Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-12
4 Box of FLo,rers

nl'h had called hcr hrt. and for
- days Cleo hadn't been able to for
get his arraignmcnt of her. She fot tha,
IN some way Dick must have been righ,
ana that unconsciously she had led him
or I" propose. although for the life
ot nor she could not understand how.
but a. for Bob EllswOrth'S avowal
that vcry evening. Cleo who had
watched herself carefully. and had beer
very piatont" with him. was certain
that She had done nothing that would
lead him 10 think that she cared.
lhen why had he been on the poin,
or pronosing TO her when she had
escaped from the taxi? Had Bob also
miSnnderStood. and If so. what was
mere about h"r that made mon take
thinks for granted:
time in the night sho droppcd of r.
sleep in spite of tho vague unhapplnc,s
thar haunted her, When she awoke
the sun was shining and some one was
smoking on hcr bedroom door.
Como in. Cleo called s,ccr!ly, and
moment later Mrs. Ridg"iicld turned
the knob and came into the room. n
huge white boz under her arm.
II thought YOU would want 70 seq
what was in this. so 7 riskcd waking
YOU un. she said !auChingly. soaring
herself on ii" bed WHO is 1T this
time. dea"; some ono new"
instantly the smile Of welcome faded
from Clco'~ fac.
"Moth"r: She sad almos, Sharply
"Dom't tall; lila" mat =.
"Iikc WHAT"
'Oh. - # carried bunch of
scnlnS NJ my b"'r. | can't 'oI you how
unNnnny II makes nc feel. -"
'\"ESon'". Cleo; YOU re 100 sons.
i've.
"i"u don hmh '"ad men on. de-
Won: tieo asked ,micklI.
Mrs. RdC"ti"d h"SitHtod. She was n
Wis" women, and 81" knew C'co's an-
peal. but Sn" had always trusted the
girl not 20 lct things 60 TOO far and MOI
to lose her head. Had something hap
prn"d 20 Cleo 20 make her unhanDy
Had some one arruScd her of dellber
atciy il.rtiMgE That would be too had
fur C,c" ar'.",SncCS was her chirt
cha rm
Cleo sat in ,ac u,ddl" Of the .maI,
whit" hrd. w.;h IA" large whit" box
across h"r knees. but no mad" NC AT o.
nnN.uN>lv for her mothers reniv. ana
MrS. Rideoii"'d FASTENED t0 au>wc".
II hu0N that Eou would mover ,rS
. 10 make i man cav" fu" YOU unless y0r
frlr ;hnt You c0u'd return his love-
she sad giarcly. "but sometimes. Goar
when men are very much in love them.
selves. th"v are ant TO deliberately mis-.
understand girl's attitude. DO
make myself clear:
II think -. said GEO after n !un.
mont She was struggling with - Il"
i've 10 yell hcr mother more. but ST.,
felt somehow that - wnUld be hctrny
lng Il confidence. She was no longer
child. hcr battles w"r" women = h2'
ties. and ~hc must haht thcm ""l f.
herself. hu' il would have hclucd vrr'
much If ~hr could Inv" '"ld ! or ,aolL,
cv""ythtng and asked hcr advice.
Her eyes fcl on tn huge b"v. an
suddenly >lo NiuuNh from or"nim" j.
y" doubt the flowers We're from Bob
, and he had Scnt IhaW IN "outirmHt 'o
, of what he had said last night. Som
time today he would call her up an th
, telephone and ask 10 SEQ her. and the
she would hav" 70 tell him that Rh
! didn't low" him; that She hal noyc
thought Of Linn seriously. Cleo shud
! dcrod nt the thought.
!, r Her fingers plnv"d abScntIy wiih tk
gold cord that tied thc box. and thc
: suddenly aS though making VI, hcr min
= 10 face the worst. she slipncd tho cor
:. down from one end of the box. shook
:, free and lifted the cover.