Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-06-07
kISMET.
BY BEATRICE STURGES.


rushed to the ticket office. He had
barely time to run down the long sta
tion to his train. for as he swung
himself up the steps the engine slowly
pulled out with its heavy load The
four-twenty for Riverdale generally
| was crowded. and this particular day
was no exception. AS the young man
passed through car after car not a va
cant seat was to be seen. Finally he
stopped by the only place left in the
whole train. Next the window sat a
remarkably pretty girl of about 90
Chic was written all over her. from
the folded Persian scarf on her little
travelling hat to the perforated tips of
her iaunty Oxfords. For the rest
there was 2 brown skirt-short, of
course-a white waist. with scarlet
belt and butterfly tie.
The young man hesitated a moment
She glanced up with a pair of brown
eyes in which contended mischief
and occurrences. The young man
gave little start, but the girl straight
way looked out of the window again,
SO said nothing and sat down. She
appeared tc find the landscape cf cob
blestoned streets and Harlem flats ex-
tremely interesting for she gazed at
| them intently. Once she turned and
glanced at him. but finding his eyes
frank, blue eyes they were-fiXed on
her, she turned away with a little
toss of her curly. brown head. and he
could see the red blood mount in her
tanned cheek.
Hang it," ne said to himself; T
am sure that it is
Which remark. though not clear to
an outsider, was full of meaning to
him. For this same brown-eyed face
was fixed in his memory; he had seen
those same brown curls under vastly
different circumstances. and had
thought of them more than is deemed
consistent when n man is engaged
to some one else. Richard Madison
was a young man of some wealth,
nominally in charge of fine old es-
tate, but the lifelong friend and law
yer of his late father attended to the
business so well that the young man
was only too glad to leave it entirely
in these hands and enjoy himself
| travelling. The past 15 months he had
spent abroad with several friends, and
he had but that very morning stepped
Off the feetest of modern ocean grey
hounds.
His first thought was to run up to
Rose Hill and see Helene Cary, his
fiancee. She did not know he was
coming, for their correspondence of
late had not been very spirited
Helene had been at Newport, and
yachting good deal. She was fav-
orite socially. as she was rich. and
more amiable than clever Their en-
gagement had never been announced
but it had been an understood thing
between their families for several
years. From a social standpoint it
was an excellent match. but Madison
had often found himself wishing that
Helene was-well. different" He
could not exactly define what he
meant. "Since that idiot Morris told
her she looked like Eames she has
been colder than ever" he had said
to himself savagely. He thought now
Of Helene's placid eyes and smooth
hair.
"Now, If it only curled, like
like"
His eyes wandered again to the
brown curls so close to his shoulder.
and he thought of the time he had
seen this same pretty head dripping
wet and the small face very white.
1t was just six months ago. With two
chums he was steaming along the
Thames in launch, between the beau
tiful green banks and picturesque
homes of which the English are so
justly proud. Suddenly they heard a
shrek and a splash and turned to see
white dress disappear into the water.
Madison sprang out and swan toward
her; missed her the first time, but
When she next came up grabbed her,
and in moments time was rolling
her most unromantically on the grass,
while the people of the house came
rushing down with restoratives and
thanksgivings in the usual incoherent
jumble. He remembered how he broke
away from them as soon as she opened
those brown eyes. and many times
since he had groaned inwardly at his
idiotic remark when she looked into
his eyes and murmured some words
of thanks. And now. after all these
months here lie was sitting in the
same seat with heron the way to
see Helene.
They were Just entering the tunnel
now, and the girl struggled to close
the window. Before she could make it
work, however, in they dashed, and a
Whit of the i'll smelling smoke swept
In. Madison reaching over to the OBJ
stinate window, which, recognizing the
masculine touch. obediently closed.
Somehow in the process his hand met
hers.
THANK you ever so much" said a
small, sweet voice. when he had re-
| sumed his seat. He raised his hat.
Il