Henderson Daily News (Henderson, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 156, Ed. 1 Tuesday, September 17, 1935 Page: 5 of 10
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like
•lek!"
shs
>• j
Y
1
make
be.
woman
Mias
I
4
Bhe said, banding the letter to things looked bright tor McNeill
Ruth, “Yow read it to me, Miss; Pumps.
u
image ot
>
L
“Lord!” he
any girl
Y
.<1
for
-'<fc
Yob look
She
ear.
wioned off. . . .”
away anxiously.
■ hat was pulled low over his eyes.
He partially concealed his mouth
iaret with his uninjured hand. "It
Then he added.
John Smith
car and
excuse
Alice
The entire aet
missing.
ot
bis
as it she
doesn't
A
• ,4
SiW
FUIESDAY AFFBWTOON, SEPT. 17, 1935
I
in Baltimore.
W7HEN sbe accepted John'* In-
"vltatlon to go dancing wltb
blm, Ruth knew she bad added
one more reckless link to the
chain ot folly sbe was forging.
She also knew that she *ts glad.
McNeill house was dark across the
lawn. John had told Rnth that he
would spend the day in Akron and
slvely and wltb secret humor,
learned it at school."
Penny ventured timidly, "Could
you somehow make the icing pink,
Miss Elaine? I always thought It
would be elegant to have a cake
me by name, I mean- -with pink icing."
"Why, yes," Huth answered, after
thinking over the pathetic request.
"I can color It with a little of the
water you’re cooking the beets In
At least I'll do my best.”
In an hour the cake was cooling
waiting for its decoration.
when the mere recalling of a be-
loved pair of eyes, a beloved voice,, rwas a blow-out.”
•ent the pulses pounding. The an- [lying, “I was going the other way.
ticlpation ot another meeting with.
John McNeill — another sueh ret*-,
dexvous as last night's ride—madw
life a glorious adventure. Her]
. He’d signed up the dealer
_ a, be wanted in Akron — the third
check and a’folded sheet of paper. such achievement In a month—and
It’s even got little
It’s knitted."
and
•be
steps.
she was unhappy,
gay than apprehensive,
in love, and knew It.
Climbing cadtlohsly from the car,|
John Smith Inspected the damage
done. He could, he decided, extri-
cate his car without help if the
engine still ran. But first he must
change the tire which had blown
out. This he proceeded to do. get-
ting the tools from the place he
knew them to be, and applying the
jack with fumbling, unaccustomed
Ungers. It took him all ot an hour
to do thia At last, weary from his
exertions, be sat on the running
board and smoked a clgaret while
bls mind wrestled with his prob-
lems.
The old house 1b like a fort," ho
thought "I could dig in there and
stay indefinitely—"
A car was coming to a halt be-
side him. Breaks ground, tires
skidded, and from the window of
TJUTH thought, looking across at
the dark house, “I guess he’s
terribly In demand because he's eo
terribly eligible." She wondered if
Mrs. Bennet’s niece was attractive
and tried not to hate her.
She turned from the window and
lighted another candle, a thick one
that Mood la • teayy teidwr and
gave oC^ light that was (treat
enough for reading. She would go
Into the library, sbe decided, and
choose a book to reed in her room.
Something heavy. Something that
would make her sleepy, so she
wouldn’t lie awake through the
long evening, waiting for John Mo
Neill to leave Mrs. Bennet’s niece.
Ignoring Penny because of her
strange rudeness, she left the room,
went to the lilrary and carefully
selected her book. It was Haw
thorne’s “Mooses Proas an Old
Manse," certainly a sleepy title. She
camo out into the han again and
is she was going toward the stairs
ihe was arrested by her own re
flection tn the tall pier glass that
stood against the walL
1
a gleaming coupe a tanned, hatless
lyoung man leaned out and called
pleasantly, "Can I help you?"
1 "Thanks, no,” John Smith replied
"If you
he said.
1 won’t
car was overnauieu oy a ponce
motorcycle that bad bean loiter*
surely bath,
downstairs.
“ 'Mornln',
sponded a
• WSJ NEA Senke,
•loud. Suddenly she was happy
again because her noble conduct
was out ot the question, aad be-
cause she was going to meet John
presently and drive back to Worth-
ville with him. "I must have bora
absolutely cuckoo!"
She said the words dearly and
blithely, and an impudent youth
with freckles and a turned-up nose,
jostling beside her in the crowd,
■aid, "Talking to yourself, sister,
or me?”
(Car turned completely around!"
j "What you know about thatl” ex-
claimed the young man, with sur-
Her] -prised interest “Well, you’re lucky
happiness dimmed her tears for| yon didn’t crash that tree."
—- 2_.—, —' ‘22 " * *| "Yeah,” replied John Smith.
ter something else of Interest An-
other picture. It reflected the
shadowy dining room behind her.
At the table stood Penny, her ac-
tivities etched by the light of a
candle that stood on the table be-
side ter. She was cutting away
half the cake and wrapping it In a
napkin. She was doing it hastily
and slyly.
