The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-26

her at once. They had already missed
two London trains, owing to the delay
caused by her illness. and the evening was
beginning to draw in. BY the time the
third train steamed in il was quite dusk,
and Mir. Grigg, distasteful AS the idea was
to him, felt il to be his duty 70 accompany
the girl back to London. once safe in the
train with him, her spirits revived. and in
the course Of a journey of fve-and-twenty
minutes. she had told him not only her
name and age, but an astonishing amount
about herself ana her views on life in gem
eral Her companion. on the other hand,
said but little, but he was conscious Of the
fact that although in theory he disliked
laxative women, he found this one enter
tanning Her perfect freedom from shy
ness and embarrassment, together with
much of her charm, may have been due,
he thought to the fact of her having had
an American mother For this and much
else she impaired 10 him as she ratified
gaily on about her childhood and youth,
OF how her father had lost most of his
money shortly before his death, and how
in consequence she was now occupying
post as companion to an elderly lady in
Cheyne Walk.
And awfully dull work it Isl" she as
sured him. Shouldn't you say it's
most fearful bore never to be able to sit
down TO novel for half-an-hour in peace
without hearing shouting for Miss Pali-
10 wind my wool, or to do up the house
books, or to finish reading that interesting
article in the Christian World?"
John said that he quite thought it
might be tiresome.
And / never from months end to
month end have real change" contn-
ued Miss Pallser To-day for the first
time for perfect age, l went down to see
a friend in the country, and then l was so
tremendously pleased to be out in the
lanes, that l over-walked myself and got
dead beat. i am not so strong, you see as
l look. Then some time ago my brother
came home from abroad, and said he
would take me to hear Arthur Roberts.
was dressed all ready TO go. when the old
lady took 1t into he head that she was go
ing to be i'll. 1t was only because she
would eat three mullins, and she knows
the doctor told her she couldn't digest one
And 1 was so cross, I cried and howled
and she said | was impertlnent, and there
was dreadful row Shouldn't you say 1
have rather a rough time of it?''
She looked eagerly at John Grigg with
her sparkling grey eyes.
Il am afraid it must be somewhat de-
pressing" he replied.
Here we areu' Miss Palliser leapt tn
her feet as the train came in to Sloane
square station. Where are you going?"
she asked, quite as If it We're the most
know.
Mr.. Grigg blushed a little. II live in
one OF the small streets in Chelsea" he
answered, a little stiffiy Il like that
part of London. 1t suits me to walk to
the city by the Embankment. l get ex-
ercise and fresh air that way"
"Oh, you're close to me. thenp' cried
Miss Pailiser, "Cheyne Walk is on the
Embankment Perhaps some day l shall
see you. You have been awfully good to
me! And that tall, dark man at the sta
| ton was a brute. That's the worst of
travelling alone. You meet such sweeps.
But l can take care of myself. except
| when feel bowled over as / was to-dav!'
TO this John made no answer but ST.
| lenuy and courteously helped the girl to
| descend, and to collect her parcels
DO walk back with me-" said Miss Pal
| User, simply She evidently, thought
John, regarded him as a perfectly respect
able and harmless fogey. He blushed,
but it was so dark in the station that she
did not notice it,
Il think a bus runs from here nearly
UP to your door" said he. Then feeling
| that he was pehaps little rude, he added
quickly But if you think the air would
refresh you / shall be happy, of course, TO
escort you
That is nice of you" said Miss Palnser.
But dear me, what about the parcels?"
Won't a hanson do?" said poor John.
rather despairingly. And the two drove
away towards the river. Miss Palliser
| keeping up a cheerful flow of talk
Il feel ever so much better now. It's a
most fearful bore to be i'll. 1 never used
to have these fainting attacks till | came
| TO be a companion. Look at the lights
| twinkling in the childrens hospitall Poor
little dears! Fancy lying there day after
day, when all children must long so to be
| romping round. l always wave to them
when l pass. 1t must be nice to be waved
to when you're so duh and can't move,
| shouldn't you say SOP"
John said he thought 1t might make a
| pleasant change.
Well" laughed Miss Palliser. 'if I ever
see you pass when m reading to my old
| lady in the evening q sit at the window
always, you know, l. shall just wave to
you as you walk by. Now, remember tc
| look up!'
John murmured something incoherent
| about Cheyne Walk being out of his beat
Then they began to talk of other things
till the hanson drew up with jerk
| THANK you ever so much" said Miss
| Palliser, Il hope we may meet again. You
were so kind, and-and-well, sensible.
was going to say. You know what
mean. You made no fuss. and you just
| helped me wonderfully. Goodbye
He hesitated a little. No. he thought
1t would be a foolish and second-rate thing
to ask if he might come and see her She
was mere chance acquaintance. ana he
| knew nothing about her. He shook hands
kindly and cordially.
II am very glad to have been of use
hope you will feel quite well tomorrow
| And-if-if"-here he became crimson-"I
! ever should pass your house, | shall ex-
pect you to wave your handkerchief, YOU
| know"
She laughed, and before he had time Ia
do so, paid the cabman and ran through
| a little iron gate up some steps
| A few days afterwards John Grigg was
| walking down the Embankment. and. in.
stead Of turning up towards the street
where he lodged. he thought that as il
was such a lovely evening he might as
well proong his stroll a little. And al
length he found himself in Cheyne Walk
on the side opposite to the houses. He
felt very foolish and vexed with himself
but he glanced quickly up at an open win
dow. Yes, there she was. The evening
! sun shone on her yellow hair, and she
| wore the same little blue blouse spotted
with white. Her eyes were bent over a
book. He caught sight of the outlines nj
! another very rotund figure. and can. in
an armchair, and paused a moment
Would Miss Palliser look up? He distinct.