Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-20
,zI pETE had reached the break

4 tragic ueSPei
.....ntly she rose and began tearing
~. white frock with reckless fin.
Il fell to the floor. ruined and
- s.. but she did not care. She threw
" e. ..,de rs tonight she felt she had
.srown all her life with Mms' senes'
&C sho dressed hurriedly in her plain.
=, clothes; she stole out on to the
AN, and looked at clock there.
m.. minutes to twelve! Somehow she
I'D thought It must be much later;
!. seemed a lifetime since she had left
-. house with Farmer and Nine. Sem
sstis. 49, ,,,,,
.. ,,ve cared /: she was worked up TO
r., . pitch Of desperation that time
~. - n no account. With her shoes in
s." h,rd she stole downstairs.
n'I "a ans Of the rooms she could hear
,,!s.we and the old French house.
s.srsr us chnttering together In their
sesp. M .ors,,e: chattering Of her, she was
ow. . '. a. she stole across the hall and
Su.e, ss.e, Mack the latch Of the front door. -.
e'I" wss a warm, moonlit night. and
A.! ,svsments were dry. Elizabeth ran
~ Sew steps before she stopped breath
is.siv 70 nut on her shoes. ..
Si,cs Madame's cruelty intended
..a,ds she seemed to have seen Nell
TVrmsr % in a new light; something in
H. heart told her that she would be
tnrced to marry him, that nothing
rnuld save her, unless Royston would
Ssfe her into his life. ,,
she was going to him. that was all
,hs knew. She never stopped to think:
He was in London and no doubt
6ack in his old rooms: Her racing
Sesrtbeats seemed to choke her az she
mt and fumbled with the laces OF her
shoes. She heard a slow step pacing up
and down the road, close by, It seemed,
and she tied the. laces anyhow into
clumsy knots 40 the step drew nearer.
fnokinr back over her shoulder, she
~ A man deliberately coming toward
Ssr At an increasing speed. She turned
and started across the road. when he
snoks her name. She stopped then.
With a little choking cry.
"Elizabeth, where are you going!
ssv YOU como out Of the house. I've
Seen waiting up and down ever since
since Farmer brought you home,
Elizabeth"
Elizabeth stood very still. her breath
coming fast in uneven gasps, her hands
hanging Imply at her side. as shc look
d up through the moonlight into
Royston's hageard face.
A great peace seemed to have fallen
OH her heart; she was with him again
he had but to stretch out her hand TO
touch him. 4 wavering smile Of in
finite sweetness lit her eyes, and there
was note of quiet confidence in her
voice MS she answered him. us If 1t
we're the most natural thing In the
world:
II was coming to you
"Coming-to mc?" Royston echoed
Elisabeth's words with infinite tender .
ness, and then for a moment neither OF
them spoke.
In the distance church clock chimed
midnight, and Royston reused himself
with an effort to say: "You must 60
IN; you must be worn out; you must 60
III, Elizabeth
The pale moonlight showed him the
sudden blenching of her face and the
trembling Of her lips as she answered
him:
II can't 20 back there; madame Is
20 angry with me. She would have
turned me out tonight but for Mr.
Farmer"
Farmer" Try as he would. Roy.
eton could not keep the bitter Jealousy
from his voice.
0. Ess .s!s, h'EdE . hss,S %sd. sss sa' Tss' Tss1
me; I don't know what he said--a'
1aoet Arl y,1S rhn fo1torad
Somehow It seemed impossible to tell
this man that Nine. Senestis had only
consented to let her stay in the house
until she married Neil Farmer.
She looked up at him with an an
guish Of dread In her eyes.
"Oh, you're not--you're not going ia
send me away again. she broke out
passionately. what does any one
matter except just our two selves? II
you--if you want me--"
III want you!" he echoed harshly
He took both her hands In his, hold
ing them close. II am a married man,
Elizabeth" he said.
II know! /" She dragged her
hands free OF his and covered her face.
oh. what shall do? What shall
do?' abe said, with a broken cry.
She longed to tell him the truth
about Farmer and the amount Of money
she owed him. and yet-if he would
not take her through love, she knew
that pity would never touch him at all
Then suddenly she felt his arm around
her shoulders in n close. protecting griT
that had more of the big brother than
the lover In It, as he said, speaking
as steadily as he could:
You must go IN now. dear. You
Know what it would mean II any one
missed you from your room. You're
tired, too. You must be worn out
Iomorrow-tomorrow, We will meet to.
for YOU to do.
She looked up, radiant through hel
y, Tomorrow You will really see me
IT'S not-not just an excuse, and ther
TOMORROW you won't come at all?"
On my word Of honor, no. I'll writ,
10 you in the morning"
She drew a big sigh of relief.
@, very well. then. will 10 In now. ,
she wiped her tears away childishly
put they came again as she asked on,
iast question.
Were you--were you very disap
failed?" " "' WIG"
No. I am as sure of your success
now as ever ! was"
A.. aoI say that just to please me,
II. No; 1t is the truth" he answered.
ne aiu not tell her that the cause o
.er failure had been pitifully apparen
20 nlm. She turned her head, and TO
moment her soft cheek touched hi
uaHa mat still lay on her shoulder.
Dbl one felt the quiver that ran through
.Sr.,s .oss,ton's tall figure us he drew i
"You ,,,,,. ., -,