Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-09-25
A Happy Reaction

/
Please let me tell Phil. I'll take all
the blame for keeping it from him
in the first place"
mo. I can't let you tell him now
l must be able to prove that 1 am
innocent before I tell him. | might
have done so before / got these let
ters but l know now that the author
Of them will pursue me with the
patience and animosity of a fiend
unless can crush him as one does
snake.
when Phil knows, I want to lay
the proofs of my innocence beside
Susanne's Jones accusation. Not
until L can show him that that wo-
man is something inhuman in her
malignant and murderous hate shall
he know, if | can help it, the ter
rible tragedy of my life"
To find some loophole by which
we could start a new investigation,
[ read again the letter that, al
though it was unsigned, Sheila was
sure was from Walter Jones. As l
did SO, l felt pity yelling up in my
heart for him. He, as well as the girl
before me, had been abused and
shattered. He was not to blame. l
could see that he was just a weak
boy, who had run up against an inn
plaeable will and instead of stand
ing up and fighting for himself he
ran away and left it to others.
Like many other rich mans sons
Walter Jones evidently had no pre-
paration for battling with the
world. The only weapon he knew
how to handle was money, and when
that was taken from him he was
lost.
He had been taught only one
thing: With money anyone could do
Deprived of it he had no
other resource and it was not sur
prising that he gave himself to the
false dreams that drugs might bring
him.
Walter seems to think that his |
sister will return here soon,' 1 re-
marked to Sheila after reading the |
etter again. Il
81 think she will come very soon
Kay. l am sure that she must be |
by this time that her
of hate has not been Sue
.essful. I have an intuition that
he will come back and begin an
'ther attack of frightfulness. Hon
stly, Kay, she is just like her
ather and sometimes I feel as
hough might as well give up now
s later. She viii have her own
Vay in the end"
Surely, sheila, you don't
hink-"
Hello, girlsl $50 Having an i'm
ortant conference over gowns7"
Phils voice was hearty and hap
y. He stopped to kiss me as l was
earest him on his way to Sheila.
"What's the matter, sweetheart
Headache againf You look pale" l..
1t is strange that even the most
Intelligent of men have not yet
often over the idea that women
My have important conferences
yer gowns-or some other man.
he smartest of men still think that
-oman's brains are not big enough +.
D hold mind-discomfoIt, consequent
= it must be something physical if
heir drawn faces and pallor de-
otes disturbance.
'No. 1 have no headache" re-
he'd Sheila with little laugh which
lust have sounded strange even to
hill who was ignorant of what l
ad just told. 81 am afraid though.
ear, that you are just discovering !
ne of the lures by which eaptur- !
i you"
"Yesf" There was a puzzled ques-
on in Phil's eyes. :
by its absence" smiled Sheila !
tYou know that rouge is
lentiful and cheap. 1 did not ex- /!
eet you so soon" :
Phil kissed her at this until her
heeks glowed again and her eyes
anne out from behind their fog of !
ladowy mist like the radiance of !
le sun emerging from cloud.
That is a cosmetic worth a dozen
rom the drug store, isn't it.
-ayf" he asked as he gently push !
! Sheila away from him. Then he Z
rev from his pocket tickets for a {
Ok for the opening Of the Russian
ailet. Here you two, want YOU to
ok your loveliest. expect this
al be the last gala night of the
'ason, for society is due for an
Sedus to the country and 1 want
leave envy in the hearts of all :
y friends by showing that the
70 most beautiful women in the 5
~ belong to me" is
'Curb your oriental nature. oh
ieik," admOnished Sheila lightly
ith low eurtesy. ''For know YOU.
Master Of the Devoted and Faith :