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flyjEHjgQ , PUBLIC LEDGERr-PHILADELPHlA, THUKSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1920
77i Phantom Lover
By Ruby Ayres
THE GUMPS Grooming the Heir Apparent
TTrrAUfin I'm no ashamed," Esther
h'ivln-rvo . c .. you don't
know how I've treated mmi
juU was llenl for ft minute, then
fJJ will fowl Ml that
h.im? never remembered n menn thing
JSS Snybwly in his life." She forced
vJiher to look at her. "Tell mo one
fhln and hen I'l go and leave you In
Ml" i coaxed. "Do you do you
ioU know?" .
nut In this Instance, at leant, a verbal
knswer was not necessary.
tune kl'ed her rapturously.
Oh jou darling." ehe said. She blew
ut the candle, and sped up to her own
?ootr i again Hko a "host In tho moon-
ll,Avs there anything else you was
.mimr sir?" Driver Inquired stolidly,
ft. stood an tho platform looking In at
ft. first-class compartment where
itifkv sat alone In durnnco vile, waiting
J!r ihe train to start.
Ma frowned, nnd pulled his soft hat
further down over his eyes as he nn.
wN!"nothln; '' y" t
Dover."
There "c many people on tho plat
form J, In the next carriage a pretty girl
wis eln a man off looking up at
Mm as he stood on the footboard with
jinn " ,. thai utrtm. i1n.l,in1t.
Micky looked at her enviously; he
would have given nis ngnt nana ir
there had been some one there to see
him off with Just that expression In
itT eyts the right some one. of course
i-lie turned away from the window with
n uncomfortable lump In his throat
He had nothing In the world but his
confounded money, and a lot of good
that was to him 1 It could not buy hap.
' The guard camo down the platform
"Take your scats take your scats."
A girl and a man pushed past him
the girl was staring eagerly In at nil
the windows as sho passed; when aha
taw Micky she. gave n little ory of rellof.
"Here he Is Micky, Micky I"
Micky started to his feet.
"June!" he said. For a motnont he
thought something must have happened
something was wrong Esther?
htr name was trembling on his lips,
but June rushed on Impetuously before
he had time to speak It.
"We thought we'd come and boo you
eft George told me you were going and
I guessed you'd bo on this train.
I'm to glad we found ydu It'a rotten
ittlng oneself off. Isn't It?"
Rochester came up, laughing and red
In tho face: he took oft his hat nnd
mopped his hot forehead.
"I can't keep pace with her; alto's like
a whirlwind." he said whimsically, "Sho
raced me off here beforo I could nay a
ord."
'It's kind of you to come," Micky said.
He was pleased to see them; he felt
decidedly less Ill-tempered than ho had
done a moment ago. He looked down
it June's radiant face, and a little doubt
vent through his heart.
"I Dopo you'll have a good time" she
laid cheerily. "Have you got anything
to read?"
"I shan't want anything I'm not In
a reading mood."
Micky was longing to oak about
Either, but pride prevented him.
The guard was blowing his whistle;
doors were slamming; June gripped
Micky's hand.
"Be a good boy. and havo a good
time." the said There was a furious
eicltrment In her eyes
He made a grimace
you
than
He aaw tho color creep Into her face.
"You've told mo ever so many times
that you hatdd me," he went on quickly,
"hut you've never told mo that you
loved tne. Esther 1"
Ho waited, but eho did nut look at
him.
Then suddenly she took hlo hand In
both of hers ; she bent her head and
kissed It with a nort of passionate grati
tude that brought a mist to Micky's
eyes. He seemed to sec her all at onco
as he had first seen her that Now Year's
Evo ; alone, Unhnppy with nobody to
care what sho did or what become of
her.
"You're so much, much too good for
me," she said brokenly, "You've done
everything for me. nnd 1'vo done nothing
for you I haven't even been
nice I I can't tell you what I feel about
It all I only know that Just lately
you've you've mnde everything seem so
different since you wroto me that let"
tor It makes me feel In my heart that
lt'a always really been you always you,
nnd never never any one else
"farllng," said Micky huskily. "And
perhaps somo day do you
do you think
could ever care for mo more
than you care for
that other fellow, confound him!" ho
added fiercely.
Sho looked up at him and smiled.
