Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1916)

138 Photoplay Magazine women," he said, "extremely beautiful women. And she had her share of good women, and brave women, But she also had her full share of spoiled, embittered women, at that time, and Ruth Tyler was one of them. In those reconstruction days she was just as pretty and just as dainty as in the years before, and just as bird-like. Only the sweetness had somehow gone out of her. She had become just a little contraption of gay colors, pert ways and selfishness. She was nothing more than a vain little parrakeet." "A good deal like some of the new cars 1 have to draw," broke in the advertising artist; "lots of decorations on the body, but nothing much under the hood." "Quite so," smiled the old man. "In all that time, while Edith was working so hard, Ruth never once helped her to spread the lunch or tidy up afterward. She acted as if she belonged to royalty and had to be waited on. She never for a minute let herself accept the fact that her South had changed. But Dave did not see. To him she was still a delicate, lovely flower, to be tended and cherished. He would sit and look at her with his heart in his eyes, and she would tilt her little head and gurgle and talk sweetly about nothing. "Finally we were ordered North. By that time Dave had used up all he had saved, to get the old place going again. He hadn't had any help. 'Walker was still the elegant rogue, busy as usual at cards or otherwise with the loose company he craved more than ever after the hardships of army life. And when he wasn't pursuing that kind of dissipation he was draped gracefully on the Tyler veranda, smiling at Ruth. "The day we got the order to return Dave came to me and put both hands on my shoulders, and said in that wonderful way of his: 'Jack, man, it's over. The whole awful time is over. And now I'm going to Ruth. Come, walk a piece with me.' "Of course the town was all excitement. Everybody was out. And as we reached the main street we saw Ruth at some distance, coming tOAvard us, fluttering along under a bright parasol. And then, a little ahead of us, between us and Ruth, out from a house well back in the trees came Walker Whiting, carrying the red sunshade of a woman known as Pet La Tour, and grinning into the insolent dark face she lifted to him. Dave grabbed my arm in his eage riess and rushed me forward with him. s that we could shield Ruth from a view < Walker and the woman. But we were to late. Ruth came trippingly on. and met th pair just as they stepped out onto the sidt walk. "I could feel Dave's hand cold on m arm. But Walker did not show the leas concern. He lazily raised his hat and hal stopped. And Ruth half stopped too, shoo! her curls at him, giggled, and said some! thing like. 'Naughty, naughty. Walkah.j Then she nodded gaily and came on. "I looked at Dave, and his face was like chalk. I suspect mine was too. Anyway. Ruth greeted us with. 'Pray, where max you two death-heads be going?' " 'I'm going to your home and I want you to come with me, Ruth,' said Dave earnestly. "The girl laughed and said, 'I like it bettah heah.' " 'But I want to talk with you. Ruth — about something we can only talk of alone, and I must leave to-night.' Fine old Dave was pleading. And then what did that vixen do but giggle again in his face and say. 'Oh. Davy, you mustn't talk that waxto me. Walkah wouldn't like it. I'm going to marry Walkah. He asked me last night." " 'Walker?' breathed Dave, as if he only had life enough left to say the word. But his burning eyes followed his brother's tall form, disappearing down the street beside Pet La Tour. Ruth's eyes followed his, then turned back at him with a hard, glinty sparkle in them. 'I do not mind in the least — not in the least." she said. 'I like a gentleman, a gentleman of the South, who fights fob a gentleman's country, and doesn't do the wohk of a niggah. And why shouldn't a gentleman be entertained?" "THAT afternoon Dave went to sav goodbye to his family. Ruth was to be there too. So it was harder for him than any battle he had ever gone into. But he did it, for, as I have told you. he was not the dramatic-finish kind of man ; he could stand the everv-dav test. And he got away without saving or doing a dramatic thing, came North with his regiment, and was spoken of with honor. But what did he have out of it all. young men? His country? Now that depends on what a man's country means. To me. country does not