The Washington times., 1931-03-23

been brought to think not only
Of himself, but Of other people,
other things.
Some Way Out
Surely he would understand,
now.
There must be some way,
Margaret thought, to find out
from Delight If there mad been
a marriage. Perhaps this could
be accomplished, possibly
through Larry, without the
woman's discovering anything.
Larry had already made a
friendly contact with her; he
might ask her certain questions
with careful casualness. And
if, as Margaret believed and
hoped, no such claim existed,
she could wait until the girl
was out Of the country before
confronting Lorrimer with the
truth-or at least part Of IL.
The part she could tell him
would be merely that Mary
Lou was not the girl he had
known; that whatever his de-
lusion on the subject, shat girl
had never been his wife. That
that girl no longer, in 81 man.
ner of speaking, existed: but
that Mary Lou-did.
If, however, she thought
rapidly and feveriShly, if. by
any unfortunate chance, Delight
Hartford found out that Lori
mer was alive and realized to-
ward what Larry'S questionings
were leading, perhaps she could
be induced to leave New York.
Money would do a lot, and
money would be provided.
You'll do what's right" DIR.
Mathews had told her.
She sighed, turned on her
pillows, ran her slim hands
through the white, disordered
hair.
Just Puppy Love
Even if he had not married
this stranger, he had loved
her. Boys love, war-leave love.
But one couldn't dismiss it so
lightly. perhaps. He'd learned
suffering through it. OF
course, she argued with her
self, had he been quite normal,
on his return home he might
soon have forgotten, the mem
ory would have faded. It was
his mental and physical condi-
ton which had caused him to
cling to that memory as the
one worthwhile thing in life,
the lost Delight.
Well, thought Margaret,
wearily, even if Delight Har-
ford left the country, unknow-
ing and unsuspecting, some
thing could be done for her,
some tribute paid. Money
could arrange anything, through
trusted lawyers, agents. Back
in London some unknown
"backer" could be provided for
her, she should be given her
chance, she need never know
the real source of the financial
help.
Thinking of this, the con-
science which had stirred
little was drugged to sleep
again. Shed help the girl.
She was perfectly willing to
do so, to do anything for her
save bring her into contact
with her son again.
Enter the Lovers
OF course, had this marriage
taken place, all these plans
would be of no avail. Yet per-
haps Delight Hartford could be
bought off-induced to COM
municate with Lorrimer, de-
manding a release? Oh, what
ever way her thoughts turned
she found obstacles arising,
questions, impasSes. Her head
was hot and heavy with think
ing. Flashes of clear sighted
ness came to her in which she
hated herself. She had been,
all her life, a very honorable
person. She had greatly de-
SpiSed, in others, dishonor, eva
Sions, thickness, injustice. And
she found herself descending to
all Of these. That there was
one thing to do which was
straight and right and honor
able, she knew. And that was
to see Delight Hartford, hear
her story, make proper investi-
cations and, if she had mar
ried TraverS, welcome her to
Westwood House as his wife;
if not, welcome her as the girl
he had loved, the girl to whom
he had been engaged.
Knowing her son, she knew
that even that longago relation
ship would constitute a claim
that the girl would be perfectly
free and certainly wise-to
press.
But she could not induce her
self to set her feet upon the
plain, stfaightway course. In