Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-22
"PAWNED"
"nON'T! Don't cry, Claire!" John
~ Bruce whispered, and laid his

"nON'T! Don't cry, Claire!" John
~ Bruce whispered, and laid his
hand over hers where 1t crushed the let
ter in her lap.
II believed IT," she said. ~ did
you that wrong. There is no forgive
ness for. such meanncss Of soul as that.
NO. John Bruce answered gently.
there is no torgiveness-because there
Is nothing to forgive. 1t was only an
other piece of that miserable hound .
, cunning that tricked us both. did not
appreciate what he was after in that
reference TO YOU I thought he was only
trying to make the letter bullet proof
In its plausibility for Lannon's benefit
| never thought that he would show It
to you
She had not drawn her hand away,
but her face was still hidden; and for
a moment there was silence between
them. .-,
Claire" John Bruce said in a low
voice, the night left your house you
| said that, rather than regretting your
| promise to marry Crang, you had come
to be glad You had made it. Can you
still say that?"
She lifted her face now. tear. stained
the brown eyes strangely radiant
through the wet lashes.
Yes" she said II am glad. So
glad--because know now that 1t was
worth It all so many. many times over"
"Claire voice was lower still
~ left your house that night, angry,
jealous. misjudging you because you
had said that. You usked for forgive.
nothing to forgive asked for forgive
ness from you utter that night, but
even then I did not know how far be
yond the right to forgiveness had
gone"
She stared at him in a startled way.
"What-what do you mean?' she
breathed.
And now John Bruce's face was
alight.
"You have confessed your love,
Claire" he cried passionately. 1T
was not fair, perhaps, but ] am past
all that now-and you would not have
confessed 1t in any, other way, Glad
I was q stranger that night when you
bought my life-and tonight you are
glad. not because my life is now or ever
could be worth such sacrifice as yours.
but because love has come to make you
think so. sweetheart. and you care
you care for me-" -,
You know" Her face was deathl!
white. "You know about--about that
night" she faltered.
John Bruce had both her hands i'm
prisoned now. ..
Yes; I know" He laughed with !
strange buoyancy; passion. triumph
were vibrant in his voice. did Grams
not tell you how near to death he came
today? I choked the truth out Of him
Yes; know. ] know that 1t was Il
hpS
! that you sold everything you held deal
IN life for mc--but it is over now!'
lie was beside her. He raised he'
two hands to draw her arms around hi'
neck.
She struggled back. ..., .,,,
"No. no.' she cried wildly. ooh
you must not-you mast mott -.
Must mott His voice rang hi
challenge to the world. Tho blood wa'
pounding in mad abandon through hi
veins. His soul itself seemed ahamc
! Closer, closer he drew her to him
"Niust not! There is only you and MI
and our love--on all the earth ~
But stfll she struggled-and then sud
denly the tears came.
"Oh. you arc so strong-so strong.
she sobbed-and like some weary chll'
finding rest her head dropped upon hi
shoulder and lay hidden there.
Claire. Claire 1t was his sou
that spoke. :,
He kissed the silken hair. and fondle
f.: and kissed the tear-wet eyes: an
his cheek lay against hers: and she wa
in his arms. and he held her there tight
clasped SO that she might never 8
again.
And after a time she sobbed no more
and her hand, lifting. found his face an
touched it gently, and creeping upward
brushed the hair back from his fore
head-and then suddenly she rlung I
him with all her strength and drew hi
head down until her lips met his.
And there was no world about them
and time was nom existent, and onl
they two lived.
1t was Claire at last who put his arm
!: from. her in wistful, lingering way
eve have been mad for a litt!
while" she whispered. Take me bac
nome. John--and and you must neve
try to see me again.
And something seemed to grow chi
and cold within John Bruce's heart.
mot that. Claire" he, cried out
"You do not mean that--that. atte
this. you vii! go on with--with tomor
row morning.
~ OItNc iill'' Shoih 81 - S'A''S 49,
cred on her lips. =. =,
I'VE have had our hour. JOHN sh
said: "yours and mine. 1t can neve
BE- taken from US. ana shall live In
all my life; but it is over now. Yes
] shall 70 through with 1t tomorrow
morning. There is no other way.
must keep my promise.
"No.' he cried out again. ut shn
never be! Claire. you cannot mea
what you are saying! A promise Ink
that. 1t was forced upon you inhu
manly, horribly. He would have muir
dercd me
But tonight you are alive" she an
swerci quietly. :.
Alive. Yes" he said fcrccly. q
am alive. and---'
at is because you are alive that
promised" she broke in gently. III
kept his word. l cannot brraH minc.
"Alive." John Bruce laughed no.
in sudden. bitter agony. 'Altvc-ycs
And do YOU think that l can walk aboil
tho street, and talk. and smile, an
suck the honey out Of life, while 20
have paid for it with n tortured soul
"Clairp, you shall not That ma
is No, wait. There IS myse I. II
called me Sniveling hypocrite. 70
shall know the worst of me before yo
know the worst of him. There is nj
much to tell--bccause he has told yol
7 an gambler. All my life I've gam
bed. AS far back as / can reInemb'
I've been a rolling stone. My 'ifc hs
hecn useIess utprly worthless But