Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-02-20
"Altoonas Twenty minutes for an,

"Altoona' twenty minutes for SUP.
per-"
The young man hastily seized his
satchel and left the car, telling the Dor.
ter. az he passed him to see If the ladv
wanted anything. But she did not.
She told the porter rather shortly that
she did not want any supper, and then.
as soon as the man had disappeared
burst into tears. When the vouns
man returned in about fifteen minutes.
with stray crumb on his nustache
and an aroma of coffee clinQing to his
clothes, he noticed that his travelling
companion eyes were red, and that she
looked generally disconsolate.
Does not like travelling by herself.
and tae1s lonely" was his inward COM
ment, as he settled himself in his seat.
after placing his satchel by his side,
and throwing a paper bag of cakes
down with it.
The train started, and the young man
gradually let his book drop on his lap,
AZ his head sank back, his eyes closed,
and his mouth opened. lie was not
exactly asleep, but had almost lost
consciousness when he became aware
that his satchel was moving slightly.
Without opening his eyes he let his
hand fall on the satchel AS he did 50
he touched the slim fingers of hand
that he recognized with thrill to be
those of lady. The hand was quick
ly drawn away. but the young man
was now broad awake SO broad
awake that he pretended to be still
asleep as he opened his eye, just wide
enough to peep through the lashes at
the troubled face of the young lady
who was ''traveling alone for the first
time" She had moved to a seat in
front of him, and her dainty, ungloved
hand was hanging over the back, as if
she had been afraid to take it away
when the young man moved.
Five minutes passed, during which
she sat perfectly still, looking at the
apparently closed eyes of the young
man, while the loud talking and
laughter of the three Grummers, who
were telling each other highly colored
. anecdotes in the smoking room, were
the only sounds to be heard save the
rumbling Of the wheels.
strange how a man may be de-
ceived," thought the young man. Il
always considered myself pretty
| bright, but | should never have slls-
pected that girl Of being sneak thief
/ She does her work like professional,
too. Probably works the trains all
! the while. Hello she is going to try
it AGAIN"
The girl had arisen, and the white
hand was steadily advancing TOWARD
! the satchel. The young man found il
difficult to breathe regularly and nat
urally, and his eyelids quivered Will
the ex"rtion of keeping them in such ;
position that they appeared closet
while allowing them to watch tn,
would-be thief.
Now her hand is on the satchel ant
she is gently pulling it toward her
Slowly it is drawn from the youn!
| mans grasp. In another minute sh
! will have it, Her face is flushed, tn
blue eyes are dilated, and even tn
pretty blonde rings of her hair seen
to be curling tighter in the intensit,
of the moment. Then
Here is Horseshoe bend" says tn
young man, suddenly sitting up IAN
beautiful it looks in the sunset.
He does not appear to notice tn
girls confusion, but he takes the pre-
caution to pick up his satchel as h
steps to the other side of the car. an
points TO the broad mountain panoram
spread out in the red light of the ay
ing day. The girl moves over to tn
window AID is at once lost in admlra
ton Of the scene. There is no dout
about the genuineness of her deligh
and the young man confesses that snea
thief though she may be. she has a
artists eye for the beautiful. CncoT
sciousiy she points at features OF tn
landscape that strike her fancy, an
calls attention to light and shade et
fects among the pines rs they tremoI
and wave in the gentle evening breez
Funniest girl | ever saw. Wondt
if it is not a ease of kleptomania Sh
has every mark OF refinement and e
ucation," thought the young mar
she evidently would like to get tha
satchel if she could. Guess She know
hv the looks Of it that It contain