J
«■ /A
•Wstir* thought Ruth. “Ot all
things) lUe her own cake. Why
on earth does she have to act that
way about ttf"
She went hurriedly up the stairs
as if she had seen nothing, and
when she had gained her own room
and closed het, door, she carefully
locked IL
Sbe thought, "It’s just as John
told me. Old Bertha Gibbs Is queer.
Mavbe worse."
She remembered how the old
creature had acted about the blue
paint on the door. How she had
said, so queerly and senselessly.
CHAPTER XIV
TJUTH was far more happy than I
she was unhappy. Far more liu a gruff voice, not his own. His
She was
She moved
tn that soaring, tremulous state and chin by manipulating his cig-
at all. but from somewhere over-
head. Penny’s room Was at the
rear of the second floor, down the
hall from Ruth’s own.
Sbe thought irritably, "If Pen-
ny’s pacing the floor, why doesn't
she do it in her own territory?
... Or oan sbe be sleep-walking?"
The letter seemed possible.
Either that, or Penny was suffering
from Insomnia like herself (bad
the coffee been too strong at sup-
per?) and was working off her en-
ergy by cleaning the third floor.
"Tbat's no more senseless." Ruth
told herself, “tban stealing half her
own cake and carrying off a set of
books when she can’t see to read
them. There's fust no use expect-
ing Penny to act like other people.”
Having arrived at thia conclu-
sion. Ruth pulled a blanket snugly
around her healthy young body and
fell asleep.
When the pacing started again,
toward dawn, she did not hear it.
She was dreaming that she was
walking down the highway, very
tired and confused and John Mc-
Neill overt-wk her in his car and
said. "Get in and ride. Darling.”
And she got in and they drove till
they earns to a greet, and white
kitchen where a plnno and two vio-
lins were playing Victor Herbert
music, expressly for them.
Her little heart desired to wear
the lace dinner dresa. Yearned to
wear IL After her bath she are.
gued with herself about It::
"John's not dreaaing. The correct
thing tor me to wear would os
one of the knit dresses—or tbs
navy blue aatln. But bo's seen
me In all of them. He’s never
seen me in the lace. It 1 don’t
wear it tonight bo never wilC
. . . It I don’t wear it, I’ll always
wish I bad. H might got to oa
a suppressed desire with mo an£
turn me into a criminal er eomew
thing! I’M wear it—"
matter.
Ruth disagreed,
but good for books.
Thcre're some leather-bound
times In there that are simply go-
ing to places from neglect. l,ei me
have a bucket ot warm water and
some cloths and soap. I could use
a rtcplctjdcr. too. If you have one "
Penny provide! the equipment,
grumbling and mut’«:-lt>< to her-
self. Ruth put on an apren rolled
up bar sleives and started. She
worked all e.fternoon without lor
Ing eutl’.’islr.sm: ^he. lorad book’
and had never had the prlvl’ege ot
Inning herself In a prlv-.te library
before. Rhe dur’ed all the volumes
and replaced tl:-m on the clean
walnut ehelvos. On the whole s|ie
did not alter tha arrangement of
the books.
Late In the afternoon, feeling
tired, she do:!’:d cn a cup of tea
end a rest. Shs went into the
klt'hen. where she found Bertha
peeling potatoes. "I'm going to
make myself a cup of tea. Penny,''
she said. "Ho you mind?"
Ths look that Penny turned on
her was not one of welcome She
laid down her paring knife and
covered the pota’oes with hor
apron, as if they were something
very private end perr.onsl. "I'll
make the tea, Mids Elaine." she
raid nharply. "You go I.’, the li-
brary end wait. I’ll bring it to
you there."
(To Be Continued)
Alining
September Ufo
aapptel ‘xS&S?’
lgO6-Su>eden cedes
IgSS-Gornensbone
of the Boston pub-
lic Library laid. '
CHAPTER XVI
rpHE clouds and wind spent them
selves during the night. The
next day came In clear and serene.
When Ruth opened her eyes In re-
sponse to a bird song In the hedge
outside, her room was full ot sun
light. The world seemed so en-
tirely normal that she laughed at
She
color flattered her brown eyes and
hair. Its littls round collar was
young and dsmurs. -
John was lata It was after •
when ho called for her, breath*
less and apologetic tor having
been dotalnc4 at the factory. "I'm
not a play boy," he told her.
"Business has to come first Well,
we’ll step on IL The flrst 40 mile*
is pretty straight road.”
It was this part ot the road
that proved their undoing. About
10 miles from Worthville, doing
a careful 40 miles an hour, John’a
car was overhauled by a police
JIULU, yiocotus IUJVIU6U
FhaH.) she said importantly, “It’s (T<
from your mother. It's the Money, J
•he sends me regular for takln? fooy, grown up.
care of the house. But seems like Ikept bls own face covered.
I’m gettin’ more and Store afraid! (interview caused him to
to open ’em. There might come a isider his plans,
letter any time now, sayin’ I’m pen-: even probable, that the McNeill
Her voice trailed family still lived next door to the
old Hunter place. This boy might
Ruth’s anxiety caught fire, too., recognize him after the roadside
lSl» realized that the letter in! meeting. Certainly he would recog-
penny’s hands was a sort of bomb- nize the Injured car.
