Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-05-14

Mt the top. where she had fingered a
moment. There was an expression OF
anxiety in her eyes as he looked up
into them. followed instantly by one OF
relief. Then she passed into the car.
Doubtless she would have been as So
licitous had he been the porter or the
brakeman. he reasoned, but that she
had noticed him at all pleased him.
At Abilene be bought the Kansas
City newspapers. After breakfast he
found q seat in the observation car and
settled himself TO read. Presently
some one took n seat behind him. lie
did not look back. but unconccrnedly
cast his eyes upon the broad mirror
in the opposite car wall. Instantly be
forgot his paper She was sitting with
in five feet of him, a book in her lap,
her gaze bent briefly on the fitting
buildings outside. lie studied the re-
Election furtivcly until she took up the
book and began to read.
The first page of his paper was fairly
alive with fresh and important dis
patches. chiefly foreign. At length. aft
or allowing himself to become really
interested in a Paris dispatch of some
international consequence, he turned
his eyes again TO the mirror. She was
leaning slightly forward, holding the
open book in her lap. but reading, with
straning eyes, an article in the paper
he held.
lie calmly turned TO the next page
and looked leisurely over it. Another
glance, quickly taken. showed to him
a disappointed frown on the pretty face
and Il reluctant resumption of novel
reading. A faw moments later he
turned back to the first page, holding
the paper in such Il position that she
could not see and. full Of curiosity,
read every line of the foreign news,
wondering what had interested her.
Under ordinary circumstances Lorry
would have offered her the paper and
thought nothing more of it. With her,
however, there was an air that made
him hesitate. He folt strangely awk-
ward and inexperienced beside her.
PrecedentS did not seem to count. He
arose. tossed the paper over the back
of the chair, as if casting it aside for
ever, and strolled 10 the opposite Win
dow and looked ont for a few moments.
jingling his coins carelcssly. The iin.
gle of The pieces suggested something
else TO him. His paper still hung in
willingly upside down, as he had left it,
OF the chair and the lady was porting
over her novel As 10 passed her he
drew his right hand from his pocket,
and piece of money dropped TO the
floor mt her feet. Then began an en-
barraSSCd search for the coin--in the
wrong direction. of course. lie knew
precisely where 1t bad rolled. but pur-
poScly looked under the seats on the
other side of the car She drew her
skirts aside and assisted in the search.
-Four different times he saw the little
piece of money. but did not pick it up.
Finally. laughing awl;wardlv. he began
TO search on her side of the car, where
upon she rose and gave him more room.
She became interested in the search
and bent over TO scan the dark corners
with eager eyes. Their heads We're
very close together more than once
At last she uttered an exclamation, and
her hand went to the floor in triumph.
They arose together, flushed and smil-
ing she had the coin in her hand.
II have it," she said gayly, a deli
cious fore gn tinge to the words.
Il thank YOU he began, holding
out his hand as if in dream of costa
sy, but her eyes had fallen momcntari-
~ on the object of their search.
or she exclaimed, the prettest
surprise in the world coming into her
face. 1t was a coin from her PARKWAY
homeland, and She was betrayed into
the involuntary exclamation. Instant
~, however. she rcgancd her compo-
sure and dropped the piece into his
outstretched hand proud flush mount
ing to her cheek, a look of cold reserve
to her eyes. He had hoped she would
offer some comment on what she must
have considered q range coincidence,
but he was Disappointed .IIe wondered
If she even heard him say:
IL am sorry to have troubled you."
She had resumed her seat and to
him there seemed thousand miles be-
tween them. Feeling decidedly uncom-
Portable and not a little abashed. he
left her and strobe to the door. Again
Il mirror gave him thrill. This time
II was the glass in the cars end. He
had taken but half dozen steps when
the brown head was turned slyly and
pair of Interested eyes looked after
him. She did not know that he could
see her, so he had the satisfaction of
observing that pretty, puzzled face
plainly until lie passed through the
door.
Grcnfall had formed many chance
acquaintances during his travels, some
times taking risks and liberties that
We're refreshingly bold. He had sell
dotn been repulsed, strange to say, and
ms he went to his section diZZly he
thought OF the good fortune that had
been his in other attempts and asked
himself why 1t had not occurred to him
to make the Same advances IL the pres
ent instance. Somehow she was diff
fereut. There was that strange dlgni-
ty, that pure beauty that imperial
manner, all combining to forbid the
faintest thought of familiarity.
lie took out the coin and leaned back
In his chair wondering where it came
from. "In any case" he thought, lit
ii make a good pocketpece, and some
day I'll find some idiot who knows
,l.. H.,