Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-10
Mary or
Eloise?
Which
Should Win
Unusual Hero?
lessly and slid with diminished spec

he began again a trife breathlessly
that you have been clever at picking
up ,acquaintances. I've noticed that,
during the month of your stay here,
you've got to know all the riff-raff OF
the place" The car stopped. Here q
your hotel Before you get out. want
that promise and that apology"
y You ] amt agoin' to get 'em, doc,
savvy what you kin do about IT,"
I'm going. for one thing. to cut
short your social career, as well as your
education-which will probably hurt
Miss Mary more than It will you--'
you've got a drag with Miss Mary
same's with the old lady" Q said
this as though he made n statement
to himself.
The doctor was aware of frightened
contraction of his nerves, but he ignored
1t. He managed, however, a change Of
tone.
You'd rather have me for a friend
than for an enemy, wouldn't you, young
man." he asked. Can you have too
many friends in this somewhat ambi-
tious career you have chosen for your
self?"
Q's steady gaze had become a sort
of torment, an X-ray burning into the
Doctors most sensitive and secret nerve
ccnters; cold and gray and terribly
s.earching-Sales wanted to put up his
hands between himself and It.
Yes, sir, q was speaking, II sure
need your friendship. But it's luxury
cant afford to treat myself to.
There's some things too dirty to handle.
I'll hev to ask you to keep on bein'
my enemy
II belicve'--Dr. Sales chose his
words carefully. hunting as though for
Il sharp and painful instrument-"that
Miss Grinscoombe has some small use
for you at present, in her scheme for
her niece. When you have served her
purpose, ] shall see that your inter-
course with Grinscoombe Manor is at
an end. After all, the apology is un-
important. You may get out"
@ climbed down slowly. He was
weak from pain and loss of blood, but
his companion made not even a gesture
of assistance. On the pavement, q
turned and looked steadily at DR.. Sales.
The cool. brilliant eyes gathered light.
''Thanks.' he said gravely us though
he meant it, and walked rapidly and
with grace into the hotel.
That cryptic word of gratitude, as for
some service rendered, wormed itself
uncomfortably deep into the doctors
consciousness. He drove away with
uncertainty at heart. He had said too
much. His memory, weighted by Q's
silence and stung by his caustic and
amazing bit of knowledge, accused him
of infantilc yolubiity:;, If only the
fellow had been goaded into angry
speech. instead of silently, coolly col
Letting some sort of information with
those terrible gray eyes! But, pshaw {!
the doctor reassured himself, his uncer.
tain hands sliding about the steering
wheel. 'I'm safe; I'm safe." The
comfortable look of huddled cream came
back slowly to his face.
More About the Letter F
Ferdinand Fadden. deep in wide
elbow. gazed tixedly at Heloise from
under his heavy lids. With the hand
not occupied with his drink, he twisted
the spiked end of a tiny blond mustache.
His eyes, large and very blue, were
cOntempative. indolent and sultry, like
the August day. Outside the shadow
of the manor veranda insect voices
droned and swelled like rising and
falling waves. the sun cleaned across
the molten steel surface of the river
above which the air quivered like the
air inside Il furnace.
Fcrdinand's body of an athlete glowed
was burnt brick red up to white line
across his forehead Just below the dense
straight border of his hair. There was
n forward thrust to his mouth and jaw
which gave him an expression of inso-
lent discomfort; 1t needed all the lazy
serenity of eyes and brow and pose to
counteract the look.
"Your aunt" said Ferdinand,
doesn't like me little bit. When
buzzed in today her face was about as
welcoming rs bank safe"
Heloise lay among cushions in a
canvas swinging lounge. She seemed
element, her face was pale and her
eyes struggled away from his, coming
back continually with fluttering un-
certainty; it was as though she felt a
younger and more helpless Heloise; the
artificial self f-possession of her usual
little manner had left her somewhat
shy and without defense. Nevertheless,
she answered him daringly with an ef-
fort at her cool. staccato laugh.
''She's afraid" said Lelo, that I'm
going to lose my head over you" Her
voice was triile breathless.
he flung out sulkiIy. iii Lucy hadn't
got me in for this blamed yachting trip,
so that I had to cut off and leave
you-" he paused, for Lelo's cheeks
had kindled and there was a lift to her
head which he recognized as a danger
signal.
"If you hadnt--?" she angled for a
further justification of her anger.
"If ! hadn't had to leave you," ne
murmured with sudden gentleness as
droning as the gentleness of insect
voices, ~ might have had a peaceful
summer instead of the sort of-hell I've
been put through for these last two
months. Don't be nasty to me now,
will you, LelO? Something's changed
you while I've been away. You were a
whole lot swceter to me last winter
last spring.
"I-I--you can't expect me to be
sweet to deserter. Ferdy. You went
of to be gay and left me here In this
dull hole to bore myself to death. Sluy-
penkill is not exactly round Of excite
ment for me-when you're away"
"You little tlirt How many hearts
have you been breaking in revenge for
my desertion, Ell? Desertion - He
echoed it ironically. He leaned for
ward resting thrusting jaw on his
two large handsome hands; his eyes
seemed to darken and thicken in color
like II thundcrous sky. You know just
how much of a dcsertion it was, Lelo |!
Why do you cut me like that? 1t hurts
confoundedly. He wrinkled his brows
into two dents. surprisingly boyish
attempt at frown Of injury. Lucy
hurriedly In n lower tone-"Well, It
isn't as if she deserved any considera-
ton from me-
| ora rother vou 1youldp't falk ohout