Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-29
'SBy Katharine
NeUlin Burt
Mary or
Heioisc?
Which
Should Win
Unusual Hero?
Il better not quit, had 7, until we
know how the Sophie gel gets on!" ..

| 'sn'e'. i'uSh -IOr Hgntnlng hau
passed through the tall, lissome fig
ure-- they're bringing the girl out
OF your room. You will want to 70
back for your things"
The door OF Room 90, in fact, had
slowly opened, and between then, the
head waiter and Benton carried Sophie
along the hall. DR.. Sales and q stood
TO see her pass, a peaceful, silent,
broken figure.
Rumor's tongue quickly took up the
tale. 1t hardly needed DR.. Sales lib
eral assistance, so fast 1t spread through
all the ranks of Sluypenkill society.
y, moving over that very night to Mrs.
stopper with his bag in his hand, was
met ut the door by nervous, quickly
breathing woman who brushed away at
an imaginary crumb mo, no, Mr..
! Kinwydden, indeed I can't let out
room TO- you. know told you had
one and I'm real sorry, but IL isn't
possible. Not that I'm ready to think
evil nor give amy heed to scandal, but
that when story comes direct to you
and--didn't l always say that 1t could
mt be done-not in civilized society,
calling on Miss Helo!se Grinscoombe at
the same time and all? I.'s really too
bad. IT will bring Miss Selda's pride
down to the dust and I'm not saying
1t won't be n wholesome lesson. but my
business Is to support the columns of
society. Mr.. Kinwydden, and kind as
you were about Swectic and a pleasant
visitor, | don't owe you any obiga.
tions-Oh. are you going like that with
out n wordT'
q paused on the step and looked back
Mt the excited little figure. The street
lamp lighted 1t dimly from in front and
The electric bulb in the hall more bril-
liantly from behind. 1t looked under the
two lights a solid small body enough,
resisting radiance.
As q looked, Swcetie bounced out Of
the house and ran between his legs,
: came back to rub against them and
purred in an emphatic key. He picked
. owner.
Il don't know rightly what can
say. Mrs. Stopper" be murmured. Eek
ccpt that I thank you for your cake and
tea parties"
Then you can't explain any of it?
Perhaps could take your story to
Miss Grinscoombe."
II Was Plumb Fool
.. "No. But thank you kindly.
was a plumb fool. and / look like a
, not for the present. I'll pack my stuff
elsewhere hesitated-''or perhaps
, | can leave it here and come back for
1t when I've located good camping
ground"
"Why. Mr.. Kinwydden, I don t
know what to say-peOple seeing it
there-as they say-actions speak
!, louder than words and it might lead to
inquiries or talk saying that I was
renting q room to you--'
, II savvy. Goodnight to you.
/ ma'am."
She came half across her porch. fran
I crumb. "But I'd be the first to vel
;, come YOU back if the clouds roll past,
Mr.: kinwydden." and doubtfully she
: added a Good by"
e "Oh. it amt good-by." hc said from
the gate. which he had just reached.
4 "It's just good evening and he went
; swiftly down the street.
1t was II o'clock when he came to
D Mary Grinscoombe's door. lie was still
carrying his bag and his shoes were
8 dusty. The door stood open and @
setting down his burden. stepped ir
and came to the threshold Of the tiny
, sitting room. Directly before him
blocking his path, doomed DR.. Sales.
II might "a knowed," said G, ant
turned to 90.
:. DR.. Sales moved back across the room
and disclosed Mary rising with flushed
face and startled eyes from her low
!, chair beneath the lamp. and little MIR
Grinscoombe peering above fitted fin
ger tips. q saw the small, familiar
room suddenly through blur. Fl,
> made out an instant later that Mary
' was standing in front Of him, holding
J.. out her hand. He took it with quick
y wordess gasp.
, Then Sales spoke.
y MARY. Mary" he said, and clacket
; his tongue.
& Mary turned from Q. keeping he,
hand upon his arm, and threw the con
I rcntrated brightness Of her face upor
Sales.
"You didn't really think papa and
she asked. '"because of the story you y,
just been telling us? In the frs
-. place. I'd have to hear his side Of It
in the second place, don't turn away
!, n friend when he's in trouble
And "Good- might, William" sale
q Henry Grinscoombe, speaking suddenl!
Q from Mars.
q spent that night on the wickc,
lounge where he had once endured al
operation at the hand Of DR.. Sales. III
spent the night as one spends one
II blood drop by drop. n night OF never
!, O-be forgotten misery, during the long
q slow hours Of which he thought only o
Sophie. He went over with terrible
. painstaking every detail of his dealing
|" with her and cursed their clumsiness
q their brutal inelfectuality.
r Hitherto, experience had taught
- perhaps a dangerous degree of self-
W lance. He had learned that in emer
. gencics. the body. of instinct AM
y promptly, does the one safe and neces
: sary thing, so, like most men of ac
tion, he had been early freed fror
:. imaginative fear Of events to come
u Here in this more complicated worl
~ his faith had failed to justify itself
Yielding to impulses, he had acte
u blindly and foolishly; absurd or fata
results had followed his actions. II
II had hurt other people. Perhaps /
S' truth he was now murderer. lie re
membcred a man he had shot out there
y shot him necessarily in self defense. !
10 had been bad, but he had never sweate
IL over it like this. An agony of reE.ors
! and nervous dread tormented his nerves
* He sat up once or twice gasping like
:, little boy in nightmare. If Soph
~ we're dying now II she were mad
~ lie clutchcd at the pocket containin
Laurie's letter and, remembering h
n; vision Of her reading face, he put b
III head down on his arms and wept. Ear
s. daybreak, before Mary had stirre'
brought letter to the door by the har
., Of stray messenger. It was addresst
ot to Kinwydden In a fiowery, shade