(which might, in its explosion, blow decided to abandon the
4>«r temporary little world of hap-, continue on foot until overtaken by
unfolded the paper and pleasant meditations recurred the ^penny," she reminded her.
She^ught^"!^ took hth7 platetaFdown" t tte
'kitchen table. Her hands were
■ ,, --------- trembling. All color was drained
The question was unanswer- lfrom her face she ,t„ed ,t the
■cake unseelngly. and then she be-
|gan to crumble it in her fingers.
Ruth finished tidying the kitchen
and watched her In puzzled silence.
'Presently she asked gently, "Has
something happened to shock you.
■ Penny? Was that a telegram at
shades of green get-up.
new one?"
"Not new.” Ruth answered, "ex-
cept to you.
darned places In IL
“I know,” he said, starting the
"My mother does ’em. ~
knits ’em for herself and my mar-
ried sister In Washington. Flor-
ence."
“Oh. yes." said Ruth. "Bhe’s
older than you.” Bhe made the
guess recklessly, since she knew
Ate ought to recall bls family.
Elaine."
matter-of-fact
“I’ll hove your breakfast on
table In a jiffy.
"Well!"
OHN MeNKH.r. rafted for her at
"Good girl," ho said, “on
Yoe don't keep the busy
business man waiting. ~
sweet, by the way, in that two
Another
jfinees to atoms. But sho said, her a bus.
(voice held steady, “Don’t anticipate John McNeill, already forgetful
)bad news. Penny, and maybe it of the incident just past, skillfully
Won't ever come. Open the letter."' lighted his pipe without reducing
Penny obeyed, removing from speed.
the ereamy, square envelope i.
_ _ f . The factory would soon
Elaine. I-can’t make out pen and running full time again. If this
Ink wrltirf very good lately." BCrt ot thing kept up. .„.v „
• • • Then, persistently, through these .oyou’d" only taken a couple of bites.
the future, caused her to forget the| "Yeah,” replied John Smith. He
Insecurity of her position, and! waa narrowly eying the nonchalant,
lulled her pricking conscience into clear-cut young man whose gaze
comfortable quiescence. | was so direct and who wanted to
Penny said feelingly that morn- be helpful. He wondered why the
ling: “Lor’, Miss Elaine, it’s good! young man looked vaguely familiar
to have you here. You cheer up' to him. After all, he. "John
the place considerable!" Smith," hadn’t been in this vicinity
la the afternoon mail there ar-; Ifor 10 years.
rived a check from "Miss Gwen.”| I The young man lifted his hand
(After Penny had pulled the letter, tin salute, shifted gears and drove
from the rusty mail box she stood] on. Toward Worthville. An ad-
iln the hall, handling it with trem-. jvertising cover on his spare tire
’bling fingers. |said "McNeill Pumps make hard
i* To Ruth, passing through the: twater unnecessary!”
!haH.iste said importantly, “It’s| (JOHN SMITH lifted an eyebrow.
So that was it.
He was glad he’d
The
caused him to recon-
It was possible,
that the
Ing In • elds road. There was no
argument
"John McNeill, Worthville?*
snapped John, giving the intdt*
mstlon with some chagrin and.
irritation. "Yoe, I was doing 40.
What ot It? The road's clear.
Got to gst to dinner, haven’t wsr*
The callous one said,
nothin’ to this township it yon
never oeL” Ruth watched his
pencil move, fascinated. Bhe could
see there was other printed data
on the card to be filled ouL Bha
•wallowed bravely and said in a
■email, clear voice, "And my nemo
'is Ruth Woodson."
Both man looked at her. Tte
officer smiled and said, "Yonr
name’s not necsssary, lady. I’m
just Interested in the driver.*’
John McNeill said nothing. Ho
took the ticket offered him, said
a forgiving goodby to the law’s
victorious representative and put
his car in motion. About 10 miles
later ho said with a ohsllenglnc
smile to the girl bssldo him, "He
wasn’t interested la your alias,
was he?”
Ruth felt tears stinging hor
eyelids in the darkness. She had
supposed the officer would ask her
name in just a moment and that
John would bo compelled to cay,
“Elaine Chalmers!" She was re*
sponsible tor that name Sho had
borrowed it, and sho must leave
it as bright and shining as ete
had found IL But John would
never know the reason for her lie.
No doubt ho thought it potty,
cowardly in her to have spoken
out like thaL Well, no matter
now. She blinked back the team
and laughed a Mt hysterically,
"Just protecting my good name.
Wasn’t it crafty of mo?”
“Yes," he answered. "Ruth
Woodson. Sort of cute, honey.*'
“It’s my favorite alias,*’ she
said. Thon, "I can’t do the new
dance steps. Do you mind?"
“Angel!” he replied. "You’rw .
saying that because yon know I
can’t do them!’* She was happy
again.
W7HEN she had put it on shd
" was not sorry. Its cream-ian
I .i?dll
n was two days after the twB*
star party that be asked her. He
•aid, “There’s a dinner dance at> J
the Country Club tonight. Or wf? 3
could go slumming—to one ot tBW ’J
decent roadhouses. I mean. Oa- £
we could go to Cleveland. 14-
doean’t matter to me where w* ■
(o, just bo we d&nce.**
Ruth replied quickly, “Not tbq >
Country Club, John! I don’t waev
to see a lot ot people I'm expected
to remember—and don’t!”
