Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-26
The Gray Da,Un

CUDDENLY, os Cleo stared wide.
Ocycd into the darkness. the furniture
In the room began gradually TO take on
form. and she realized with a stnrt that
dawn was beginning to steal into the
room. It was A. very pale. gray dawn.
but the very fact that day was breaking
was enough to bring back some of her
courage.
She lay there for few moments star.
ing out of the window and then with
her heart beating up in her throat she
slid out of bed. wrapped herself IN a
flaming scarlet kmono. put on her slip
pers and stole over to the door.
She had 10 find out what had hap.
pcncd. II was impossible to stand the
suspense any longer and with trembling
fingers she turned the knob slowly,
swung the door open and pccred into
the living room beyond.
For n moment mist rose before her
eyes and she was unable to distinguish
anything in the room. and then as she
took few steps forward she saw that
some one was asleep on the couch Mt the
a sound, she tiptoed forward until she
was close enough to look down at the
sleeping man. and at the same time he
turned over suddenly. lay still for a
moment and then opened his eyes and
looked straight up into hers. 1t was
Dick.
Instantly he sat bolt upright staring
Mt Cleo. He had not removed any OF
his clothes but his coat for which he
had substituted dressing gown. Evil
IDENTIFY he had thrown himself down to
get what sleep he could before morn ..
ing. and Cleo found the words she want :
cd to speak impossible to got out They
seemed to stick in her throat.
"Carcy?" She managed to gasp out.
SIS he all right?"
Instantly Dick had swung his long
legs over the edge of the couch and was
standing before her.
"You poor child" he said in n half
whisper. ~ thought for minute that
YOU were n ghost standing there. Yes.
he's all right excepting for sprained
wrist. He's asleep over there and
he nodded toward another door that
opened from the living room.
Clco's sudden smile was almost ra
diant. In the relief of the moment she
forgot to be unhappy. and 1t was almost
the old Cleo who said gayly. "1f you /
/ just wait till I scramble into some
clothes III come out and get breakfast
for you."
And then in fash she was gone.
Back in her room she scrambled
through her dressing case for suitable
outfit and finally decided to wear he
riding habit. and when she rcappeare'
ten minutes later she looked like slim
boy in tho trim trousers. long boots ant
soft silk shirt open at the neck.
She found Dick in the lean-to gettin
out the supplies. and in n moment the
were talking and laughing like tw
children over what they were to eat.
Dick made light of Carcy's sprain
and after a few desultory remarks. bot
avoided any reference to what had hap
ppned last night. Dick did not eve
toll her how he had found Carey an
where, nor what had happened bctwce
them. and for the present Cleo wa
content to know that he was safe. Sh
turned her attention to the breakfast
and inasmuch as the lcan-tO was sma|
and congcsted they were continual
humping into each other. CicO's cheek
were flaming rs she stood over the fryin
pan of sizzling bacon, and the snllic
that she flung at Dick made him thin
with n pnns OF the old days. In hi
heart Dick knew that her gayety was n
on the surface. but he was eager to kee
her in this mood. and he played up
her with all the gameness there was |
him.
They were laughing over some trivif
mishap when cleo looked up suddenl
and saw Carey standing in the door.
TOm0rr0w-Nemesis