who is hc?'
81 #heI never met him before tonight. :
sTG3eo returned quickly. and in the dark
Mess she felt the hot blood rush up int,
! her face. Carey Phelps was strange
\ TO her and yet she was thinking Of hin
Y as she had never thought of any man il
4 all her life. 1t was Incredible,
y .<t"Well. / hope you never meet hin
again." Bob was saying suddenly. "be
couse-O, Cleo. ] never rea.ized it be
K fore, but ! couldn't bear to have yo,
think Of any one else but me
Z But Cleo was interruptlng him fe
< teeishly,
Y ssDon't, Bob. don't say anythin
4. lnore, you mustn't, forbid it,.
lf The taxi slid up to the curb and deS
\. norately Cleo wrenched the door opel
n and with mufled good might. rusr
4 j1ko the darkened lobby of the apart
* nt house.
4 ~ this should have come tonigll
nights 1t was like q warning,
q prophecy that menaced all he
k6ppiness, and bl0tted out al
o1An that had stolen into be
u "a,