"I think." sho said slowly, "that I
only only really began to care
for him when he went away and
when thoso letters began to come; and
so you see It was always you, because
It was you who wrote them "
"It was a. rotten thing to do, but I
wanted to help you."
"You did help mo and
Micky "
"Darling '
"My fur coat can r will
you give It back to mo?"
"I'll give you everything In tho world
If you'll say you love mo "
"I do I "
"Say It then," ho urged gently.
For a moment she did not answor;
she was still a little afraid of him; fcho
still felt something of pride nnd con
stralnt between them, though sho knew
It was for her to sweep away at last
barrier.
Sho looked up at him, tho sensitive
color rushing to her face.
"I lovo you," she said softly. "Oh,
Micky, some one will see
But Micky only laughed.
The train was running on to Dover
Harbor beforo Micky realized It; he
looked at Esther with pretended dismay
In his happy eyes.
"And pray, what am I to do with you,
madame? Do you realize that I'm going
to Paris?"
"I know " She laughed "I'm go
ing there, too of course, If you'd like
to travel In a different train to me. '
She was a very different Esther from
the pale, frightened looking girl who
had said good-by to June at Victoria
a couple of hours ngo. Her eyes were
dancing now, nnd her face was radiant.
Micky regarded her with proud satis
faction. "You look yearn younger and prettier
already," he said. "And that'a after
only about half an hour of my wonder
ful society; bo what you'll look like
when we've been married for years and
years "
She stopped, and a sudden emotion
filled his face.
"What shall we do, love of mine?"
SUNNY DUCROW
YOU'LL like Sunny.
EVERYBODY does.
SHE worked in a pickle factory.
BUT she didn't stay there.
SHE swapped pickles for cherries
WHEN they were-ripe.
FOR what is opportunity
BUT a bunch of cherries?
SUNNY becomes a frreat actress,
A SUCCESSFUL business woman
AND A HAPPY wife.
WHAT moro can you demand of a story
THAN that it be told well
AND END happily?
THE story 1b written by
HENRY St. John Cooper
A GRANDSON OF Henry Russell,
FAMOUS old-time song-writer,
AND it will begin
TOMORROW in
Suenlitfi public Sie&ijer
i
"I'm not expecting to have a good
time,' he answered.
The train was slowly moving; Juno
n a few steps to keep up with It.
Ucky blurted out his question at last
Mlia Shepstone Esther
li h all right, June'"
June smiled
,h ,Mh nrilt rate." said t.ald nlrlly.
Snes gone away for a holiday
Gooa-by" She fell back laughing and
-a. uiK ner nana
. Micky kept his head out of the win-
cow tin h cloud of smoke from the
eniine blown backward shut out all
flint of her, then he drew In, drugging
Hie window up with a slam.
Gono away for a holiday, had sho?
"ell it was nothing to hint. He turne.1
round to go back to his sent In the cor
ner, then stopped dond. staring as If he
Had teen ghost; for Esther was slttlne
there Just behind him, looking up nt him
"Ith seared eyes.
For a moment Micky did not move , h
s llko a man turned to stone Thci
the blond rushed to lili face. In u crlm
Mn tide he broke out Into stammering
ejwefh ..........
"ou jou What
hat r thought ' He sway id
rornard a little and caught her hnndi
you are real I thought I
yiouKht I was Just Imagining It all . I
thought oh. wait a moment"
Hesat down and leaned his head In hi
fnndH.
Evher stretched a timid ham! to him
"'!" ol''e shook as she said
Oh I thought "I thought perhapi
oud tw glad tn see me- Just Juki
Ittle glad
"Ohd" Micky echoed the word vvltl
imost H nhciut He got up and went
er to her, he looked down at her wIM
n..?.F'm' "' loult and feiir In his ec
hy have von come" he nsk '
Hoarsely "if thin In only n Joke li
is nn nnnrenao of June's " by find
" the irul.al IiiIa ,.,. ....iil.l I.,..
t'lniil on me j ' "
Ksther rnvcred her fni c with In i
iMnri
"If that s nil miu n got to t.y t
... 1,h'' began trembling
Kihir '
. He drew ber linluN ilnuti. lit- fiiri'e.
,"'r to look at him . for n Ioiik iiiiiiih n !
