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Show PARJORIE'S NIGHT LETTER! I By CATHERINE CRANMER. Mnrjorlc arrived In the Middle-Western city on ti hot August nfternoon. She had thought that New York could get hot until she walked ncross the streets of this overgrown young city and felt tho blistering hent of tho tar that oozed from the wooden blqcks used us street paving. Sho regretted having decided to stop even n few hours there on her way to the Rocky mountains. Roger Davis, her first sweetheart, had gone to this city five years beforo to practice law, and Marjorle hadjglv-en hadjglv-en him her prnmlso not to becomo engaged en-gaged to another until Roger's first year's work either proved or disproved his professional mettle. The promise had been easy, but u gay social season sea-son and a trip to Purls and European watering places tho next summer dimmed the memory of Roger, and her letters gnvo him so much evidence of her growing Indifference that he refrained re-frained from pressing his suit; lest the Indifference chango to dislike. As her1 train sped ncross tho harvest fields of the Mlddlo West, and drew near to tho city where Roger lived, Marjorle began to feel a desire to seo this place. As sho crossed tho street in the shopping district, however, the hot tar almost melted her sentiment and the city. She went Into a department de-partment store to avoid the heat outside. out-side. As sho entered nn elevator to go to the tea room on tho top floor, two young girls In smartly-tailored linen suits preceded her. "She must possess some hidden charm beside that lovely country place tucked away among the elms," said ono girl, with a smile. "Hidden? Not at all. At least not hidden from Roger Davis, who has been the family .lawyer for two year,g, with every chance to know the financial finan-cial charms of the only daughter. It' no wonder If they wed." The speaker was obviously proud of her blase speech and munner. Leaving the department store, she crossed the street and entered a bank to have a traveler's check cashed. As she left the window after receiving her money, she became conscious (hat a man was standing near her, with his hat in his hand. "Marjorle I" exclaimed the man, and a qucre, trembly sensation took possession pos-session of her as she looked into the honest gray eyes of Roger Davis and felt the pressure of his strong hand. "Roger I" she said, weakly, like an echo of his own greeting. "I'm wondering what luck has brought you here," said Roger, as they moved toward the door. "It wasn't luck, it was well, really, I hardly know," said Marjorle. "I merely stopped for a glimpse of this city. Rut tell me how you nianuge to live In this terrlllc heat?" "And this from a New Yorker?" Roger Rog-er shook his head ruefully. "Hut come with me and I'll show you the city's beauty spots und tho loveliness of its environs. How long will you be here?" "Until eight o'clock this evening." "We'll have Just time to end our sight-seeing trip with dlnnor at Uio Country club. Cornel" said Roger enthusiastically. en-thusiastically. Marjorle forgot tho heat of tho city and she forgot the disagreeable words slit had heard In the department storo elevator until reminded of them by Roger. "That house on the hillside over there is the Elms, the home of Miss Andrews, a client of mine," he said, and Immediately Marjorle knew that the lovely, rambling hoos almost hidden hid-den by great elms belonged to the plain but wealthy girl referred to in that conversation In the elevator Marjorls abruptly changed the subject. sub-ject. These hours with Roger bad made her yearn for a return of their former close friendship, ami perhaps for even more than that. They bad to taks chances with a motor cop to maka Mnrjorie's train As they hurried through th station Roger secured th evening newspapers from nn alert newsboy. He gave the papers to Marjorle when he had seen her seated In ler section of the sleeper. sleep-er. A headline on tha outside page) caught Marjorie's ye. "Is that the Miss Andrews whose home we passed?" She polntod to the announcement of the heiress' engagement engage-ment to an Knstern man, and waited eagerly for Roger's reply. 'Tho very one," said Roger, scanning scan-ning the Item, "and the man shu Is to marry Is n brick." "Then It wasn't true what they said?" "What wasn't true, dear?' Roger , caught tho eagerness of her voice, "That you are going to marry her j for her money," with quick emphasis. I "You ought to know that I'm going I to marry no girl for money, und only ono for love," said Roger, and the mts- i erable train begun to creak and sway. "Oh, then It was luck, after all, that brought me here!" said Marjorle, breathlessly. "Hut hurry, dear, or jou'Jl bu hurt getting offl" "I'll not hurry until you tell me whether It was luck or love that brought you here," Roger smiled defiantly de-fiantly into her eyes. "It was love, dear; but please hurry." hur-ry." Some of tho lightness of his hoart seemed lent to his feet, for he sprang easily from tho rapidly moving train and called back to Marjorle; "I'll say the rest, or purt of It, in a night letter that will reach you ut breakfast." (Copyright, Mie. by th McCJun Ntwu-P? Ntwu-P? Bynaicau.) |
