Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-22

''Oh, yell tax the hlgn roal,
And III TAX the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland before yc.
But l and my true love-
"Oh, listen !" exclaimed Clover, abb |
ruptly. The room seemed full of music |
made by that pulsing piano organ. that
penny whistle tremulOus, piercing and
pure. i
"Of COURSE" Clover said. her head
tilted, her body leaning toward the win.
dow. "Thcy always come on Friday
mornings /
These words, these half-dozen bnnal
words uttered by her own lips. gave
her ut that moment very startling
check.
"On Friday morning." when had
she said that before?' On that Friday
I morning when the other man had called
at this hour and this place to be told,
II want you, Major Carmichael to
marry me-
In n fash the scene leaped back into
her memory. Beyond the dapper morn.
ing coat of young Llewelyn she could
almost see again the tall, gracefully
linbed form in gray tweeds, the shih'
ing blond head Of Harry Carmichael.
Through the music from the street she
seemed to hear his voice: curt,
wounded and Thank you
for the compliment. Good morning.
She got up.
"NIr. Llewelyn," she said in coo!
little voice. Once more the voice Of the
young woman uf the world admired by
Sir Algcrnon. I'm sorry. But as
said, I've given you the only answer
there is.
The monocle flashed rs he glanced
sharply mt her. He was quick enough
to see that her face had altered It's
expression from that Of IL few moments
before. What had suddenly come, in
terrupted, checked current: Moru-
ticutiOn, stung vanity, disappointment
closed down upon the young burrister
even as they had done ut that Ealen-
tines Day dance. Before he could con-
troll all trace Of them he had let fall
quick angry, "IOu'rc still keen on
that dcfaulting husband Of yours, then,
sec. am sorry l--made n mistake,
Mrs. Carmichael
"Show Mr.. Llewelyn Out"
Clover touched bell. Enter Miss
Smith.
"Show Mr.. Llewelyn out
Mr.. LlCwclyn was shown out.
, Clover, drawing II quick breath,
looked about the big empty room. men
she gave a curious little laugh, excited,
, school sirliSh.
She felt she must do something
!, Piercing and shrill above her thoughts
the penny whistle wai."d-
but | and my true love >,
. Will never meet ngain----
? Suddenly Cover made dash for heI
, sntiu pag. She turned 1t ont on to the
.csk. ruturrcl up ali the loose silver
a al llIl lI,lt
3 ner stationery drawer, took sheet OF
, puper, scrlbblcd "Thank YOU SHE
} wruppcd up the handful Of CONS, tooH
r nrr handkerchief, made little bundle,
{ scented ike swcetbrcr.
l Then she ran to the window. far
> below, the man at the piano -orgal
raised his face.
. Here. Catch called Clover
= though she knew that her voice woulu
not carry down.
She waved. lie nodded. She flung
/. the small heavy bundle; 1t dropped, oul
of sight. She saw the men tumble, pull
D off their caps, smile. Clover waved,
laughing again because they would
h never know why she laughed. Then sht
= drew back again into the once.
0 She turned, uncertainty, to her desk
b There, suddenly the impulse seized her
c That impulse is known to most OF us
Il It is responsible for mnsterpieces--aht
Tor catuslropncs. 1T Is not sal'
p impulse, that urge to put down on paper
b everything which fills the NINA ut TN
= mumcnt--oh, bencve mo, 1t Is IN nln'
" cases out OF ten an impulse " urca'
; and to ignore.
it filled Clover Carmichael now.
, She had never put pen to paper t.
~ write to her husband SINCE the cur
y business like note with which she hn'
acknowledged his sending back OF tina
- sum Of money (Which, by the way
- r,lphinstouc Brothers had found usctu
n enough.
It But now--now she must write to him
She thrust her hand into the opel
u stationery drawer; she took out NOR
ID pnpcr, she took her fountain pen, sh
le peran to write. In the clear com
/, mercinl handwriting which she ha
j. adopted years ago ut her business coi
10 ,csc snc nut GOWN the uutc, and the be
10 snnlny 'U this letter.
IT My Dear Harry
w Having written that, she smile
IT again. 1t was as though the very sign
III OF those three words on the white pag
y before her brought IL sense Of satisfac
pr ton and relief. r'or perhaps six second
I'd Clover stared at them, with that child
ut ish, surprised smile curvins her hps
IN then she wrote on. She wrote eve
rs more hurntly, faster, as feelings forme
l. themselves into definite thoughts, an
re thoughts took shape in sentences:
he This is going to be 81. .orc.lettcr.
st Glover wrote
t. 1T is the very first that | have eve
Ul written, and it will be tho last. Io
will never sec it, Harry, because 1
''s soon as | have got it all off my min
lis by writing it l shall take it to tt
t. crate and put match to it, und in OF
nix minute there will be nothing left of
cd but black ash, whispering little III
d. dead leaves In Richmond Park. e
s course there are green leaves there nov
" but there were only dead ones then
%" "Oh, Harry. do you remember TIN
y, afternoon? This morning | can't b'
Ike licye it happened! don't know VIII
1t has happcncd--cxcopt one extraord
nary thing, ! love you; love you.
he "Pcoplc talk about love at fir
H. sight. This other kind Is so mu'
he more wonderful, think. The slow fI
that doesn't catch fire until long aft
rK the hand that sets It has gone away.
o. you only hadn't gone away, Hnrr
M ] don't know why ! write all this MOI
nd sense. Until Just now ] never knC