Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-29

gested that they tell fortunes, and for over
lot of half-grown children. Jack enjoyed
this, for he had happy knack at fortune
telling by palmistry; and if he did hold
Miss Graham's soft little hand a good
deal longer than was absolutely necessary,
and press it as if by accident several times,
who, he thought, was the wiser?
He thought, but was not certain, that the
pressure was returned once or twice, ever
so gently, but he was not quite sure of any
thing, except that Blue Eyes blushed
furiously several times while he was telling
her fortune. And he was happily oblivious
of the action of the baronet and the jour.
nallst, who retired to the other end of the
car and slapped each other on the back as
they voted him the ''spooniest ass" they
had seen for many a day.
It was Sunday, and in the evening they
all sat out on the rear platform and ad-
mitted the moonlight and sang hymns until
nearly midnight. Miss Graham and Jack
shadow, as the lamp was not lighted.
Everything tended to romance; and, when
after a bit they dropped the hymns and the
baronet and the bridegroom sang love
songs, Jack could not resist, even had he
wished to, taking in his own the little
white hand that lay so temptingly near,
and giving it q tender squeeze.
And, oh, delight The little hand squeezed
in return And there, hand in hand, they
sat for two hours, with an occasional glance
at each other and spiritless attempt, now
and then, to help keep up the music. Two
or three times Jack spoke to his companion,
in tender, low voice, about the moonlight,
the music and various other things, but,
for the most part, that pregnant silence
prevailed between them.
At La Junta next morning Ooh, happy
chanceD, Miss Graham's purse was found to
be missing. OF course they searched high
and low for it, until Miss Graham remenl-
bered that she had LETT it on the counter at
the eating house where they took supper the
night betore-or, at least, she was quite sure
that was what had become of it, and such
proved later to be the case. Then, as she en-
tered the telegraph office to send a message
to her guardian asking that funds be tele-
graphed to her at Rincon, Miss Graham
fell and sprained her ankle quite badly.
Poor child!
Jack wished he had the right to take her
in his arms and sooth her, but he hadn't; so
he was, obliged to content himself with the
protfer of his brandy flask and an offer to
financial aid, which latter was kindly re-
fused, Miss Graham assuring him that she
had sufficient money to last until they
should reach Rincon. However, she said,
were not that the case, she would have no
hesitation in accepting his kind offer, which,
it may be remarked, was made with the
want of tact born of eagerness.
Miss Graham's ankle felt better after q
time, and the day passed quite pleasantly,
especially for Jack Boswell, who had the
blue-eyed cripple much to himself They
grew very confdential-at least Jack did
as the hours passed. He told her of his life,
his friends, his fortune; of his dislike for
womankind in general, and his pleasure at
finding one whose society he could enjoy;
and all this led to more tender condolences
hot too daring, for, somehow, the hand
squeezing of the evening previous seemed
too distant and unreal to be made a basis OF
further advances.
And thus it came about that before the
sun set that day Jack Boswell became pos
sessed of another eccentric notion which
made his heart thump wildly; and the events
OF the evening, which was passed in much
the same way as that Of Sunday had been,
served only to strengthen the idea. A trav-
cling acquaintance ripens SO quickly that 1t
seemed impossible that only forty-eight'
hours ago they had hardly spoken to each
other.
Before he retired that night Jack Boswell
felt that he had made great progress, and he
spent the time over his last cigar In think