The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-06-18


the thought still vivid and rampant
in her brain. She consulted the city
directory. and found only one John
Welton- shall / write TO him. and
tell him that heard his name tossed
from lip TO lip from the mouths of
thieves2" she pondered. but, no, he
will think that ! am a crank or an
accomplish trying to extort money.
No, he won't even appreciate IL He
viii read it, and laugh, and imagine
that l have an object in approaching
him other than a purely disInterested
one. i shall go and see him person
ally. Then / can explain all the cir
cumstances. and he will understand
and-Perhaps he will be thankful
for it,
1t took Eleanor precisely two weeks
TO make up her mind to approach
the unknown John Welton. In that
time the duty of warming him took
definite form in her mind, and il made
her drawer. She found the number
and street of his place of business.
and she walked resoluteIy into his
office. A clerk asked her to be seated
and Mr.. Welton would see her in a
short time She waited a few terrible
moments, wondering what John Wei
ton was like. hoping that he would
not think her an adventures. and
whether he would laugh at her fears,
or be cordial and polite to her.
The door opened and WeIton walked
in Eleanor looked up, and as she
saw him standing there her heart
leaped to her mouth. A gray mist
rose before her eye. and she saw the
vision of man in an automobile and
disheveled girl lying on the pave
ment, and all the details of an ac-
eident that had occurred to her many
months before A little laugh of ex-
ultation echoed in her soul. The hand
of Providence had led her 10 the man
that she had watched for so long in
public places.
Are you Mr.. John weIton?- she
stammered. irresolutely. Generally
self-Possessed. she was seized bv this
unexpected encounter with something
like fright for the first time in her
life She rushed through her story.
getting il badly confused. and con
scious of the fact that this man whom
she was talking with was the one
above all whom she would much rath-
er have met in a more conventional
way
He searched her face pointedIy. She
was conscious of his scrutiny as she
talked He listened and made no
comment Then a light seemed TO
dawn IN his brain. and he smiled sud-
denly. in frankly pleased way.
remember now" he said. with
bold inspiration in the midst OF her
conversation. as if the information she
had brought to him were of no con-
sequence. and that he was thinking
only of her. You are the girl that
assisted on the drive one dzv when
you had been thrown. Aren't vou7-
Yes. she exclaimed. frankly. @and
l have been looking for you for
months. only to thank you for having
been so kind TO me. and now fate has
helped me, and l am able to tell you
how much appreciate what YOU did. .
And / think. Miss Deering. that
you have amply repaid me for that
tiny service You are a most gen
erous, whole-souled girl TO wish to
warn me of possible danger He
walked with her TO the elevator. and
he asked her if he might not know
her better. When she acouiesced il
seemed TO him as if it were with re-
luctanee- She had gone away eoldIy.
Her formality was overdrzwn. he
thought
a week later a box of flowers with
a note from WeltOn reached Eleanor.
The message was more than a friend
" one II RAM This is TO thank Won
for the kindness YOU have performed
for me- 1t viii be great honor. nv
dear Miss Deering. if you viii permits
me to call upon you Believe me. since
the day | met you so inopportunely on
the drive your sweet image has clung
in my brain had often wished that
l might see you again. and when YOU
came TO me of your own accord. when
Providence took a hand in nv wish.
that was a glorious day. and your
coming made it all the grander. MAY
/ hope TO see you tomorrow even
ing?-
Eleanor read the note and kissed II.
and sat down to answer il. At first
she wrote long reply telling him
that she was happy that they had
met. Then she destroyed it and sim
ply wrote: YES, you may come. =
But she read his own note over and
over again. coaxing from the DEPTHS
of the sentences all the tenderness
of his meaning.
Eleanor. dear he said to her some
weeks sfterwsrd. II don't know
whether to thank your horse or nv
automobile for having brought us
together"
Neither. Jack. II was a gang OF
thieves" she answered. "and an un-
finished novel. and my love of vicari.
Gus adventure. you know. Even
thieves and novels seem TO have been
created for 3 purpose."-C Chicago
Tribune.
&of a. xx-sKs