"Mother!" Sis said, in an angry tone.
"What can I do, Leila?" mother said. "The girl is atractive, and
probably men will always be following her and making trouble. Think of
last Winter. I know it is Bribery, but it is better than Scandle."
"I want nothing, mother," I said, in a low, heartstricken tone, "save to
be allowed to live my own life and to have a Career."
"My Heavens," mother said, "if I hear that word again, I'll go crazy."
So she went away, and Sis came over and looked down at me.
"Well!" she said. "What's happened anyhow? Of course you've been up to
some Mischeif, but I don't suppose anybody will ever know the Truth
of it. I was hopeing you'd make it this time and get married, and stop
worrying us."
"Go away, please, and let me Sleep," I said. "As to getting married,
under no circumstances did I expect to marry him. He has a Wife already.
Personally, I think she's a totle loss. She wears patent wavers at
night, and sleeps with her Mouth open. But who am I to interfere with
the marriage bond? I never have and never will."
But Sis only gave me a wild look and went away.
This, dear readers and schoolmates, is the true story of my meeting with
and parting from Reginald Beecher, the playwright. Whatever the papers
may say, it is not true, except the Fact that he was recognized by Jane
Raleigh, who knew the suit he wore, when in the act of pawning his ring
to get money to escape from his captors (I. E., The Pattens) with. It
was the necktie which struck her first, and also his gilty expression.
As I was missing by that time, Jane put two and two together and made an
Elopement.
Sometimes I sit and think things over, my fingers wandering "over the
ivory keys" of the typewriter they gave me to promise not to elope with
anybody--although such a thing is far from my mind--and the World seems
a cruel and unjust place, especialy to those with ambition.
For Reginald Beecher is no longer my ideal, my Night of the pen. I will
tell about that in a few words.
Jane Raleigh and I went to a matinee late in September before returning
to our institutions of learning. Jane cluched my arm as we looked at our
programs and pointed to something.
How my heart beat! For whatever had come between us, I was still loyal
to him.