Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-24
By Joseph II.
Hergesheimer

oS Ho o0mtt4oS
her."
Whats the matter with Won,
demanded sharply, standing befor. -.
recumbent Nanine. 1T hurts INV -.
to talk" she explained hastily. He ,.,.,
steadily at her, and then, without ~
ther speech, turned and left the mn.
It was too bad about Mrs. Beitlem..
Miss Conifee said. They were At n.
table, and he was eating in a ,.v.-.
silence. Eldreda's hands dropped m.
spent lilies on her wrists. She cou,d,s
think why they had cottage chee,. :.
disgusting dish.
"Smear-case," Lewis Beitleman ~.
rected her, taking conspicuous second
helping. His disappointment, his y.
sentiment and anger had hardened with,
him; he scarcely noticed Miss Conis..
so slight in the gray voile, with !,
appropriate pale flower under the clo.
rim of her hat. After supper the TIM.
| sat uneasily in May evening, palp.bl,
silver under the moon, a warm sprin,
breeze barely stirred the foliage Of u.
trees, a piano played and stopped.
T EWIS BEITLEMAN's anger desertsl
- him, but he ached as though It had
left an actual wound. Eldreda rose, n.
naming immobile, statuesque. waitins
for a moment, and then, without q.
PLANTATION, vanished into the hall. TAh
created in his mind an image Of her
leaving for the West, for California. 5h
wife, as we'll, had spoken Of going. q,
could come out and see them in the Win.
ters. Sharply voice within him whi+
pered, cried, that he didn't have to; thy
couldn't drag him to California.
He could just see Miss Conifee's pre
file, thin and worn, but fine. Her nsS
row precise hands were quiet, for IN.
tie, in her lap. She was the most resttul
woman in the world. It would be nice
he thought, to 60 for rides with her II
the car, the open air, on June afternoons
and through evenings In July. She knew
lot about wayside flowers, and thy
would stop for her to put some in hG
belt. Then he would drop her at thu
little place in the peace Of the country
where, with her mother, she lived; and
he'd 60 home to a swept and silent
h0usQ-
It wasn't, however. Of himself that he
was thinking, nor of Eldreda and Mamma
but of Miss Conifee. His admiration
for her, he discovered, was immeas
urable. And rightly; person Of in.
tegrity, who-had given her vitality her
life, to him and his interest. Now she
was an old maid. But he discarded that
term as soon as it occurred to him-MM
Conifee was nothing so absurd. With
money, with the security he was about
to offer her, she'd have more hats with
roses, roses pink and not gray.
"Miss Eldreda is beautiful" she said
sudden and wistful. 1--WE must see that
she gets to California. Couldn't we DO
it this fall, Mr.. Beitleman?"
"This summer" he corrected her; "and
Mrs. Beitleman is going with her."
"But who will stay with you?" NJ"
Conifee demanded. ~
IIl be all right" he assured her !
can 20 out and see them in the winters
if have to-"
81 don't understand" she replied
slowly.
"You will soon enough" all his ~
straint was gone. ~ don't care no"
soon they leave and if they never come
back. If my money is all they want thu
can have it, most of it, and I'm wen ~
of them. What are they to me, Ia hn
to know, the way you are? Nothing
you and me have shaved long enough
From now on we're going to work. some
for ourselves; we're going to have >
little ease and days off rolling over u'
country"
TURNED toward Miss Conifee ne saw
L her sway in her chair, and theh 'H'
blundered to her feet
"Mr. Beitleman" her voice was F"
choked that she was practically inart''u
late. "What-what do you mean! Wh"
ever in my conduct gave you the lioe's
to say such things?" She sank back INV
the chair. "Im, I'm all in a tremo'',
There was the stopped heave OF a 'O..
understand that am leaving yo~
employment as soon as you can get son''
body else"
"Miss Conifee," Lewis Beitleman W.. :.
aghast, show could you think Ia lnsu.' w.
you-you being you and me me. o",
want to protect you, your old ass'
mean. tried to get Mrs. bei'ie'''.
and Eldreda to agree in making you
partner, but it was no good' Wv,
couldn't see it, so l was going 10 !"
them Co." ,.
"You put it very queer" she SAID, wv ~
I'm sorry l took you like that. Insa,