Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-24
Suspended Sentence

TUDY was sleeping the sleep Of utter
q exhaustion, and she did not waken
even when Rand threw light wrap
over her and tip. toed into the bedroom.
There he flung himself down on the
bed without removing his clothes, anu
for most of the night thought his prob
lem out. Although he was physically
tired. there in the darkness his brain
seemed singularly alert. and with an
anguish Of soul that was almost un :
bearable, he saw his way to Carlotta
blocked.
After all. lie could never have her,
he could never know the JOY OF com
way, for although he did not love her
he no longer felt harsh toward her. A
boundless pity had awakened in his
heart when he had come home to find
her asleep on the couch, a pity that
grew when he remembered how hravely
she had given him up. only to hght IL
out herself when he had left her alone.
He realized now that he could never
leave her, and that knowledge was
agony;
He fell into a heavy sleep toward
morning, and when he awoke the sun
was streaming into the room, and judy
stood by the bed. :,
She had awakened in the night with
q wildly beating heart at the strange
ness of her surroundings. Then sud.
denly she remembered everything ana
sank back on the pillows with q sigh.
Rand had gone. he had left her for
ever. and she had fallen asleep in here
on the couch. Then suddenly she
realized that a light comforter had been
thrown over her. Where had IL come
from? She was certain that it hadn't
been on the couch when she had thrown
herself down here last night after she
had cried herself into state OF ex.
haustion.
Some one must have covered her up,
and at the thought she had stolen into
the bedroom where she had discovered
Rand.
In the sudden Overwhelming Joy Of
seeing him. she had almost yielded to
the impulse to kneel by the bed and
cradle his head against her breast. Why
had he come back? Was it because he
had found it impossible to 90 through
with It? Was it because he didn't in
tend to leave her after all?
Her heart grew light within her ms
hope suddenly burned high. and she had
slipped back to the studio to wait weary
hours for his awakening.
Now she stood by the bed with a
small tray, and he lay there for long
moment looking up at her. his eyes still!
dazed from sleep. and the effort to re-
member what had happened.
Memory came over him with a rush
and with it the old pain. and the
knowledge that he had decided to put
Carlotta out of his life. Judy. watch
ing him closely. saw his expression
change as he remembered, and hope
died out of her heart. His coming home
had been merely postpOncment after
all. but why had he thought it neces-
sary to torture her further? Hadn' I
she suffered enough?
But even then She did not let him
suspect the truth.
"I've brought you some breakfast
Rand" she said evenly. and putting the
tray down on small tabourct BY the
bed. she went out and closed the door
softly behind her.
After a time she heard him moving
around in the bedroomI she heard the
sound of water running in the tub. and
knew that he was getting into fresh
clothes.
She tried to busy herself in the
kitchen. but her quick ear was tuned
to catch every sound. and she knew
that what she was waiting for was the
opening of the bedroom door. when hc
would come out, and perhaps 90 through
the agony of saying good.by to her all
over again.
TOnOrrOw-SileuCe