Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-01-18


murmured the father, uncertainty. II
wouldn't ask much more of life than
that"
"He will, father" said the starry
eyed Bethna, with conviction. "You
can't love anyone the way 1 love him
and not have it end happily. It al
ways does in the movies"
HE wouldn't come right into our
home for her, if his intentions weren't
honorable, I'm sure" offered Mrs.
And Darl could only groan. What
on earth could Wesley Payne want of
the girl? He had only seen her at her
desolate worst, white and peaked and
suffering. 1t had been that awful
desolation that had moved him to buy
her that coat that she cherished So
or rather his slightly tipsy reaction
to the sight of small girl sobbing
as she faced fur store window on
Christmas Eve. Just tipsy gesture.
Payne had angrily admitted that to
Darl
And that day Payne and his friend
had come down to the police station
to tell their story, the girl hadn't look
ed any better. No, it certainly wasn't
any emotional attraction that was
bringing the man down there tonight,
no matter how thoroughly the entire
Ruggles family believed in fairy stor-
les.
So he sat in the kitchen with Mr..
Ruggles and acted as if he were lis
tening to Mr.. Ruggles hopes for his
girl, while he thought it out. His eyes
were harried with suspicion and his
heart hot with rage. What was Payne
up to? Not what this innocent fam
lily expected, certainly.
Here he comes"
The excited news was delivered in
an awed whisper. Darl listened.
There were footsteps on the bare,
creaky stairs. Not one set of foot
steps, but two. And furious femi-
nine voice.
C good this is going to do" came
that Jelly brittle feminine voice. "Drag
ging me through the slums and ex-
pecting me to believe anything such
white trash could tell me. You've
probably been here and primed them.
It's outrageous! I've never been so
insulted in my life. If you think it
will make any difference"
In the midst of that furious TRADE
came sharp tap on the door. Darl
from his post in the kitchen, could
see the stricken droop that came over
the girl, as she, too, heard that femi-
nine voice on the stairs. She seemed
almost turned to stone as she stood
there.
you've been here before, that's GER
tain," came the insolent feminine
voice. Cor you couldn't so easily To-
cate the door in this filthy rabbit
warren. What you want to bother
with such white trash for
Again that sharp tap. Mrs. Rug
giles patted her hair with trembling
work worn hand, and went to open it..
"G-good evening"" she managed.
A tall, golden haired blonde girl
with eyes like blue ice, Rugged her
ermine about her and crowded past
Mrs. Ruggles into the room. Wesley
Payne, obviously i'll at e,-followed
her.
Bethna, white and shocked=at this
sudden collapse of all her. dreams,
stood there in the middle of The room,
powerless to move or speak. An
awkward silence held, and then Payne
so out of place there in his formal
black and white that Darl yearned
for a newspaper camera-turned ap-
pealing to Mrs. Ruggles.
you've got to help me-" he be-
gan insistently. "Miss Bodine and I
were engaged to be married until
that unfortunate episode of your
daughters arrest. She processes to
believe that there was something be-
hind the story that the newspapers
didn't print, and want you to tell her
the exact happenings in all their de-
tails. Maybe she will believe you
after seeing-all this. Especially af-
ter seeing the girl" he finished, fling
ing out hand that pointed contemp-
tuously at Bethna.
Darl was out of his chair in an in
slant, almost choking with the rage
that swept him. But Mr.. Ruggles
caught him by the arm, showed him
back into his chair, and went into
the bare sitting room.
"The entire story" he explained
with simple dignity that made Darl
want to shout with sudden relief" was
printed in the newspapers. None of
hn6