The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-10
SYNOPSIS

RUTH WOODsoN, 10 years 0iG, on orphan, feels herself . burden on her cousins, the LAW. 8ENCEs, with whom she lives. She impulslvely takes Q bus to the midwest to seek work, and ts put on the bus when her money runs out. A storm breaks and she seeks shelter in . big old stOne house with . blue door.
 Jnst as the old woman care- 1akeR opens the door, Ruth faints from hunger and is carried ups stairs by the old woman and . young man named JOHN Mc- NELL. The old woman mistakes Ruth for ELAINE CHALMERS, whose grandfather built the house.
 Elaine Chalmers, meanwhile, at Graycastle College. vows in q sorority meeting to win the love of her first sweetheart, John Mc- Ncill.
 Ruth resolves to quit the old house next morning before PENNY, the caretaker, awakes but oversleeps. John McNeill calls and asks if he may come to din- ner that night. Ruth likes him, decides to carry on the deception . day longer. She discovers that the old woman Is mentally queer, and that there is some mystery attached to the blue door.
 CHAPTER TX
 After a bath in the big, old-fash- toned bathroom that opened off her bedroom, Ruth dressed herself with great care. She put on the white linen blouse she had bought en- route and set her naturally curly, shoft hair with the aid of a comb and few hairpins.
 She thought hopefully, 'If a strange man admired me while I was sitting on park bench look ing dejected, why shouldn't John McNeill admire me when I'm sit- ting across the table from him looking happy?"
 For she was happy.
 Even though her future was as obscure and unpromising as a young woman's future can very well be, Ruth was happy in the midst of this strange and piquant adventure which had befallen her. FoF q few fieeting hours she was playing the role - and playing it convincingly - of girl who has everything.
 'No matter how drab and com monplace life is for me after to- day," she reminded herself, "I'll always have this funny little inter- Jude to remember"
 Yet even as she hummed a tune and anticipated John McNeill's ar rival, her thoughts were beginning to grapple with the problem of to- morrow She would leave at dawn, walking out the wide, tree- shaded street that led to Cleve- land. She'd manage to get a ride in that direction.
 sOther girls do it," she told her. self, land no harm done. All you need is nerve and level head. I'u develop both after I've knocked around while." She was not let tins herself be too hopeful of find- ingl that mythical Girls Industrial League" which only yesterday she had been pursuing. Things like that, she realized now, were too good to be true. She would look for the place in Cleveland, but if no such shelter could be found, then she would fight tooth and nail to win decent existence by some other means.
 John McNeill was arriving!
 Downstairs she heard his cheer full voice greeting Penny. He had evidently come in the back way from his home next door. Ruth was assailed with curiosity concerning Johns house and she went to the window which afforded the best view of 1t. Only 8 tall althea hedge separted the two big lawns. The McNeill house was not nearly so large as this, it's neighbor, and was of red brick instead of stone, but it was more homelike. In spite of its old-fashioned contours Git ac- tually wore a little turret on it's roofD 1t still had an air of to-day. The lawn was perfectly kept. and Ruth could see comfortable, pillow filled chairs on the long veranda.
 Miss Elaine" called Penny urgently, and Ruth turned and ran down the stairs. all care laid aside.
 
 John McNeill greeted her in the hall. taking both her hands in both of his. Were doing bet ter," he said, smiling down into her dark eyes. We've developed a double handshake! Well, what have you been doing with your se1f?"