“All right," be said. "Bo mucV
the better. It 1 took you to •
local dance I’d play stag all eve-
ning. Now I know a place celled
the Allegheny Cabin that's ••
miles from here toward the moute- -
tains, but worth the drive. lt>
run by a couple ot people from
Maryland — down-and-out gentry
—who specialise on good food and
a good orchestra. There’s the
right patronage. No rough stuff. A
beautiful log lodge overlooking a
water gap. Hangs over the river.
Two big fireplaces. Maryland
tried chicken—"
Ruth -said, "Are you a paid
press agent tor this paradise,' oe
just feeling lyrical? Anyway, 1'gg
sold. What time shall I be
ready?” \
“We’d better allow an hour and
a halt.” he calculated, “on ac-
count ot the curves. I’ll phono
for ? o’clock reservations. Let**
leave here about 4:10. Do yow
think Bertha Will object?"
Ruth shook her head and'
laughed. “It’s not very flattertaffi
to me. but her one ides seems!
to be to got me out ot the hopsej
What must I wear, John?" <
by boiling the sugar In beet water.
The result was such a delicate pink
froth as to gladden Penny's heart.
Tears of pride came to the old
woman’s eyes as she surveyed the
beautiful, three -story structure
which had been made for her with
such Infinite pains. “I never
thought to have the like!” she ex-
claimed.
“We’ll cut it tonight after sup-
per," Ruth said. "While it’s etUI
soft and fresh."
Later, after Penny had served
Rnth and had cleared the supper
table of the simple one-course meal,
the cake was brought on. SI nee
It was Penny’s cake, Ruth felt it
was rl-'lcnlons that It should be
v- ..rd by Pennv rau—- than
went downstairs. In the library
sbe set the candle on the table and
went to the shelf where she had
placed the volume.
It was not there,
of Stevenson was missing. The
gap had been filled by some odds
and ends of books which she bad
stored behind the reference books
"Of all things!" she said. Her
mind yielded to the blankness of
utter surprise. She knew that sbe
had left the books there.
"Or did I?" she asked tn confu-
sion. "Maybe I put them In an-
other place, without realizing."
She began to look through the
shelves. After almost an hour bad
been ticked away by the grandfa-
ther’s deck in the hall sbe was
forced to admit that the books were
not in the room at all. "And thnt's
that,” she said grimly, going out
•nd closing ths door
IT was past midnight u shs
A passed the clock In the hall. It
bad long ago ceased to strike, but
It kept perfect time. At least Ber-
tha had several times assured her
that It did. as sbe wound It before
retiring. TonlghL with its noisy
ticking resounding through tbs
quiet hall and with Its yellowed
face shining lb tte candle light,
the dock seemed to Rnth to be a
living creature. She wondered
what Stories it would toll if its
clicking old tongns would speak.
1YERTHA GIBB3 made no answer.
" She looked blankly at the plate
which Ruth held out to her. It
was as If she had never seen the
cake before, the beautiful cake
with the pink icing, made especial-
ly for her.
Ruth felt a surge of irritation.
that she couldn’t touch brush to it
"because the quarter moon’s past”l
“It doesn’t make sense." Ruth ad-
mitted thoughtfully as she US-
drsseed. ’'Furthermore, when I
questioned her about the telegram
tonight she looked at me — *' "*■*
hated me. That
•«nso either.”
j He imagined her in his arms. In
Ibis house, in his life. Belonging In
those places. Happy to be there.
His pulses pounded harder and his
eyes narrowed In determination.
I Then he thought of his mother,
Whom he loved and whose opinions
, he respected. He could Imagine
her saying in her sane, gentle
way, “An unsuitable match, John!
vorce—’’
' “But I want her anyway." John
McNeill thought unreasonably. And
that was how he knew that he
loved her.
CHAPTER XV
gOON after Penny’s return from me!"
town the groceries arrived. Ruth
helped her put them away on the
pantry shelves,
plo outlay, Ruth suggested: "Sup-
pose I mako you a cake. Penny? A
day-late birthday cake!"
"My!" exclaimed Penny In snr-
"That would be grand.
r “Ten." John replied. "Picture
■W With • 10-yenr-old nephew and
twin nieces, aged I!"
John McNalll was constantly be-
ing greeted by people on tte street
and he lilted his hand in impar-
tial salute to leading cltlsens, col-
ored porters, traffic oops end pretty
ladies. . . . "Hl. Pets!" This to
a lanky young chap descending tte
oourthonse steps. "How's the boy?"
Ruth wss relieved that they did
■tot pauas to ass bow the boy was,
for ate suspected, and rightly, that
hero was someone Elaine Chalmers
was snppossd to remember. "Peter
Ashton," explained John, avoiding
an ice cream truck by a hair’s
breadth. "He and his sister used
to play in your back yard when you
visited here. They sold their old
home and moved out on the
Heights a couple of years ago.
Alics goes to Mount Holyoke.
Pete's about to be s senior at
Yale."
aloud, and (the door?"
The old woman looked st her in-
tently and then lowered ter eyes.