"', f Kenn-hi'il her face dlbelh--'"Y
""' daring to hope
H'r rhepUs flamed, hut nhc met bin
" lrn 1
MIiUn drew it long breath, ho passed
f hnml mrntiH hlu eyes uh If to nBken
lilinelf
rhfii nil at mice he seemud to realize
.mat thin imik In verv truth the wonmn
e wanted sitting beside him, thnt he
here and fur his sake, that he was
i"ti and unhappy no longer ; nnd that
" nil t), weekH of hunger and rest
lennesi he hud got his heart's desire
He looked down nt her tremulous face
"i in em- of passionate tenderness
, ,l tl l my w fe?" he asked hoarsely
",' hsther answered
If MiU H III unll him "
nnt nu'" Mlihv c-nnirht
'Hnven't I ninny h
we go on,
her tn
wanted
Win
)ov
He hem his head toward her
hsthtT when did you 'when
m. J"i' JriU ' lMn that you liked
me Just a little'"'
htr f "' d1,00!'"1' lie l',,ul(l uo' "'
,"' don l klinw" kIir h.ild In n whltili"
n imnk," he urged, "or before Tell
ln.
"ieV"nH " W0M ,n I'nrls ufler
I Yo.ru.. ' .ttvr lUvmoud'
iou were nn wiiwi jiw..
f'e laughed ruefully
ho naked tenderly. "Shall
or shall we go back?"
She shook her head.
"f..d?nt mind either way. I'm afraid
you II have to pay for me." she told him
saucily. "Juno rushed mo off so. I far
got my purse Mr Itochester got mo -i
ticket, but "
"We'll go on," said Micky hurriedly.
The train wan almost at a standstill.
ou said you hated Parln but you
won't hate It with me. AVe'll get mar
ried as soon an we get there I'll take
you everywhere."
Her eyeu fell
"I haven't any nice clothew I only
brought a small case ; I never thought
you jou " Khe
stopped. Htaminerlng
"Paris Is full of olothes," ho told her.
Well tnyjuir long enough to huv what
you want, and then wo'll go south.
Ksther. you've never seen tho south of
Trance In springtime, have you7 I'll
t.ike jou there for our honeymoon."
.She drew back a little
"Hut. Micky there's June- what villi
fhe say what will ohe think?" I
"She'll think that you've behaved
Mim-lbly-at last!" he answered auda
ciously "June knew sho wouldn't see '
either of us again for some time when
e left her nt Victoria June Is a most
decerning woman "
"She's a dear," said Esther warmly
I owe all my happlnesa to her" i
Micky pretended to look offended.
"I was under the delusion that you
owed It to mo." he said with dignity
"To jou'" Iter face changed won-1
derfully; slm bent her head nnd kissed
the sleeve of hlu coat I
"I can't talk about what I owe you
't's Just eiery thing'"
Micky drew himself up n dignified
nrh
"I'm beginning to think I'm a very
wonderful man, do you know?" he said,
ublresslng hoini Imnglnarv person i
Driver (ippo.ireil at the door; ho hes
itated for Jut-t the faintest possible mo
inent when lm saw leather, but his fan
" ns as stolid its eve,
Micky rose to the iicimhIoii, though he
urnrd rather red
"Drlier." lie suld "let me Introduce
vnu to mi wife " 1
Driver touched n respectful fnrelocK ; '
If ho felt surprised he did not show it i
He took risther's suHchso down from
the rack.
"Was you -was you wanting to send
n wire, sir?" he nsked stolidly.
Mlckv looked ut the gill beside him
"Send June one from Paris." she suld.
"I don't know what she'll say"
Hut June might have been expecting
the wire, Judging from the calm .v.iy
In which she received It : she showed It
to Itochester .is If It were nothing out
of the way , she looked over his shoulder
ns he read It
"Mnrrled In Paris this morning I-me
from Mr and Mrs Micky "
Kho laughed and met Hochester'a
eyes, there seemed to he nn Inmilri
tn Jih June hesitated a moment, then
she nodded
1 And forty-eight hours Intir Micky nnd
Ksther read her reply Just us they were
leaving for the flower fields of France.
"Married In I union this morning
June and (ieorge "
"Some people have no originality,"
Micky complained In pretended disgust
"Hut If they're hnlf as happy ns ie
nre " Kslher said shvly
Micky looked scornfully skeptical
"Oh, well' If you're going to expect
tho Impossible " ho submitted
now chwtob "
NOUR WCUE BIM
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A LrrruE GtHMerum
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