Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-20
Friendship

OUNCE that night when Steele had
- asked Anne TO give him the life ,Lat
she valued so little he had made no
attempt TO see her. 1t was perhaps the
most difficult period Of his life. for he
was not accustomed TO delays. and the
restraint that he put upon himself made
him restless and irritable. But he was
determined TO wait. arl wait be did.
Every day Anne gained in strength
Until finally ,harn calnc n time when IL
was no longer necessary for her 70 re-
main in her room. She was still very
fragile and D-. Henderson,. when ques.
toned by Marcia. pointed out the dan.
ger Of allowing the girl TO take up any
definite work as yc'. Rest is what
she needs. and an absence Of response
biity OF any kind" II cautioned. And
Marcia was forced to smile and ac-
quiesce when in nor .sart she wanted
only 20 De rid o: Anne forever.
Steele had said u"'iIing more TO his
mother about his .nton'ions concerning
Anne. therefore i was with some trepi.
dation that Marcia Witnessed the meet.
ing between III" two on Annc's first
night down to dinner. Marcia had had
a couple Of her own dresses cut down
to tt the girl. who Of course. had no
clothes. Bat although she had chosen
the simplest things. and Anne's dress
! that night was n straight one piece
frock of sheer white. her beauty was
almost dazzling. and Steele caught his
breath as she entered the room.
But his greeting was entirely with
1t Nd
interest. He wanted 80 put her at her
case. to convince he" that she had
nothing to fear from him. and after one
quick look into his eyes. the tension
that had seemed 70 grip the girl re.
laxcd. and she bccam" charmingly un-
| self conscious. She talked through din
ner easily. at times almost brilliantly.
small talk for the most part. but she
showed n strangely deep insight into
things. and her observations on life
were quaint and unusual.
I Only once did she falter. and that
was when turning Nlddenly TO her
host she caught him for a moment off
gunrd. His dn-k eyes we're blazing with
The feeling slr" aroused. and for brief
instant OF tim" fear caught at her
heart.
Marcia had soon tho quick look be-
| tween tho tw" and had wondered ut il.
hut it vaguely coinfort"d her. 1t as
sured her Of one thing. No matter how
much John wanted this girl she was
lot in love with him. for she had
plainly shrunh away from him. Per.
I hupS after all there might be one thing
! in TIE world that John could not have
/ for the asking.
J In the day. thar followed Anne. for
got to be afraid Of St""le. II she ever
I thought about that night when he had
asked her 70 marry him. it was to
Il ssuro herself that he had only intended
70 be kind. and then one night some
thing happened.
II was in the library after dinner and
! Marcia had been called away TO the
! telephone. For moment n heavy
silence had settled down upon the room
and then suddenly Anne spoke.
This will probably be the last chance
I Shall have to toll YOU how grateful
| am for cv"rything YOU have done. !
lam going away tomorrow
"Going away" St"elc's voice was
! sharp. "What do You mean: This is
tie first ! have heard anything about
it," The suddcnncSs Of the thing had
swept away his cautOusncSs, and ne
was on his feet in n moment stridins
across the room TO her.