Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-18
An Astounding Explanation


EDITH'S attitude toward me was II
~ possible a shade more distant than
ever when we met at breakfast the next
morning, but, as usual, she was charm
ing to Norman, and they carried on
conversation between them that virtu.
ally excluded me.
had . chance to observe her care
fully, and It seemed that I must have
dreamed what had happened the night
before. had never believed Edith ca
pable Of pacsion. I had thought her
shallow and scheming, but she had
shown me that was wrong. II Edith
cared for any one, she would care ter
ribly, and then suddenly my thoughts
broke off and I nearly cried out az an
idea occurred to me.
II Edith cared for any one! had
thought she cared for Norman; / had
been sure Of 1t. but after last night !
couldn't be sure Of anything. But sup.
pose. just suppose, she cared for Her.
bert! My thoughts Travelled back to
that night on the country club porch
when she had gone out of her way to
make friends with hin. and be had re-.
pulsed her. Edith and Herbert! The
idea was absurd, and yet the more l
thought about 1t the less absurd II
seemed.
Now that It had occurred to me. ]
could remember other things that would
substantiate it. The queer expression
in Edith's eyes when they had rested
on Herbert, and. most of all. her fury
Of last night, II she cared for him and
thought he liked me, her emotion OF
had thought that my unwillingness tt
admit that did not care for him was
proof positive that I did.
My heart that had been 80 bitter
toward Edith was suddenly tender. II
spite of the way she had hurt me.
was sorry for her, if what l suspected
were true, for Herberts dislike OF nel
was deep set. He had told me NOR
than once that he despised her type. HI
saw through her little tricks and avoided
her, and knowing Herbert as I did
doubted II he would ever change.
1t was strange that at this time
felt no thrill Of triumph because Of tn
fact that Herbert preferred me. Nov
was my chance to get even with Edit
for her treatment of me, and II ha
devotion in her face and made her dou
bly, unhappy. but I had no desire to d
anything Of the kind. OF course, eve
now ] could not be sure that my sus
piciOns were correct. but ] was almos
certain. Everything pointed toward II
and II Herbert, because Of the fat
that he was so entirely different fror
any man Edith had ever known, s
, impregnable to her charms. had won be
heart, then she had been merely having
|! light Irritation with Norman, and. q
.. far as she was concerned, it didn
amount to anything
B But how about Norman? And as m
thoughts reached this point bitterne'
swept over me again. But just at thi
moment Norman himself turned towar
me, and l became suddenly conscious {
the fact that he had been speakin
: : what had been thinking that hadn
: heard him.
! Joan doesn't seem to be with ,
this morning does she?" Edith sal
Z lightly. with that covert little sting be
hind her words that she used so ofte
toward me.
, Didn't you hear me speak to you /?
Norman asked, somewhat impatiently
mo: I'm afraid was dreaming"
said with smile, although the tone
!; his voice was like knife in my heart
II asked IL you would mind II
took Edith to see that Russian sho
tonight. don't suppose you'd care
see 1t again"
How eager he was to have me 80
that I had no desire to zee it again. {
). | I ,pn,1l
If he didn't want me.
"Why should l mird?" ! snid easil,
Q And as I spoke my eyes sought Edith
b deliberately, and smiled mysterious
as though there were other far more ir
terestings things for me to do B,
Fdiths face was inscrutable, and n
y suspicion that she cared for Herbe
q was suddenly shaken.