Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-20
The Shadow of the Past

THERE was only one incident that
L served to dim the glory of Aline's
rather triumphant debut on the stage,
and that was the publishing Of Mason
Longs book.
''1he Probe" had opened in August
and the book which Long had called
'Headstrong Youth" was published
about the middle Of September. Aline
had been watching for it. Each day she
looked for advance notices OF 1t in the
papers. and when at last it was out,
and she actually had a copy Of 1t in
her possession, the past rose up to re.
mind her that she had not forgotten.
Even now, after so much had happened,
she could not remember Long without
sensation in her heart that was half
pain and half ecstacy. Vague emotions
stirred in her and the knowledge that
she had only to conjure up his face
10 realize that she still cared for him
warrad with the fact that she had sworn
to be revenged for what she had suffered
at his hands.
She read the book at a single sitting,
and the Virginia moving through the
printed pages was herself as she had
once been. How cleverly he had handled
the situations. how true to life were
youth of today, and how undeviatingly
the book marched to its conclusion,
which was lacking in the conventional
happy ending.
The Virginia Of the book lost the
true love that she finally coveted just
as the Aline in real life had done. and
as Aline read the last page, and put the
book from her. she fell to refecting.
There was one thing she had to be
thankful for, he had never suspected
how much she cared. At least she
had spared her pride that additional
blow. but would he ever know that
she had redeemed herself? Would the
time ever come when, standing face to
face with him. he would know that the
careless Aline Foster of the past had be-
come woman, and serious minded,
hard working woman at thati
That was all she asked of life. and
Fate had strange ways of making things
come to pass. But unless she made the
first move. and she could never do that.
1t hardly seemed possible that she would
ever See him again.
Aline rose from her chair and walk
ing over to her dressing table switched
on the light. For long moment she
stared at the face reflected within. II
| was a face that she had taken very
much for granted of late. Each night
and on two matinee days. she smsared
II with grease paint and made it uD
of Lefty, but she did this 50 mechanic
ally that she was hardly aware
of own features, and now staring Mt
herself absorbedly, she wondered II she
had changed.
II she had but known it, the change
in her had been far reaching. Her
! beautiful mouth had lost its petulant
expression, and her eyes were no longer
bored. But the most standing
change In her Was due to her hair.
| When Mason Long had met her. Aline
| had worn the cropped hair so popular
among the girls of the younger set
Every FIVE or six months she had paid
fabulous sums to have It waved at a
fashionable Fifth avenue establishment.
but since the change In her fathers
circumstances there had been no money
for luxuries of this kind, and Alins
bad decided to let 1t grow.
At first she had worn net, but now
although 1t still didn't reach her
shoulders. She wore 1t combed back
from her forehead and waved over her
ears, and the new style gave her dignity
and made her look several years older.
Yes, the old Aline had almost
vanished. The sophisticated, blass
society girl had given way to the rather
thoughtful and far more mysterious
woman. But looking ut herself Aline
could not see the change. her features
were just as they had always been.
And then something happened that
made her realize the truth and left
her amazed and somewhat incredulous.
tTopsrsw--As Unexpected