The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-02

aut he passed them all by and walked over
70 where l sat as though The hand OF tate
directed his steps.
Then began the one romance Of my life,
when the city editor leaned over my desk
and said:
You will have to catch the early boat
20 San Quentin. Here is a note. 1t ex-
plains itself. l have no further informa-
ZION, though l suspect there will be a good
story in It, / will leave word to let you off
tonight as early as possible.
ut will pay you TO keep an eye on a
yelled Woman in Black, who will visit the
San Quentin prison tomorrow morning 10
zee Convict -"
So the note read. 1t bore no signature and
the handwriting had evidently been dis
guised.
In the morning, more asleep than awake,
| managed to catch the first boat for Sausa-
ito. | was not surprised to find in one of
my felow-travelers reporter for the oppo-
sition morning paper. Evidently his city
editor had received the same Tip" as my
Own. ! was disappointed, though, to find IN
him rather an enemy than a friend. Joe
Iron had never taken pains TO hide his lofty
contempt for gTeenhorus in the profession.
Naturally enough, beginner like myself
had taken dislike 10 him. We had quar-
relied and agreed TO treat each other with
silent coptumely. We met as rivals and as
representatives of rival papers. It would
be war. l knew, and l should have to look
sharp or be beaten on this assignment.
There we're but three women on the early
boat, and only one of these was in black
and wore mourning veil. l watched her
closely, though at respectful distance, sat
n the same car with her from Sausalto TO
san Quentin. and arrived at the prison
rff ipn nj a fau- he hind
From her spTy. light step and graceful
carriage had already concluded that she
was young and comely. but l was little
prepared for the vision Of loveliness that
my eyes Toasted upon for one brief moment
when the Woman In Black drew aside her
veil to greet the prison warden. Ii was a
sad. sweet face, full of meaning and melan-
chOly, yet wondrously fair.
From the prison officials we could CLEAN
no information of the beautiful veIled
woman. The Warden did not know her
name, but CALAMITY volunteered the state
ment that he would not intrust il to a news
paper man if he did. She had been shown
into an adjoining department-the cOuyictS'
eceptiOn-roOm-whi Joe Iron and myself
we're left to air our professional curiosity in
the main Office.
Presently the opening of a door attracted
my attention, and a quick glance showed
me the interior OF She prison barber-sho
A moment later | discovered that the
Darber-shop and the cOnvicts' reception
room were only separated by a partition
which lacked several feet of reaching the
ceiling, and that should one occupy the
single BARRIERS chair in the shop, the large
mirror in front would reveal the interior of
the opposite room. | was nOtsiOw in Selling
the opportunity, and while the convict's
razor graZed the s,ubbe on my chin | Kept
my eyes rveted on the slauting glass IN
front.
1t showed me that the Woman had again
cast aside her veil She sat closely TO the
convict and gaZed confdI0gly uDOn him.
He held her hand in his and they talked
earnestly. She showed him several papers,
legal documents l took them to be, and he
appeared TO be giving her advice about
them. l cared more TO see their manner in
parting than anything else, but this was
denied me. Already had run the gamut
Of tOnsOrial attentions, and there was
nothing left me but to fee the convict and
give mex" a chance.
l mentally cursed my luck as Joe Iron
mounted the chair while | retired again to
the Office. | had scarcely seated myself,
though. before the Yelled Woman made her
appearance. She thanked the attendants in
charge for their courtesies and passed out
of the prison. At That moment the Green
Brae stage drew up at the door and halted.
"All aboard for TiUuron," shouted the
driver. THE stage Is late and the train on
time. Hurry up"
1t is a long and awkward step from the
ground to the first tread of the little stairs
at the back of The Green Brae stage coach.
hesitated only an instant, then stepped
forward and offered my hand to the beauti-
full Yelled Woman. She did not decline,
and | felt myself turning red as she ex-
tended soft white palm and leaned upon
me as she made the dangerous step. | do
not think / pressed her hand with more
foree than / at that time deemed necessary,
but | nave since thought ! may have over
estimated Tnp TPnIlIrPmnUrz nf the sim
She said THANK yOu. sill" in a tone very
low, but exceedingly soft, and l raised my
hat IN acknowledgment.
As we passed out through the pris on
gates l caught one glimpse of Joe Iron.
lie razor still graZed his face and he was
making frantic appeals to the barber to
hasten the job that he might join US. But
We went on without him.
Again fortune favored me on the train
P from Green Brae 70 Tlburon. There were
Uut two sections vacant in the single first
class coach attached, and these were d.
recIly opposite each other. She was the
only woman to board the train at Green
Brae, and with the exception of myself, the
male passengers found seats in the smoker.
And so IL came about that we sat side BY
only the width of the narrow aisle between
US. From behind my newspaper | watched
the Yelled Woman as clasely as l dared.
From the way in which she turned and
LWiSteu Out thy luOL L oGW the SDOe
Dinched and caused pain. Presently !
found myself plying her and wished
could do something 10 relieve her distress.
And when made this discovery blushed
nwardly and called myself a fool aud
sought to busy my thoughts in the Annals
leading editorial. had turned my back tC
the sun that glared in through the window.
and thus my face was necessarily tried
to fancy it was neceSsarilY-turned toward
the yelled woman. Though l kept the
paper raised in front of me the vision of my
fair neighbOr haunted me. a pair OF great
dark Iuslrous eyes and mass of half golden
rurls blurred the letters of that leading edi-
torial and transmitted the dull words into
poetry whose theme was love OF course
was not in love; the thought was absurd
but then | was acting very absuI dly | knew
that. Then Ill TO asking myself, Nv be
is she? Whist 5 she?" A moment later
we had enterrd The tunnel, and we're In alb
soluie darkness. dropped the paper from
my face aud sat musing and kept asking
myself, "H no is she? What is she?"
Like fash daviight came upon US as we
left the tunnel | made hurried effort to
reach the paper L had dropped on the floor
AS | leaned over / caught an instant:
glimpse of white lace, black silken hose, al
ankle, fairy foot; l heard a rustling o.
. skirts, saw something white, then rec
face aud frightened eyes. 1 raised The
paper, and then sat staring at 1t with the
columns upside down.
she must have had her shoe off while
we were in the tunnel" / mused. land hel
face became uncovered as she stopped
Then got the paper straight and fell Il
wondering what manner of woman she
was. Certainly very beautiful one.
had never seen a woman's foot quite Sc
small. an anKlo so bewitchingly turned
cor had tie rustling of lace and silker
skirts ever sent the blood TO my heart as i
did then. / must have blusbed as furious
as she uld. wondered If she blamed me
for the accident.
When | dared look at her again the shoe
was on and she sat staring at the dusty hill:
and tide lands.
left the car before she did when We
reached the Tiburon ferry. and contact will
the fresh air knocked good deal of Stiffness
nut OF my head for the time being Agar
called myself fool and began to plan ou
now should get at the bottom facts of my
story. Ii she took a streetcar when the
boat landed In San Francisco | would take
cab and follow her home. Then from the
WnaaHrrl h. IT,