Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-01

What Was Richard thinkingi What
could he b thinking7 That WIS the
only thought IN my braih--nothing else
seemed to matter.
CHAPTER XIII
BY and By forced myself to 70 back.
The young fellow who had come with
Richard had already had too much TO
drink; he paid mo absurd compliments,
looked ct Richard apnealingly, but he
| only laughed, -as u he enjoyed the. Joke.
Father and Mr.. Furnivat were used to
it-they let both men say what they
Presently I was left alon. with them
for q few moments. Mr.. Seldom was
bali asleep n an armchair--Richard
and ! stood facing one another in the
silent room.
sss%ddsp1y s%.,;dIy,. b y. took /. step forward.
'Don't-don't!' said hoarsely.
felt broken and ashamed; this man
for whoms1 had wished to appear at
my very best had walked right into the
heart and soul Of my tragedy.
! was In love with him, you will say.
Well, OF course I was! Think I had
been in love with him ever since I was
twelve years old.
After Richard and his friend had
gone that night, both Furnival and my
father were In bad temper.
Tempest smelt q rat" my father
said irritably. II don't altogether trust
that fellow. Where did you pick him
!, met Richard tn. next day.
lie told me how he found out about
me and the life was livinS,
It appears that Seldom had known
Eurnival for q long time, and heard ali
about my fathers house.
Furnival had promised to take him
there one night, and Seldom, who could
never keep his own counsel, told Rich
ard, and inadvertently mentioned that
there was a daughter. a "dashed nrettv
girl named NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. were his
Richard said he seemed to guess
straight away that it must be me.
remembered your refusal to tell
me your address," he said, "and 80 /
guessed the truth for myself" And
then We sat silent for long time.
There was long silence this time,
ana somehow felt 40 II the summer
day were momentarily standing still,
waiting for something-for what?
! hardly knew-or was l afraid to
Know; Know! But l was conscious of my
Then Richard said-aud HI. vo,co
was not quite steady:
five years old oider"&: Il Il. onty Sroke weGs aii
jaggedly, and the silence fell again.
Such a kid! I suppose I was--in
2 matter OF years, but at heart-at
heart was woman, as I sat beside
him and waited achingly for the words
WHICH knew then he would not sneak.
a moment.
II haven't any prospects1H.av.u
only knows when shall have. AT
present can hardly keep myself"
II sounded as 1t he were making an
apology Tor not asking me to marry
I felt as II something in nv heart
caught hre and famed up into angry
He wa. sorry for me-he piti.d m.,
tor the life was forced to live.
rty ls poor Offering when ones
cSsst. cSsss and f.i. soul is crying for love. Ny
7 shan't have to- nut IN with 1,
much longer" said in hard voice
AZ !.M.EE1IsSF E1IInF +! to be married."
! shall never forget the tone Of bi,
voice. the blank incredulity.
! forced myself to laugh.
well, and why notY' askcd
Hshtly: is 1t 80 very surprisInr2 I'm
going to marry Francis Furnival! !' -
have wondered so many times dur.
ing the twenty years ehat have ns ssst
since that day when Richard and
az together In St. James Park, wha
nherence 1t would nave made IN my
ne II ! had not told that lie abouI
Francis Furnival.
Perhaps It would have made none
sometimes think nothing can aite,
mes destiny; that IL Is Just clean cml
md arranged for each Of us from orr
cradle; but a girl of eighteen ia not q
:ataiist. and my only feelings that lovely
afternoon were mixture Of rage and
oain because ! thought ! had let Rich .
ara see that I expected him to ask me
TO marry him, and he had not done 30.
This was only our second meeting
aiter a lapse Of seven years, and yet
IN my heart l knew that this was the
man l should always love; that nobody
else could ever be to me what 6e could.
There was a little silence after NV
deliberate lie; then he rose stiifly to his
feet. He seemed to have chanrsd in
some imperceptible manner. and Was
suddenly afraid as I ,ooxeu up at him.
my eyes were smarting with the tears
l was too proud to let fall.
He took out his watch and Glanced
at 1t, but doubt II he really noticed
what time il was.
II think we ought to be going home, "
he said.
! got I'm quickly.
=! was going to say the same thing"
my heart was torn with conflicting
emotions; what should do2
Should tell him that It was a lie
about Furnival? Or should I let him
80 on believing It?
I turned the question over in my
mind, but could como to no decision.
remember that he knew what sort
of home. I had come from--that he
could only feel contempt for the tool
my father made Of mol! lie was sorry
His firm mouth was set, his eyes stared
straight ahead, of him a. IL no longer
walked by his side. Something In his
attitude reminded me Of that day years
ago when he had turned his back on
me as sat weeping by the stream and
walked of through the meadow grass.
He had snubbed me when / was
twelve; he would do 1t again II l
gave him the chance. So reasoned In
my blind pain; and yet-somethlng
seemed TO whisper that II I let him 60,
he would walk-not only down the road.
but out of my life forever.
moistened my dry lips; In another
moment ] should have spoken, but he