The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-06

ton avenue cable car was at Twenty
third street and broadway when this
occurred. There was nothing extraor-
binary in the mere fact. The morning
papers reported that three or four po-
Iicemen had succumbed the day before.
This was 2 young girl of slight phys
iaue and exceeding delicacy of consti-
tuition, if her color told the truth she
was also peculiarly attractive, though
that has nothing to 90 with her faint
ing.
It was o'clock in the afternoon OF
the sixth day of this merciless perse-
cution Of the sun. New York City had
,asned under il, writhed under II,
tainted under It, died under it. for in
scores of cases the vital fame was
ouenched by the insufterable neat.
Even on the shady side or Broau"ay
and in relatively cool spots where at
times blessed little Duffs OF WIND came
as fieeting but welcome Vlsltants' Inc
4heruometric tube inhumanly regis
tered gs degrees. In the better done
Tortious of the city il ranged at rec
ord-hreaking heights Small wonder
that this slender girl shOC = rant
She had been showing symptoms OF
distress all the way no town, but had
tonight hard to hold out until she
reached her destination. A young man
1,A,t 10. her 10 the car had regarded
her closely. now and then over the cor
ner of his paper. When she collapsed,
he supported her until the car vas
stoned Then the policeman at the
crossing. who. in obedience to natures
first law of preservation nad un-
buttoned his coat despite the fact that
he thereby revealed Wlitea cahco
shirt and a rOtund but CnWllted StOm-
h cuff ar-irn
girl was taken into a chemists SHOP
hard by.
II was a haven OF refreshment after
the burning outer air for it was shady
ard cool a thin, shiny black cat
srrawled with abandon on the mosaic
floor in the effort TO expose as much OF
her frame as possible to its cool con-
tact. There We're no electric fans IN
the shoD. but two counters We're en-
1irelv devoted TO soda and mineral
water fountains, and the quantity or
cracked ice in use at them had salu-
tary influence on the temperature.
They put the poor thing in chalr at
the farthest and hence coolest, end OF
the shop, and two clerks began deVot-
ing themselves to her relief. Towels
wet with ice-water We're applied TO her
head and wrist The policeman had
sunk or one knee by her slde ana
looked the picture of municipal DeneN-
olence. But the scrap of paper and lead
pencil in his hands showed ne was
waiting for q chance to get the Slri
name and address, in case OF Iatal
result.
An ambulance had been summoned
from the New York hospital. But
when il arrived, the girl refused to go
in ii. with a faint but decided gesture
of repugnance. She was neatly dressed
in some light summer fabric and
looked more than respectable
The young man had remained close
at hand a sympathetic looker-on rath-
or than assistant in the charitable en-
deavor TO bring the girl round Posi-
llv because others seemed 10 know
perfectly what to do, While he, like
many another had only WILING
heart and ignorant hands IN an emer-
gency.
The girl. in raising her heavy eyelids,
may have recognized the young man as
her neighbor on the car. he had
winning. kindly expression. At last
the girl moved to rise, saying, IN her
weak voice that she felt well enough
to go. In getting to her feet, her hand
went forth and unthinkingly she
arasped the young fellows arm. He
crooked il firmly that she might feel
its stout support, and they walked
slowly TO the door. \ hanson had
drawn u in front of the shop with
view to the likely need OF its services.
that cab to my home?' the girl said to
the young man, in a low voice, but
wistfully, diffidently. Y am afraid to
90 alone, and q policeman in the cab
would look too badly 1 am sorry TO
trouble YOU so much, but I fear l may
faint again, ana I feel that I can trust
You: that you are a gentleman.
The young man. who was not with
out a Ieaven OF good Samaritanism, at
Cnce assented, and after gently helping
her into the cab climbed in himself.
When he asked the girl where he should
tell the driver to go, she answered in
weak voice: Tell i'm to drive u9 to
Central Park and take turn there,
first The air may hel3 me. and then
! will give my home address,.
During the drive W town the girl
said little. Her head leaned YEARLY
against the side of the cab and her
ewes remained closed. But soon after
they had entered the park and the air
circled about them more freely, she
sat I'D. Then she began to speak to
her companion. in firmer voice and
with sleat earnestness. There was q
singularly soft, moving quality in her
voice and it was exquisitely mOduiated.
Delicate. earnest, oddly fascinating,
she affected the young Fellow patheti-
cally.
I know something of human ma
ture," she said. and l feel that you
are kind. honorable, self-conhdent
man. You have pity for the suffering.
At all events. am going to ask you
something. But you must promise me
never to betrav what l shall say,
whether you grant my request or not.
That Won can do without hesitation.
VIII you?''
Certainly" replied the young man,
Enthusiastically. ~ should respect any
confidence you reoosed in NE, without
= given promise. And if I can help you,
! shall be glad to do So
The girl heaved a long sigh of relief,
and her eyes slowly closed again. as if
the effort OF making her communication
was overpowering her at the start.
Then, with a quick compression of her
lips, she began:
1T was not the heat which made me
faint. At least, not thatsalone. II was
the mental strain I have been going
through for the past ten hours. I have
done a great wrong TO my husband.
You need not ask nv motive in this.
You may guess il. It was a mad thing
TO do. and unless it is repaired this
very night, my happiness for life is
ruined He IS an executor with two
others for the estate of very wealthy
woman. There is to be meeting at
his rooms tomorrow of the executors
and the heirs of the estate in regard to
the disposition of certain things of vast
Importance. Necessary documents re-