Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-24
Cdreys Decision,

TT WAS Carcy's meeting with Bob
L Ellsworth that made him resolve to
carry his plan still further.
At first he had decided to do no more
than make Cleo fall as desperately in
love with him as any of her victims had
ever been in love with her. When he
was sure that she loved him, he would
laugh and ride away" that was all.
He wanted to trail her pride in the
dust. he wanted to leave her crushed
and utterly humiliated, but now a plan
far more cruel than his original one
was born in his mind.
Cleo was lovely, even he was forced
to admit that she was desirable from
every point of view. The fact that she
had stirred emotion in him when he
despised her was evidence enough Of that
fact
Then why not carry his plan a step
further? Why not marry her and then
reap his revenge? Carey's blood leapAd
at the thought and his gray eyes mar.
rowed to Sits In his face.
~ marry HcT Io nave ner entlfeIy
and utterly in his power, and then to
tell her the truth The thought was
delicious, the wonder was that it hadn {
occurred to him before.
He did not give a thought 10 the fact
that in making Cleo his wife lie would OF
necessity tie himself UP TO contract
! that would mean more or less bondage.
lie never expected 10 marry for love. Ho
did not believe himself capable of low
ing woman, for he r-nicism that had
always been latent in him had decpenci
since that night when Dick had almos,
taken his life. and he vas certain nov
that he could never trust a woman. No
| marriage for love had no place in bis
| life, then why not 60 ahead and MARI,
| Cleo: EIr simply could not get away
from the idea.
And 50 while Cleo was lying wide
eyed in the darkness. remembering
Carey as he looked. living over In hei
with delicious thrills Of her heart thr
smallest thing about him that enlearec
| him 10 her. Carey was planning quite
cold-blooded!y to break her heart anc
| ruin her life. Cf course it was be.
/ cause he believed her to be n heartest
siren, schen!ng salamander type o.
girl; Cleo, who had never in her lift
Planned to do any man wrong, bu
( who unconsciously stnned against &
great many, aud had unwittiugly stole,
more than her share Of men = affections
Carey asked Cleo TO marry him or
an evening in carly summer. They hat
spent the afternoon on the beach an,
mad eaten supper from a picnic basko
and as the shadows began 10 deepen
silence had fallen between them, broke,
only by the sound Of tho waves, and a,
occasional remark which hardly neces
stated respon,".
He watched her curiouslv. He hs,
grown accustomed to watching her an
yet she never seemed 10 be quite III
same. Her face vas so changofu an
even the casual remarks that she mad
were unique and interesting. She ncve
said 4 banal thing, she never bored hin,
ana her enthus!aSMS we're real. he fn'
there was no doubt about that. He ha
begun 10 be curious about her rcspous
to his proposal Of marriage. He won
dercd what she would do, and how yh
would take it. and he was glad NOT +
bs bothered by his own feelings nm
emotions so that hc couId better Obs4rv
! hers.
1t was all very much as thought Cle
. were specimen under Il ElaguifyIn
glass, ubject TO the experiments q
Carey Phelps, the master Scientist. IA
he was interested not In the suecju,e
. but in the way she responded "a cor
tain shades OF feeling aud emotion.