Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-12
Katherine Meets Anne

HATHERINE had a sudden intense
~ desire to see this girl who had
reused John Steeles interest, if only
temporarily, but she kept her eagerress
we'll hidden under a semblance of we'll
bred Indifference. This manner OF gers
had been carefully cultivated and It
served her well now, for not even to
Johns mother would Katherine betray
the slightest evidence that she cared one
way or another what John did.
Marcia went on to tell how she had
questioned the girl.
''She has some terrible secret in her
past, ! am convinced of that" she said,
q slight frown between her eyes. This
little frown came only in moments of
great stress, for Marcia was quite mar
velously preserved. She was massaged
and manicured and groomed each morn
ing, and her skin was almost as fresh
and youthful as Katherine's own. But
today she looked older and as she looked
at her Katherine realized that all
Marcia Steele's hopes were bound up
In her son.
Don't you think that very fact
would make him hesitate?" Katherine
asked slowly. "Oh, I'm sure, dear Mrs.
Steele, that you re borrowing trouble.
John doesn't impress me as the type
Of man who would ever do anything on
impulse
Marcia's eyebrows went up quickly.
"That's just it. He never impressed
me that way either, but I'm beginning
70 think that I never have understood
him. ] tell you the girl has bewitched
her. The night he brought her home l
was about to insist that she be sent to
hospital, but there was something 80
young and child like about her. and
she looked at me with such terror :.
stricken eyes, that before / knew 1t !
was completely won over.
"She sounds intensely interesting,
Katherine said, keeping her tone very
light. II don't know when have been
70 intrigued. 1t makes one believe in
romance, doesn't it,
But Marcia's face did not relax
Having talked Of her trouble magnifed
II in her own mind. and she had looked
to Katherine for help in the matter,
She had been sure that Katherine cared
for John. but she had shown no evil
dence of it this afternoon.
would you like to see herr" sh'
asked suddenly.
Katherine had been wondering how
she could lead up to this very thin,
without betraying too much eagernes
and she responded quickly to the sus
gestion.
A moment later with her heart beat
ing rather faster than usual. she wa
following Marcia down the corridor an
into room at the far end.
A nurse rose from beside the bed a
the two women entered, and then a
Marcia said lightly, "I've brought 20
q visitor, dear" Katherine gave an al
most audible gasp of amazement as oh
looked down at the girl on the bed.
1t wasn't so much that Anne wa
more beautiful than any one Katherir
had ever seen before, it was the strans
almost elin charm Of her. The shol
taify -colored hair and long amber eye
\ contradicted each other, for one mad
y her look childish and there was an ex
preston in her eyes that WAS mys
terious, almost as though the girl wei
deliberately yelling something that Ia
IN their depths.
The thought that John Steele had he
this girl in his arms leaped sudden
into Katherine's mind. and with it Il
conviction that once having held b
. he would never forget that fact.
IA W0sm0sr0w--Tha Threshold Of ava