Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-09-05
woman's waiting

| w N1eH / arrived uOHe L MI Ddu HO'
returned, but Sheila explained that
he had telephoned, saying that he
could hardly leave Susanne when she
depended so much upon him.
"Phil seems to think that l
should be perfectly content not TO
see very much of him for the next
few days" pouted sheila.
There was little droop at the
corner of her mouth as she spoke,
but there was almost a twinkle in
her eye as she added shyly:
HE asked me to meet him this
afternoon at the jewellers, but l
told him l could not leave you"
Didn't you want TO go Sheilaf
You know l would not keep you if
you wanted to 60"
The dear girl hesitated moment.
Tears came unbidden to her eyes
as she raised them TO mine. She did
not need to tell me that she was
torn between conflicting forces-she
wanted to meet Phil and help him
to pick out the engagement ring,
but she was also afraid that he
would have heard something from
Susanne derogatory TO her, and he
would not want to seal the engage
ment.
81 think I'd rather stay right
here with you, Kay, until Phil is
through dancing attendance upon
Susanne. She is sure to hear some
thing about me in the next few
ys-besides-O Kayi how shall
say it'll do not want to doubt
Phil's loyalty, but could the love
of any man survive story such as
mine7'
Her eyelids fluttered on the
verge of tears.
You are morbid, Sheila. The love
of many a man has survived long
after he knew the object of it was
unworthy. If Susanne tells Phil, he
viii probably come to me first, if
he pays any attention to it. He
viii surmise that you have told me
the whole story, and I shall tell
him the truth-the truth as / have
learned it, not from you but from
DR.. Thornton and Mrs, Walton"
Again Sheila threw her arms
about me and whispered: Il am
afraid, Kay. | am afraid.
For a moment l was tempted to
advise Sheila to confess all to Phil
for it was plain that the secret was
.preying upon her mind. Then hesi-
tated and acknowledged to myself
that I, too, was afraid.
You never can tell when a wom-
ans actions win hurt lovers pride
in her. Man is a strange animal
When his pride is hurt his love
shrivels and dies. Not so with
woman.
Men have gladly married the cast
off loves of even their friends, but
by some peculiar bias they assuaged
that masculine pride of possession
with the fact that once the other
man loved and desired the woman
and was willing to go TO great length
to keep her.
Although I thonght l knew what
Phil would do, was not sure, after
all, that when he knew that Sheila
had stood in the prisoners dock, ae-
cased of crime, tha; he would be-
lieve her Innocent IS did. Phil
was very careful of the honor Of
his name. And 1t was sheils's very
innocence and sweetness that SEEM
ed to appeal to him more than any
thing else. That gone What would
Phil thinkf
Sheila had told me. that from
something she had said, Phil infer
red that he was her first love. And
] could aot tell hina otherwise. Kay,
for he Is; but I an afraid when he
knew the whole story I could not
make him think So
Later Phil telephoned me TO per-
saade Sheila to meet him down
town. ! explained that it woald b.
much better for him 20 wait until
after he had done all he could fos
Susanne in her trouble.
He was rasher annoved at my No
trying 10 make Shrila see that IL