Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-25

One that concerns me'"
Wheeler. pacing the floor. Mr.. whe..
er glanced nt him and looked away.
Anybody sick!' Leslie asked NJ.
feeling of apprehension growing. T
Nina Is having Mysteries upstoirs VI
Mr.. Wheeler said. and continued Ii,
pacing. NV
Nina. IIysterics:'
'"That's what I said" REPLIED ",
Wheeler. suddenly savage. "You,~
made nice mess of things. h,vs,,
you:' e"
Leslie placed the box of orchids a.
the table and drew off his gloves m.
mind was running over many possbiIi.
ties.
You'd better tell me about il
hadn't you!' W
"Oh. / will. Don't worry. I've sss,
this coming for months. I'm not t,ki,s
her part. God knows l know her. nrs
she has as much idea of making n hon..
as--as'-hc looked about--'as INA,
poker mas. Rut that's the worst w vom
can say of her. AS to you--''
"Wcll?'
Mr.. Whcclcr's anxiety was gra,,
than his anger. He lowered his voice
"Shc got n bill today for two !,
three boxes of flowers, sent 70 som.
actress. = And When Leslie said notk.
ing. "1'm not cOndoning it. mind Won
You'd no/business to do it. But.a h
added frctfully. "why the devil NJ
you vc got to net the fool. ,lon't yr
have your bills sent to your office?"
Il suppose ! don't need to tell 70,
mean"
I'm taking that for granted b.,
she says she won't 60 back
Leslie was aghast and frightened
Not at the threat she would 70 bark
of course. But she would always hi
1t against him. She cherished smaN
grudges faithfully. And he knew sbr|
would never understand. never see h,,|
, own contribution to his mild detection
nor comprehend the actual innocence ii
those afternoons of tea and talk.
There was no sound. from upstain
Mr.: Wheeler got his hat and went ou,
calling 10 the dog. Jim came nj
whistling. looked in and said: Hello
Les, and disappeared. He sat in th|
growing twilight and cursed himsen
for a fool. After all. where had NJ
been heading: \ man couldn't eat MI
cake and have it. But he was resent.
1ul. too; he stressed rather hard hh|
own innocence, and chose to ignore th,|
less innocent impulse that lay behind |,
After a half hour or so he heard
some one descending and Dick Living.
stone appeared in the hall. lie callei
to him, and Dick entered the rOou
Before he sat down he lighted cigar,
ettc and in the flare of the match Leslt|
got an impression Of fatigue and d
something new. of trouble. But bill
own anXictieS Obsesscd him.
shes told you about it. / sup.
pose!"
"Hcs."
II Was n fool. Of course. Bu, ID
was only Il matter of II few flowen
and some afternoon calls. She's d
fine woman. Livingstone, and she ii
lonely. The women have given her Al
pretty cold deal since the Clark story
They copy her clothes and her wall
put they don't ask her into Their
homes"
"lsn't the trouble more fundamena
than that. Ward? | was thinking
about it upstairs. Nina was pretty
frank. She says you've had your good
time and want to settle down, and
that she il young and now is her onlJ
chance.
Later on there may be children. yol
know. She bames herself. too, but st,
has fairly clear idea of how it hap
, pencd."
do You think she'll 60 back home''
. She promised she would"
j hey sat smoking in silence, In M
dining room Annie was laying the taoN
Tor dinner. and Il most untraglc odo'|
ot new garden peas began to steal alon(
the hall. Dick suddenly stirred ani
threw away his cigarette.
I - was going 10 talk to you abcil
something else" he Said, but this !
hardly the time. III get on home. ~
rose. Shell be ait right. Only ld]
advise very tactful handling and---ln
fullest explanation YOU can make
What is it? I'd be glad to haL'
something TO keep my mind occuplN'
It's eating itself up just now
ITS a personal matter
Ward glanced up M him quickly
"Ycs?"
Have you happened to hear q stS'l
that | believe is going round! VI"
! that concerns me?' :,
well. have Leslie ADMITTED
II didn't pay much attention Noboa!
is taking it very seriously"
THAT'S not the point" Dick per-
sisted. ~ don't mind idl" gossip Il.
don't give a dap,n about it. It's @
statement itself. - IL,
II should say that you are the oh9
person who knows anything about II,
ture. VI
II want to know one thing more
: he said. "Nina told YOU. ] suppon
Does--I suppose Elizabeth knows IL
too:'
II rather think she does. al
Dick turned abruptly and went Gu! s,. !"
the room, and n Momcnt later h8"'
heard ihe front door slam.
Elizabeth. standing at the h'ad Oh r s'
stairs, heard it also, and turned aMM%, Ma,
with new droop to her usually Iuna" aD,
shoulders. Her world. too, Nnd sv"ii
awry, that safe world of protectioh ~,
cheer and kindness. FIRST haN ev"
Nina. white Tipped and shaken, ,Sa G
Elizabeth had had to face the fnct ,ts,, tsr
there were such things as treac"o,s w,
and the queer hidden things iha. haa!ousu u
did, and that came to light ana pr0us'
horrible suffering. lad NJ
And that afternoon she had nuHhi nau,hiu,
acknowledge that there was foln''mnr mr,
wrong with Dick. No. Brtwecn, n,;,p ~ Il
aud herself. There waH i"rhlal'i, i,h,t
lis speech TO her. IN nI"otnc;Ss ".s
seemed to ignore utterly 'h'lr w,s
intimacy. lie wa, there, but nr h.M
miles AWAY from her. ~" 'r'Sa ca J ouJ
t. fcI Indignant, but she was
hurt.