Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-05
Fate in az, Ash Can
By A. W. Peach

amusement.
She turned upon him and looked at
him thoughtfully. Tall and slim. he
stood before her, his dark blue eyes
resting tenderly upon her. But that note
In his voice
"Stanley, I do think 80 much Of you
80 much---but something always holds
me back. You are $3.50 inclined to
take things lightly. and ! don't want
to be taken lightly--never, never! No
please don't touch me! There seems
TO be 10 little you regard seriously
many things that I do; and l don
want to instrust my life TO you--and
yct'--her voice broke---"I do"
She stayed his quick effort 10 fold
her in his arms.
PLEASE give me time. III write You
to your hotel in New York-my final
decision. I'll write IL l will marry
YOU; If don't write, then you'll
know
He nodded. "Yss, I will know" he
added easily. completing her unfinished
sentence, "But, remember, IL you
write. the letter must 80. out tonight.
II you do not write, my. dear ono, you
will never be bothered by me again
though I know I shall never forget
When he had gone. she went slowly
to her room, face to face with the de-
cision that meant more than any other
decision she would ever make. She sat
down at the desk and mused. His
easy ways of disposing Of matters Of
right and wrNng. his ohhand decisions,
his careless attitude toward much that
she thought deserved care-all had com
biNcd to make her wonder.
A knock on the door WAS followed by
the appearance Of one Of the girls in
the house.
Hello. Mary. Mary. and what are
Won doing-being contrary? Say, l saw
Stanley here. He is one bonny speci.
men Of n man. But. honest. honey, ]
hope you won't marry him. ! feel
guilty for intrOducin. him to you,'
Bertha said soberly.
Mary looked kcenly at her old friend
We'll. ] am to decide in the next half
No.. p, Bertha's face was pale
II wish you wouldn't"
Mary smiled. Bert. have you some
thing you want to tell me and yet
won't?''
The other sat In silence. the laugh.
ter gone from her eyes and face. Then.
after little. she spoke:
He is attractive. but there Is some
thing---but I can't tell you
Mary's hands grew cold on the desk.
She knew tho stancb little comrndc Of
years would not mention gossip. Bert.
this Is serious. I am doubtful about
Stanley, hut only q little, and IL you
know. anything, tell me. ! Go want
TO be, happy with hm---or.: without
him. -
Il know this" Bertha answered. her
face pale. "IIc writes letters every
now and then to a girl in his old HON"
and know he has gone to see her. He
doesn't dictate them to mc-but ] hap
pcned to glance at one on his desk. and
it WAS loving affair.
lyon see. He's that way. You re
sort of cold beauty that challenges
a man like him."
Mary smiled family. "Pcrhaps-but
he has a right to care for some one else.
We are not engaged
Il know" Bertha answered. "bu,
just the same, II would be better. if he
loves you so, that he leave Others
alone
Mary's comment was little cry---"It
would be bctter--it would ~
But. OH honey. cant talk about
Mary turned to the desk once more.
Out of the minutes of thought came
the final decision. lie was trusted and
liked in the great importing firm: he
had the respect Of strong men surely
he would be true to her il he was TO
them.
She wrote the letter. slipped on n
coat and went out to the mail box. On
her way she passed house where
ruinor had told Of scandal and heart.
break. and she paused. the cold ques-
tion rising in her heart: Suppose thai
might happen to me: Must l run the
risk?' Her imagination loomcd. She
knew she could love one man and one
only. The risk. No. she would not
take it. Into the ashcan that stood
beside the post. ready for the night
collectors Of refuse. she hurled the let =.
/ ter and rushed back home. She passed
| a belated errand boy and II tall man
who stared at her curiously.
! In the Seclusion of her room she
fought the old, old battle Of the human
heart torn between longing for happi
ness and fear OF it, Sleep came in the
end il peace did not.
The next morning dragged with weary
! feet. She could not picture Stanley
watching for his mail and her fami lia'
,notcpapcr. Then. hope gone. STANDING
! in silence and dospair--perhaps. Fol
she suddenly realized that he wa
strong--strong in the way OF men who
take life lightly because they do not
fear il.
At noon. sharp with climax. hcl
world turned over. First. Bertha. with
tears in her eyes, explained that sht
had found out that Stanley's girl al
home was maiden aunt. who hat
cared for him in his youth, whose per
sonal business he looked after and whom
he had called In his boyhood Dearest.
as he called her so in his manhood. One
OF the girls in the Office had taken hi
dictation when he was very busy ant
had solved the mystery.
Then came q gray messenger boy
with word thar left her daaed. The
letter that she had dropped in the ash :
can must have reached him. Over thu
ocean waters the steamships wireless
had thrust his brief word Of love into
the air, and the silent space had wingc'
it to the city and to her door.
Then a tall man had stopped at thu
house. called for her. and explained
that the night before he had seen hc1
drop something into the aShcan. whicN
n boy ahead OF him had taken out anC
dropped into the mail box. 1.-The un
pardonable act Of a mischievous boy,
he called it.
Mary's reply left him mystifed--hc