The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-05

most approved fashion of the shilling
shocker, and clutched at her throat The
man very naturally wondered what the
deuce he had gotten into any way and
explained, in answer to her hoarse en-
treaty. that he had been in Randsburg
on business and had seen the Britisher
in the street
Miss Porter asked if he lived there.
Give it up. 1 didn't speak to him
and he didn't see me. Only he doesn't
go by the name of Clayton Calverley
down there. They call him Myers"
There was the suspicion of a twitch
about the corners of his mouth but Miss
Porter could not see that it was funny.
She could readily understand why he had
chosen to hide his identity. A name like
aytOn-Calverley would naturally be un-
wieldy in a rough mining town.
Now, she was a young woman who had
always done exactly as she pleased with
out asking any ones le4%e-frequently
for the excellent reason that there was no
one about of whom to ask it. Such was
at present the case Judge Porter was
away, to be gone indefinitely. So she
packed her own bag and bought her own
ticket and took that nights express for
the South, and in due time the stage set
her down in the town of Randsburg,
where her ppearance-although she was
gowned with what had seemed shabby
simplicity in San Francisco-caused con-
siderable excitement and some little lev
ity.
The hotel man was very civil, however,
when she asked where she could find a
man named Myers. He took .Rr out into
the street and pointed out a small, un-
painted house some distance away
That there's his shack he told her, with
a distinct note Of inquiry in his voice,
which she chose to ignore; but he's on
day shift. and he wont come up until 6
o'clock"
So she went to her room and threw her
self on the bunk and waited until s
o'clock. 1t began to be borne in upon her
that she had done a decidedly bold thing,
even for her, and the way out of it was
not altogether apparent But then Cal
verley would show her that; and at 8
o'clock she went in search of him.
1t was very much of shack. indeed,
his place of abode. Her soul yearned
toward him, that she should have lived in
luxury all these months, the while
his fortunes had been so low as this It
was also very untidy woman who open
ed the shaky door in answer to her not
too confident knock; an untidy woman
and weary-looking, but pretty withal, and
young. And the two children who clung
to her skirt were pretty, also. There was
third child. It was sitting on CaIver-
ley's knee before a red-covered supper
table, and Calverley was feeding It some
thing. He sat with the spoon poised, and
a blank look in his eyes.
A terrible misgiving took hold Of Miss
Porter. With most women it would have
been a certainty Giles" she walled,
losing all presence of mind.
But he kept his. 1t was not the first
trying situation he had lived through,
though 1t was perhaps the most So He
rose from his chair and spilled the child.
HIS voice rose above its injured howl
Miss Porter" he exclaimed. How
charming! How unexpected! Let me
present my wife-Mrs. Myers, Miss Por-
ter
She tried hard to take it well, to accept
her cue from him and turn the tragedy Of
her life into a society skit after the man
ner of women and of the day. But she
failed. When She opened her mouth to
speak no words would come, and she fell
forward into Mrs. Myers arms
Mrs. Myers was very kind to her. She
took her back to the hotel and stopped
there with her that night. You should not
be here all alone" she said in her sweet
English voice. And when the girl start
ed to sobbingly explain she checked her.
Il understand she said: "you need not
tell me. He had sold a claim we'll and he
went away to have a good time She
looked a. Miss Porter with a .wistful sort
of pity and admiration. And I dare say"
she added, that he had it,