"Yes," she said, "a telegram. A
body never knows what to expect
these days."
“Was It bad news?" asked Ruth
anxiously. "Was it about your job
here?"
"Not that,” replied the old wom-
an harshly. "Something else. Some-
thing I’ve hoped for for a long
time. And—and dreaded."
"Ohl" said Ruth. She wondered
where the telegram was. In Pen-
tho wiroy, thin-faced,
> on the running
board back there. "Where’ve I seen
that guy before?" ho asked him-
self.
able. He thought he had dismissed
it, but the subconscious mind never
dismisses the unsolved. Back, back
through the years went the trail of
this subconscious thoughts while
;bls conscious mind took up a hap-
pier theme.
"Elaine!" he said
(laughed in the wind.
(said, "I believe I’m in love with
I believe I'd rather have her
my wife than any girl on
CHAPTER XVHI
iN the wees that followed, Ruth
■ and John McNalll were to-
gether more than anyone realized
—except Bertha Gibbs. She en-
couraged tbo drives they took
either before or after the evening
meal.
On the day after John’s return
they went to Cleveland to see the
opening of a New York play, star-
ring the Lunts. Ruth wore the
ahell-plnk velvet dress beneath
the fox-trimmed evening coat and
wondered it she were overly
dressed or rushing the season. It
appeared that she was not.
John was satlsfylngly Impressed.
"You're stunning!" he told her,
looking across the table In frank
appraisal. "Did you send for all
these clothes you’ve been wearing
lately? You came without bag-
gage. If I remember rightly. All
yon had was a bunch ot parcels.”
Ruth said steadily, ”1 didn’t
have to send for anything. And
tor the funniest reason! Last
spring my—my family sent ■ box
for Saint Stephens' rummage sals
and it got here too late. Penny
dragged it up to the store room
and It's been there ever since.
We opened It after 1 came and
It was stocked with tall and wlntef
clothes from last season."
John said, "A girl who’s crazy
enough to coms off without her
clothes doesn't deserve a break
like that."
"No,” answered Ruth humbly,
"sbe doesn't. I haven't deserved
any of the broeks ot thio visit,
John. Finding you next door, for
Instance. Liking you—*,'
““Just—liking me. Blaine?”
• • •
QHE replied, making patterns on
the table cloth with one fin-
ger, “Sometimes 1 write things
I’m too inhibited to say. When I
go away, maybe I'll leave a letter
for you—"
”1 don’t like the sound
that," be replied, shaking
bead and staring at the glowing
tip ot his clgaret. "It sounds like
you’re planning a dismissal for
me. When is this to happen?
Any definite time set?”
"No definite time,” she an-
swered. not looking at him. ‘
Her face must have reglaterod
some ot the turmoil ot hor
thoughts, for John said quickly.
The remark had no meaning for
Ruth, so she dismissed it. She
said, “Yoa’re feeling better this
morning, aren’t you, Penny?”
’’Yes,’’ replied Penny. "As fit as
a fiddle."
As a matter of fact the old wom-
an did look stronger. She was less
bent and shuffling. Shs moved
more purposefully. She said. "Now
that you’ve finished your break-
fast, Miss Elaine, I’ve a message
for you frem Mister John McNeill.
He wants you to drive to Cleveland
with blm today, bein' as he has to
go there on business. He'll start
about 11 o'clock. He says he won’t
take "No" for an answer. He says
even if yos are here on a rest cure
there's no cause for you buryln’
yourself."
Ruth laighed. "He won’t have
to take "No" for an answer. Penny.
I'll snatch at the chance—unless
you need me here at home?"
“I don’t need you." replied Ber-
tha with promptness.
Ruth laighed again for sheer
joy and ran upstairs to her room
She had ample time to clean her
room, set her hair and drees. She
thought of a quip she had once
heard In a clever talkie. An ac-
tress bad drawled, "Any woman’s
In heaven when she’s going some-
whore and has something to wear."
Ruth told herself, "That's me to-
day—with additions. I'm going
somewhere with someone I care
■host, and I've got something to
time!
Io serious thinking permitted
tonight! I wonder if you like
plain beefsteak as well as 1 do?"
"Order it," Ruth told htm, "and
I’ll show you. Do you happen to
notice bow I've put on weight
since I’ve been hero?”
"I’ve noticed,” be replied. "You
look a hundred per cent tetter.
Don’t ever enrry dieting to that
extreme again, Elaine! Will you
promise me that?”
Sbe saw that he was in earnssL
She wanted to promise him, but
how could she know what tbs
future might bold tor her In the
shape of meal tickets? She com-
promised by saying. “I believe
I've learned my lesson. I can see
wbat rest and regular moals have
done for me. I believe I'm fit
for anything that's ahead of mo
now.”
Ruth had never seen a play by
famous professionals, but no one
would have suspected It as sbe
sat beside John McNeill and
studied her program with quiet
poise. He liked her silences. He
had always hated chattering girls
whs talked nervously with a hor-
ror of pause.
