Evening star., 1928-05-23
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Birthright t;::::' I'll: :: g: 6: ::::: e.:


! thing to say. You know how | admire
| YOU. You're the most beautiful woman
/ ever saw, and l Know ought to
/ know--that you are as sweet and as
| wonderful as you are beautitul----~
please, Sidney" she protested
could not speak.
Il known He accepted the rebuke
"Ive no right to say anything" he
said. i've held you all these years
/ I've kept you from many better man,
Pat. / know that. But Pat. I'm going
away now perhaps forever. And
want to be free"
1t was said. She felt as If she had
known it must be from the beginning.
Her world was going to pieces about
/ her her senses swan, Yet she some
how walked quietly on hands clasped
in her muff, beautiful head erect, and
her voice was quite itself when she
spoke.
You know you have only to ask.
Sidney
Then silence. They were In the city
streets now.
You'd rather have me tell you so
honestly. wouldn't you?" the man said
awkwardly.
Infinitely"
Silence again.
Let it all be as if it had never been,
Sid" said Patricia, ending 1t. I'VE
have had some happy times" To
her own fury her voice thickened and
she could not so on.
We've had the most wonderful
friendship that ever was!" he said en-
Enthusiastically. The girl would have
been glad to stab him III the heart as
he was stabbing her.
''But-but think we'll both admit
now that it wasn't the real thingi" he
went on, with mans eagerneSs to
convince himself that he has inflicted
no wound. Not since the early days,
anyway"
They had reached the entrance to
the Palmer home now and she was
standing above him on the shallow
stone steps. A cynical smile curved
her mouth
And you've found the real thing
now, Sidney?"
He glanced up. flushed and frowning,
looked away again. mo hope there!"
he said heavily.
mo hope for Sidney Hutchinson
with the Sensatone Palmers!" she said
in light irony. He looked up sudden
II, reproachful.
"She's Worth a Million"
What have I to offer her, Pat?
SenSatone Palmers? Why, she's just as
sweet and clever and refined and-yes.
and popular, too, as any one of them.
And she's worth a million-more than
a million
Spare mel" she said with a bitter
laugh Shes Just what I've made
her."
Ava ,;,.i.>r- ILL.,. - ,l -,
easily, "Good-by. then!"
He shook her hands eagerly, would
have prolonged the farewells. But she
had borne enough. A few seconds later
she was quietly mounting the steps,
and had been admitted to the pre-
posterous portal. and without one back
ward glance was gone.
But self-control lasted only until she
reached her room. The hot tears were
running down her cheeks as she flung
aside her wraps and presently she sank
beside her bed and gave them free
vent. Patricia did not often cry, but
the long checked tide was loosed now,
and she was carried away by the pas
sion OF her shame and anger.
She cried for long time. Then She
stopped for few minutes and looked
curiouSly at her hands and at the deep
depression her elbows made in the sott
bed. And then she suddenly remem-
bered. she was alone in the world, Sid
ney did not love her any more: and
she began 10 cry again.
The clock In her room chimed a
silvery 3, the giaring afternoon was
wearing away. Her head ached. her
face burned, her hands were icy She
crept up on the bed and drew fury
covering over her, and, with one or
two long, childish, sobbing breaths. fell
fast asleep.
A pleasant cracking and swapping
awakened her, two hours later. Minna
had come in with tray. had lighted
the fire, 8 bath was waiting. Numbed,
dazed and still headachy, Patricia
stumbled about the business Of dressing.
But she was young, and the hot bath
and the hot tea worked wonders.
Patricia began to find something COR
soling. something almost mournfully
beautiful. in the decisive blow. Perhaps
its actual arrival had not been harder
TO bear than the vague and formleSS
dread OF 1t had been.
Did Mrs. Palmer send you in,
Minna?" she asked, over her second
cup.
she worried because you didn't come
to lunch" the maid answered. And
she looked in and seen you asleep.
And when Mfr Palmer come in, he says
you would like FIRE and some tea,
when you walked up. And he'd like to
see you for minute, please"
why didn't you say sol" Patricia
exclaimed, smiling. She went immed.-
ateIy downstairs.
I'm SO sorry TO keep you waiting"