The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-19

much for Afr. Frank. I was on his trail,
and Il was hot. Now for the lady.
The young woman with him-who is
she%' I demanded. nonchalantIy. Again he
hesitated- Again l fattled, then produced
Some would have contributed 4 quarter Al
the start. but two consecutive dimes dis
covered IN this way are more effective. at
the sane time saving 4 nickel.
The boy understood and found speech
quickly
That's Miss Lang: Miss Beatrice Lang.
sir" As he spoke ! proud. happy smile lii
up \ face that ordinarily was plain. very
Plain, n made IL appear really beauti-
ful.
Been here long? I continued. with a
hns assumption Of Indifference.
First week. sir. Came in answer 70 an
ad. Typewriter and stenographer.' Mr..
A~pplegate's own particular"
How / felt for Sally at that moment,
Here vas this villain Of 4 Frank debating
letters to the prettiest little girl in the bor-
ough OF Manhattan. and poor. piain-fea-
tured. country-bred Sally Loyalty miserable
and deserted. This must be stopped. and ]
felt called TO be the stopper. Excuse me.
sir. but isn't she q nectSrinsT The real
thing. too. you know-a lady from the boz
tom Up. We gentlemen that runs the hall.
including the elevators. considers that she
is the greatest in her class. and no second.
She wins easy with me. and it's the same
with all OF US. Say. mister. II I'd only
been born rich instsad OF handsome she'd
be the little Blue Ribbon for me-
I began TO ses new points Of interest in
this youth, IND handed him the coin with
a secret benediction. As I stepped into the
car q moment later I fixed him again with
the same CLASSY eye-I think Il was the
~samsNsayfng In 4 kissing tone. Remember
not q wordi' I'm on" he answered. sig
niffcantly. as / faded from his sight.
How good the air felt when I heard my
heels ringing once more upon the dear old
pavement So much accomplished in one
brief EFFORT SO much done for Sally, !
was filed with = delicious consciousness Of
triumph I was walking on air. and all
for sally, Truly. there is n reward in this
Unseiish EFFORT for another.
l hurried back to the Office. How the
hours dragged until flvei l was in q delir-
ium- Figures jumbIed before my eyes.
Home, ] must get home and think. Think
what hal be the next move.
1 enjoyed dinner that night. hut ate alb
ssnt-mindedly. gir-no. why should
] speak thus l know her name now. why
not call her by it, Beatrice Lang must
be thwarted. and by me. II innocent. she
must be freed from the wiles OF that arch
deceiver. Frank. ! could see the pleading
face OF Sally urging me 10 hurry. please"
Ny bSin was in a whiri. and yet I was
able 10 think clearly and c~onSeeutsvely. /
would Sc Miss Lang myself and lay before
her Saiiy's previous Claim. Her wOman's
heart would lead her bright. She would
give up this man. Kay, she would even
plead with him 10 go back to Sally.
To see Beatrice-I began TO like the name
was certainly the next step. but how /
could Join her as she isfSlhcsotifc BIT that
looked low. and. besideS. Frank would
doubtless BE with her.NI might accost acF
on the car bgt that method was also open
70 objsctloa--
4Hbat night I smoked long and heavily.
eonsi6erinEthe matter from every point Of
Tfes. At Iasf an inspiration seized me. The
Iroe detective. you know. Is always L.
spired. / would leave the matter TO chance.
The sought for meeting would come. lHi
then i would speak boldly. not counting the
COST.
As 1 sat there before the open crate. less
stretched out, brow heavy with thought.
hair diSJTdeTed. chin resting on my breast.
half sitting. half reclining in my easy chair.
/ could see through the redOlent. changing
clouds OF smoke the pleading face OF Sally
Next morning. going downtown. as luck
would have il. Sally was in the same car
We alighted at the same station. and Il
was a simple matter to Keep her In sight
until she entered 81, office building a Jew
blocks from the faithless Frank. l now
had the three located. Miss Lang's home
address alone vas needed.
That day at lunch 1 missed them. That
night press OF business Retained me beyond
the usual closing hour. A day gone and
nothing accomplished! 1 had made no head
way in tracing Beatrice-a beautiful name.
l think-to her lair. How Sally's lonely face
a pleading.
Next day y combination OF all unproplu-
Gus spirits. perversity. yexation and all the
rabble that with them consoTts. made
leagUe against me. A message not 10 he
denied called me TO Pittsburg. Three days
1-Var Z Er.a h,aN aud augar fu- 3D.. ia.
That evening / lay in wait as Beatrice -ef,
the orace- Fortunately. she was alone and
hurried away {. the cars. A hundred times
1 was tempted TO speak as l followed al
her heels. a hundred times the gods re-
raine
We deposited our tickets in unison and
entered the crush together She should not
escape this time. As her arm touched ms
elbow AID her newspaper cut on the light
from mine. she little dreamed that Fate
was en- her trail, nay. close at hand. breath
ing the perfume Of her hair. As 1 behsld
her neat. trim figure. no outward sign OF
malice Ihere, another great wave OF SYM
pathy for Sally dashed over me.
As the train sped on l had time to think
1 would not Rccost Miss Lang in = public
place. A little patience aud her abode
would be known. The train stopped IN
quaint, respectable. old-fashiOned Chelsea
village. the object OF my quest alighIed. On
q QAAEL SIDE kutEL. GN@r ~ III SLAInl.. IN
a staid and unpretentious house. she dweiJ.
/ saw her enter. / read the numoer on The
door plate. Ny heart gave a great bound u
Triumph.
Dinner was dispatched in short order that
night. 1 hastened 10 my room. locked gnI
bolted the door. Writing materials were At
An instant later / was dashing of !
brilliant, convincing letter. There 1t lay.
stu wet and gnstening. and yet-and yet /
vas not satisfied
At best a letter speaks only at a distance,
and must await reply. Bah. 1 tore i. into
flinders. 1 must see her in person. I must
reason with her. / must tell her all. Tim
she win know how much Sally needs our
help.
on with my business suit. shave. clean
linen. evening clothes. No time to be lost!
1 looked well ir 3 Tuxedo. Would she see
II In that light? Half an hour later / was
standing in the dra~wing-room Of Beatrice
Lang's home, waiting. Would she see me,
9 perfect stranger. or would she send back
card with a refusal!
oh, the agony OF suspense OF hope de-
ferred. But no. 1 hear the rustic OF a dress,
feet on the stairway; she enters the room.
I hasten 10 meet her. She smiles.
Ye gods How much lay In that one faint,
sweet smile. Two ways were meeting there,
one toward heaven. the other. blachest he'll!
NJ Armsuong. | believe" she said.
.giancing az my card which she still car
risd.
Miss Lang. I owe you q thousand pardons
for this Intrusion. II Is n another's interest
that I have called. and that must be my
excuse. / was on the point of saying, Il
owe IL 10 Sally" but checked myself IN
time.
She inclined her head slightly and smiled