Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-02-15


ford, al, hat ID hand, he regarded curiouaIy
the young woman whose features were
clearly the original Of the photograph he
held
u think | must be, If your name is Craw-
ford, she assented, with a nervous laugh.
Mine is Hubbard Geraldine Hubbard
Mr. Day told me you would be looking for
me" and she gave him her hand shyly, yet
trustingly, for Crawford had face which
inspired confidence, and even the strange
ness OF the situation did not blind her to
that fact.
Three months before Geraldine had
joined touring company, and her acting
IN curtain raiser had attracted the at.
tention OF a famous stage manager and
dramatist. The latter's praise had induced
Joe Day to engage her Tor his American
touring company.
II will pay fares, he told her, when the
contract mad been signed, but from Chi
eago you will have to go west with Guy
Crawford, my new leading man"
Geraldine murmured some polite little
speech about it being nice to have some one
to look after her, thereby increasing the
confusion which was already crimsoning
Days face.
''Well--you see," be began, awkwardly,
Crawford is not the worst part of the job.
He's great boy, big-hearted, tender as
woman, and as~as good an actor as ever
walked, but it's this. Crawford has friends
in the railway Offices in Chicago, and he's
got passes right through to the coast for
himself and wife. Now, you can save me a
lot Of money If you will travel as his wife"
Day awkwardly lit his cigar to cover his
embarrassment. BY no means had he a
reputation for bashfulness, but this novice
might not understand the situation.
Geraldine blushed more rosily than he
had done, and there was a tremble in her
voice as she spoke.
Your suggestion may perhaps be sin.
cere, Mr.. Day." she said, 'but I'm already
engaged, and you really can't expect me to
break my word and marry another man for
the sake of few pounds. Why-why, I'd
rather pay it myself"
my dear child" he explained, you don't
have to actually get married All you have
to do is to act as though you had known
Crawford for few years. No honeymoon,
you know, just pure business, and only the
porter and guard viii know you as Mrs.
Crawford. You are Mrs. Crawford from
Chicago to Oakland You enter Frisco as
Miss Hubbard
So it had been arranged, and, though her
fiance objected, Geraldine convinced him
that it was no worse than being mans wife
on the stage; and Jack Hamilton was even
disposed to joke about it as he saw her off
in the Erie station. Remember" he cried,
as he waved adieu, cts only wife pro
tenn
III Al
shock to look up at the tall, handsome fel
low, and to realize that she would be Mrs,
Crawford for the ensuing three days.
1t was late in the afternoon when the train
started on the three-day run. Geraldine
was tired, and Immediately after supper
went to her berth, and she saw nothing
Of Guy until she stepped off the car at
Omaha the next morning to take short
stroll on the platform.
Guy was already out, and he fastened
up. Good morning, Geraldine" was his
greeting, and noting her start, he CON
tinued II shall have to call you Geraldine,
and you must call me Guy, to keep the Off
Gals from suspecting anything. The Great
Central man came to me last night after you
had retired, and made me prove identity,
because, for one thing, you had no ring on.
He was bit suspicious. had letters that
fixed me up all right, and | explained that
actresses seldom wore their wedding rings.
At the same time, to save the position,
would you mind wearing this? 1t was my
mothers And he drew from his finger a
plain gold band.
She slipped it on her hand, wondered
what Jack would say, but the next moment
she had forgotten young Hamilton in the
charm of Crawford's conversation. Like
most actors Of the better class, Crawford
was a capital talker ever ready to amuse,
and careful to use the personal pronoun
sparingly. The long, dusty trip, ordinarily
so tedious, passed rapidly, and by the time
Ogden was reached Hamilton was forgot
ten.
The next morning the spell was com
pleted. The first glimpse of the Sierras
strongly moved this English girl.
Even when dusk closed in, and Craw-
ford led her back to their own car, she was
strangely silent, and at dinner answered
his laughing remarks in monosyllables.
Glow could he be so merry, when it would
all end in few hours?" she asked her
self
At last ii did end.
The train arrived at Oakland late, as
Great Central trains usually are, and they
went on board the ferry for San Francisco.
1t was perfect Californian night, the
blue sky studded with stars. A very night
for romance, and as Geraldine leaned over
the rail she sighed softly. Guy looked down
on her.
"Well, it's over" he said, gently, ''but
I shall always remember this trip. Usually
it's so dull across the desert. Has it been
tiresome to you?"
''No" she cried anything but that At
first was afraid of my-my husband but
you were so good that | soon forgot that
part 1t was almost real. | never supposed
marriage was so happy
at isn't, he replied, harshly. cts all
right pro tenn, but the quarrels will creep
in. Ny wife and l travel in different com
panses, because we always quarrel when
we're together, and at that we get along
better than most
His wife," Geraldine laid her head on
the rail, and for moment she forgot every
thing Then the unconscious influence Of
the man and the mountains passed away,
and she was herself again.
II thank you so much for your kindness,
NJ Cra ,vford - She said in her ordinary