However, oa the ride home
after the play, not even John
talked. Ruth, exhausted by ex-
citement and by the strain ot be-
ing a fairy princess for an entire
evening, slept soundly, hor head
against his shoulder, hor breath-
ing as soft and regular as a
child’s.
pliTH otciljn’.ly .woat, reeling
chilled. Asaln she senned tho
change In the old woman, the
change that hart come with that
summons to the door two nights
ago. Ruth was baffled by it. In
the library the tank Into a com-
fortable leather chair anrt began to
read "Travels of a Donkey." tin-
der Stevenrou's spell she forgot to
Wonder about Penny’s moods.
Presently Penny appeared with
a neat tray, bearing not only tea,
but broad e •» butter sandwiches
and a large golden pear. It was
a temporary peace offering, but It
did not greatly reassure Ruth.
At supper Penny served her effi-
ciently and quietly. Ruth sensed
that she did not want to talk, so
she eat formally at the big table,
as aloof and haughty as Elaine
herself would have been
Afterward, when she offered to
help with the dishes, the old wom-
an shook her head impatiently.
"Very well." Ruth replied. “I'll
not offer again. But just remem-
ber I’m willing." She felt lonely
for the wistful old woman who had
flrat made her welcome here, who
had seemed to need companion
ship. It was a loss, not to be need
ed any more
Ruth had thought that when she
tumbled Into bed that night she
would sleep the sound, deep ileep
of physical exhaustion, but tor
some unknown reason this boon did
not come to her. She lay tossing
for an hour, two hours, before she
decided to go to the library and
get "Travels of a Donkey." She
got up c^iletly, lighted her candle,
put on bathrobe and slippers and
QHE said to Bertha, refilling her
coffee eup, "It’s a small world.
Isn’t IL Penny? And the newspa-
pers bind ns all together. They’re
the greatest power of all—greater
than airships and armlet and na-
vies. Nothing's hid from the
newspapers, and the newspapers
hide nothing."
The old woman stared at her
without blinking. "The newspa-
pers think they're pretty smart, I
guess. But there’s some that can
outwit ’em."
"Think ot that!" remarked Ruth
politely. "All grown up."
"Funny thing,” John said. "Just
last summer Pete and I were laugh-
ing about the day you and Allee
dressed up In some old finery you
found la • trunk and Pete and I
yanked your trains off. We wore
fastening then to the flagpole out
the third story when Penny caught
us and sent us home."
"Served you right!" suld Ruth
sternly. She must make up some
plausible excuse for not seeing
Pete and Alice Ashton. "Espe-
cially Alice!" she thought In s
panic. "She’d know me for »
fraud in two seconds." She said
to John, to divert him. "How far
Is It to this Cleveland town?"
"Don’t be uppity.” John answered,
"just because you’re from New
York. Cleveland's got a million
people In It. most of ’em good-
looking. It’s got some good places
to eat. too. We’ll find one."
The ^restaurant that he chose
looked like a provincial French vil-
lage. There was an Ice-flUed well
In the middle of the rock floor from
which pretty waitresses In peasant
dresses fetched butter There w.-.s
a three-piece orchestra—a piano
and two violins—which played re-
markably good music. Victor Her-
bert. Romberg Jerome Keru.
Frlml. and even Strauss. The ta-
bla linen was gay and coarse The
food delicious. John ordered a bot-
tle of the right wine, and Ruth, not
being used to it. became very gay
nnd nimble of tongue.
JOHN said teaslngly.
cocktail girl.
"I'd have
thought Elaine Chalmers was a
Imagine you gcttlnx
higher than a kite on two little
glasses of wine!”
“Maybe I’m just pretending it's
wine,” Ruth replied. "Maybe ft’s
being wltb yoh that makes me this
H10IUC TODAY
AU TH WOOD|S<Y,’xe>,,la Mank
ta aa old otooo maaaloa wlta a
blue Soot. Sb. »**■>• “* *•
SlaKST
SteTkaoXa a. "PENMY." a.S
JOHN MeNKIUL. «ro— aext *®«r-
Pemay Wll«w«B Huth tu
ELAINE CHALMERS.
meanwhile, at Grayeastlu College
sweetheart. She plu«» <• <•
Worthville.
Ruth, in lovo with John, re-
solve* tu stay • whilo at the
house, pretenJin« to
Kli"maa boo— — JOHN SMITH
H’s SsSS
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
her fears ot the night before.
bad been foolish, she felt, to let the
moods of a simple old
frighten her.
She got out ot bed, took a lei-
dressed and went
, A M* rites Utoss tears ste'Mww
tout her candle and tried with firm
•sss sad determination to aleep. It
■was then that ate heard ths foot-
■tepa. They went hack and forth
with esaaelsaa regularity,
someone pacing.
“Penny must
thoughL
She got out of bed again
opened the door. “Penny!"
called, still tearing the
"Penny! Are yon sick?"
Immediately the walking ceased,
but there wax no answer. Ruth
went back Into her room, locked
the door aad got into bod. Lying
there, she realized that the sounds
“To myself," Ruth replied, and had not oome from the second floor
laughed. "To the worldt” And * “ *■ * *
then she eew John at tho hotel en-
trance. waiting for her, scanning
tte crowds a bit anxiously. Noth-
ing else mattered.
