The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-01-18

contemplate the spectacle, and tall girl
hurrying along the street, walked before
She knew it into the very storm centre
OF the scramble and retreated a stcr
backward to the sidewalk.
The woman On the balcony laughed
heartily, and her escort, apparently
stimulated by her merrimeN flung down
a second coin This one fairly resounG
ed on the asphalt.
"A dollar, dollar'' screamed the ur.
chirs i'll unison. They redoubled their
:xcrtions, scurrying about like terriers.
You got it, aint' you. Barney?'
"Naw-McPhee's got it."
He amt neither-it rolled away of. >
The youngsters dispersed along the
stretch of the block, and this fact, ad-
ded TO the tuning of fddlers within the
theatre. put an end to the interest OF
most Of the spectators. Lord and Lady
Bountiful withdrew from the gallery,
the loungers lounged away, and the po-
liceman resumed lis post inside the
lobby. Only Ormiston and the tall girl
remained
He had been watching her with good
deal of curiosity. She was dressed in
brown linen and her coppery hair wa.
twined severely below the brim of her
straw sailor hat. In the shadow her
face seemed white; the lines Of her
mouth and chin were proud and fine !;
she had clasped her hands behind her
back and this threw her head and shoul-
ders into an alert poise Of half defiance
In short, the effect of her was not at all
that of girl whom one might expect
to find alone on Broadway, of an even
ing. She remained stock still as Or
miston drew nearer to her, and she
seemed to be watching the huddle Of
boys on the distant corner
Ormiston maneuvred so that he could
look straight into her eyes. He wa,
smiling eagerly, but not at the girl; he
was smiling because he was conscious
Of that delicious mental thrill which IS
known only to story-tellers and poets
artists and musicians-the thrill which
comes from the discovery of preg-
nant idea in a tired brain.
Il beg pardon" said Ormiston. "Can
I be of any help to your
mo, thank you,' she replied in an
admirable and dgnihed surprise. II am
in no trouble, I'm merely waiting for
carriage"
She turned on her heel, vouchsahng
to the young man view Of the back OF
her head. Ormiston laughed delightedly.
II thought you might allow me to pick
up that coin for you," he pursued.
"You cannot keep on standing over it in
that way. The newsboys will suspect
you, and claim it. The dollar really
belongs to them, you know-Ilot to you
She slowly unclasped her hands and
Ormiston could see her shoulders stiff
fen; then she Wheeled again and faced
him.
"You are blackguardly insulter of
women" she said.
"Oh, no, I'm not" returned the young
Southerner. "That is, l don't think /
am What other reason is thefe to keep
you here like a statue? If I'm wrong,
I'll make every amend which you and |
can suggest that l ought to make. Be-
lieve me- can explain how ! happened
to speak to you. I've been trying to
think of story, you see, and-look
here" he broke off abruptly. you are
standing on that money, aren't you? If
you'll take one step and show me that
I'm in error, I'll lie down and let you
walk on me"
II won't humiliate myself" she ex.
claimed hotly. what business is it OF
yours? If you don't leave me, III call
the police"
"You can do so, of course" said Or
miston. but that would be pretty poor
ending for the story. You're from Geor-
gia, aren't you?'
The girl nodded before she could
catch herself.
"I'm from Richmond County," he
went on. Mighty strange the way the
old Georgian tongue sticks to us, ism;
it? 1t comes out strongest in folks when
they're homesick, reckon. And I knew
quick off where you were raised, Miss
Ny name is Ormistcn.
"I'm Colqu;tt." l."
"Kin to the Colquitts of Lexington"
They're my cousins"
do you like visiting North, Miss
Colquitt?"
Gradually the girl had averted her
countenance. so that now Ormiston
could see nothing Of it.
"rm at work here" she answered
studying the tips of her fingers, trying
to support myself by drawing for the
picture papers. I'm not dong very
we'll"
Miss Colquitt made brave attcmp,
at 4 laugh. Then she showed her face
to Orniston, and he started with con-
Germ, for her mouth was twitching and
her cheeks were flaming red.
"Oh. you caught me at right despic-
able thing" she broke out. I'm
nearly starving, Mr.. Ormiston. did
see the coin rolling. did stamp on it
with my foot and push it into this crack
in the paving"
"And in Gods name, why not?" cried