He said, "We’ll have dinner here
and drive home afterward. There's
a good orchestra—"
cpHB following day John Mc-
A Neill went to Pittsburgh on
business, to be gone for an Infinite
two days. "Yen’ll be here when I
get back?" he asked Ruth definite-
ly. standing In tho Hunter hallway
while bls car motor ran outside.
”1’11 Da here,” Ruth answered. It
was a pledge.
She said to Bertha Gibbs after
lunch. "I'm going to clean the li-
brary. Fenny. I’m going to wlps
down the shelvea and dust every
book.”
“1/tave the library be. Mtxe
Elaine.'' replied Fanny ’’Dust don't
Duet Is good for books.”
"It’s anything
It ruins them
vol
ny's apron pockeL perhaps. She
asked. "Would it help you any to
share the news with me?"
Bertha Gibbs shook her head,
seemed to draw within hersolf.
"I’ll share the news with nobody!"
•he said defiantly. “Don’t keep at
Sbe was a changed person.
Before that knock on tho door she
had been merely a pathetic, dlugy
little old woman, eagerly happy
Studying the am- over a cake with pink Icing. She
had returned from the summons
like a weird old witch, suspicious,
baleful, remote.
Ruth shivered a littla Darkness
had fallen outside and a drizzling
prise. “That would be grand. I rain'bad aet in. Sudden gusto of
can't recall when I had a cake— wind sent the leaves scurrying. Tho
but can you cook. Miss Elaine?"
“I can cook better than I can
play golf,” replied Ruth impres- that he "was having' dinner tonight
“I with one of the men in bls firm, a
man named BenneL Mrs. Bennet’s
niece was visiting them and John
had been asked to make a fourth
at dinner and bridge.
He leaned across the table and
looked at her very hard,
say things like that.”
"you’ve got to mean them,
be strung."
Ruth thought, "If I were Elaine
I could tell him that I do mean
them. If I were even myself. Ruth
Woodeou, I could tell him. But
I'm just a phantom. I'm tho body
and brain of one girl, shamelessly
wearing another girl’s name." She
would not answer the look In his
eyes.
After they had agreed upon a
place to meet, he left her. Ruth
flaw his tall, erect frame disappear
in tho crowd end she had a swift,
sharp taste of how It would be wltb
her when she had seen him for the
last time.
She had the afternoon to kill, so
she "did” the stores thoroughly.
She chose the motion picture she
would have liked to see and studied
>the advertisements in the outer
lobby, so she could pretend to have
seen it That done, she went to
purchase a gift for Bertha Gibbs.
She shopped diligently through
the five and ten. When you have
just two nickels and one copper
cent In the whole world, you do
not spend them without thought.
You consider a hundred things
they, might buy. In the end. Ruth
chese a string of glass beads, know
Ing that Penny would think them
a crystal necklace from a depart-
ment store.
It was a queer feeling, paying
out the dime and the one-cent tax,
because it left her purse quite
empty. . . . The bus driver had
said to her, "Gimme your dollar.
Keep the ’leven cents!" It was his
way ot telling her a girl should
never be without ths price of a
phone call or a street car ticket.
. . . But now the deed was done.
Ruth was utterly penniless
CHAPTER XVII
A 8 she walked through the late
•‘A afternoon shoppnlg crowds to
meet John, Ruth was struck with
an idea so arresting that it stag-
gered her. The idea waa simply
this: that she should not meet him
at all; that she should lose herself
in Cleveland, the city which had
been her olnectlve. and thus solve
tho Gordian knot of her entangle-
ments by cutting It with one quick
stroke.
Then, just as she had decided on
ter course, there earns tbs realiza-
tion that it would not work at all!
Sho was Elafns Chalmers to John
McNeill and Bertha Gibbs, and if
she should stage a disappearance
this evening the entire detective
force of Cleveland would be work-
ing on the case before midnight.
“And telegrams would be sent to
Elaine’s mother," she thought 1n
consternation, "scaring her out of
her wits!" There’d be scandal and
headlines, ot course. First they’d
say "Heiress Disappears While on
Visit to Mother’s Old Home." Then.
In a later edition. "Heiress Found
Hate at Collage. Unknown Girl
Impersonating Her Bought!"
“I must have been crazy ta think
such a thing.* Math marveled
C4 BLUE DOOR
sharefl with Fanny. She thowght-
"I know Elaine would never do it
bat Tm going to ask her to sit
down at tho table with me, co we
can eat It together."
She did. Tho old woman, after
a bit ot demurring, draw up a
chair to the big walnut table and
eagerly held oat her plate tor one
of the soft, thick sllosa.
QHE had just begun to oaL Wear-
Ing a blissfully happy exproe-
slon on her face, whoa there camo
echoing through the bouse the
sound of a knocker striking a door.
Her jawa stopped in mld-alr, as it
were, while sho hunchdd forward
to listen. The knocking came again.
Old Bertha laid down ter cake
and got up. "I’ll go eeo who ’tls.
she said. "It’s likely a peddler.
You wait here—" Sho lighted an
extra candle and went out Into tho
hall, closing the heavy door be-
hind her.
Ruth tasted the eako critically.
It was light and fine textured and
utterly delicious. She ate a second
slice, glowing with Innocent pride
in her culinary accomplishments.
She tbooghL "I wo«4«r it Jeta Me-
Neill Ifkee sake?"
Whoa ate realised that She was
day dreaming in this seatimsntel
fashion she blushed furiously and
jumped to her feet. "I won’t!" she
told herself sharply. "I'll like him
and enjoy him while I’m here, but
I won’t fall so hard I’ll have a
broken heart to carry away with
me!"
She began to collect tho dishes
and to take them to the kiteban.
She forced herself to stop thinking
ot John. Instead, she disciplined
her mind by recalling the most ab-
sorbing book she had ever read
The book was a fairly old one—
Beau Geste—and If one of the at-
tractive young men who faced peril
in the Foreign Legion had John
The McNeill iMcNelll’s face, she let it pass. At
least there was no heroine in tho
story who looked like herself.
She drew hot water and washed
the dishes. It was not until she
heard Penny's returning footsteps
in the big butler’s pantry that
Ruth realized how long the old
woman had been gone. During tho
past half hour she had all but for-
gotten Penny’s existence.
"I saved your cake for you. Pen-
ny," she said. "It’s there on the
iplate. Whatever kept you so
long?"
re
Penny.
the
Just sit down.”
exclaimed Ruth with
pleasure, "here’s the morning pa-
per! I’d forgotten all about news-
papers In the last week."
"I bought one,” explained Ber-
tha Gibbs, "to see about the weath-
er. A body never knows what to
expect In the fall of the year "
"No," replied Ruth, "one does
not." The paper was in complete
disorder, as If penny In her perus-
al ot the weather forecasts had be-
come lost. Ruth assembled the
scattered sheets and as she sipped
her coffee and munched her toast
she read it ayldly. It seemed good
to ha.ve,new^ of the outside world
again? t4 lAioW Mrhat was happen-
ing In Washington and Europe, to
see who of Importance had married
and divorced and had babies and
died, even to see what new entice-
ments the stores were advertising
In the way of pocketbooks and van-
ities and fall shoes and fur coats.
Presently Ruth uttered another.
"Well!" having, to her surprise,
found a continued story which she
had begun to read In Brooklyn and
thought never to encounter again.
fT»UTH
A* ran her eyes down it hastily
and anxiously. I ‘
Bays anything about Elaine—any-
thing that will give me away. I’ll
ckip !L” Presently she breathed a
quick sigh of relief. There was
nothing at aU in the letter to up-
eet her own world or poor old
J’onny'a. She read aloud:
“Dear Bertha: I am sorry to be
to. week or two late with your check
4>ut I have been in France and have
just gotten homa I hope you have
toot been inconvenlanesd. Please
see that ths leaks la ths slate roof (}ier.
kre attended to, also the guttering, lyor'
land whatever other repairs are sarth?’’
needed. Have the bills sent to Mr.
beat’s secretary, as usual. I don’t
want the old house to go to pieces.
' *T hope you are keeping well
knd that your eyesight is improv-
ing. Do get new glasses. That
pften helps. Call on me if you need1
extra funds, of course. Affection-
ately. Gwendolyn Hunter Deal." i
“There!” said Rntli, handing iti
back. “I don’t believe they’ve any
Idea of pensioning you off, Penny.
Quit worrying!"
f Penny was nodding her head in
relief. “I’ll take the check right
down to the bank," she said. "I I
haven’t been down town for about
|bree months. I’ve got to lay in
Some staples at tho grocery store.
I'd be obliged if yon'd keep house
Ifor me while I’m gone?”
, "Of course I will," Ruth assured
her. “Give me that cloth and let
pne finish dusting. Then you can
set ready and go right away.”
When Penny came down a bit
later, hatted and coated for the
occasion and wearing evershoes
and an anxious expression, it was
evident that this trip "to town"
was an Important event fn her life.
Actually she left the house only
four times a year, and that was
for the purpose of banking her
quarterly check. Pausing before
tohe went out the door, sho said to
iRuth earnestly. "I won't be gone
rnore’n an hour and a half, all told.
Jf anybody comae here askin’ for
tne—askin’ for r ’. “
• will you have ’em come in and
ttait?-
"Why, yes,” Ruth answered, "of,
bourse. Can you manage all right
kt the street crossings. Penny?”
I Bertha nodded. "I’m careful, and’
I use my umbrella for a eane. I’ and i „ ...
never have any trouble that Way.” Ruth contrived to color the icing
|TAN a highway leading from a
southerly direction a small, un-
noticeable automobile had just
picked up a nail and blown a tire.
The car, traveling rapidly at the
time, was thrown smartly across
tho road and was partially wedged
jx-tween a tree and a fence.
The driver. Its sole occupant, re-
covering from the shock of the Im
toact, lifted himself from the steer
Bng wheel and rubbed his chest
IHls prodding hand found a sore
rib that made him wince with pain
From a cut on his palm blood was
trickling. He was tlje man who.
Nome time before, had escaped
from a place where the criminal!)
Insane vs detained.
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Dean, J. Lawrence. Henderson Daily News (Henderson, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 156, Ed. 1 Tuesday, September 17, 1935, newspaper, September 17, 1935; Henderson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1311969/m1/5/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rusk County Library.