Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-06-04

tune, but was helpless. He accom- panied her to the platform. through the turnstile, to the door of the South Side car. Then. lowing and smiling, he said good night as the train started, and she sat down to face her despair.
 Supposing the cars should not run all night, or that an "all out at the next station" accident should hap pen? And would the little heap of small change in her pocketbook last until daylight? And after daylight, supposing she got so far in safety, what then?
 She rode to the end of the line, changed ears and rode back to the city. Twice she repeated this pro- gramme, then decided, for no par ticular reason, upon taking the Douglas Park line. At the end of the run-it was after Il o'clock, the night was as bitterly, chillingly cold as only a. March night can be, and the station platform but poorly light ed-her heart sank suddenly. She sat still in the car, until the guard approached her.
 IlQ o1 lHS IlHC. 1IlSS, uc SdlO, IS- garding her curiously.
 She looked up at him with wide eyes, out of which she could not keep the tears.
 "I-I want to keep on riding" she explained, miserably, Twelve got so little money, and I've nowhere to go. But think I can pay car fare until the morning, if you'll let me stay"
 The guard, after a. moment of silent, surprised scrutiny, went back to the end of the car and shut him self outside it. The girl, her courage utterly vanquished, dropped her head on her breast and sobbed wre tched1y, although under her breath. She was still sobbing when Bruce Darke dashed up the steps and into the train just as it started. He saw and recognized the melancholy, solitary figure on the in- stant; two minutes, later, the troub1ous truth in his possession, he was cast ing about for ways and means of as- sistance. To lend her money would be useless, even would she accept it., for who would take her in at this hour? The touch of the little hand he was holding, quite unconsciously, nerved him to great efforts, but how to expend them? And then, as if in direct answer to his urgent thinking, the door of the car was once more opened, and a man and woman-his sister and her husband-came in.
 "Look out of the wind ow, he soft ly commanded poor Esther. "1'm oorn;ncr ri crhH hack r
 Down in the vacant seat beside his sister he dropped.
 l 'Sir, dear," he murmured, softly, "do you truly love me just as much as you ever did?'' . What's the matter, old boy?" in- quired the loving but practical sister What do you want me to do?"
 "That girl there" murmured Bruce, indicating Esther by minute gesture, "is dear friend of mine, sis, and the girl I'm going to marry if she'll ever give me a chance. to | propose. She's alone in the city, she's got no money, and she's trying 1 to ride up and down on these trains all night because she's no place to l go. I just happened on her, acci- dentally, although saw her down town earlier in the evening, and wormed the truth out of her. She's 1 the incest, dearest, sweetest of girls, sis, and" ,t .-...>
 "She can come home with me, of course, sonny" said the impulsive Mrs. sangster, returning his affec- tionate hand-pressure with interest. t'I'm sure it will be all right, won't it. Jin?" appealing to her husband, who from her other side, had lis tened to the story in calm and impas- l sive silence.
 "Yes,'' he said, with the air of one who delivers weighty judgment, "it's all right"
 l A moment later the soft swish of silken skirts attracted Esther's sur | prised attention, and the sister slipped a warm, tender, req ssuring hand inAa and about her own.
 "My brother tells me you e missed your friends and lost yotR ~1y and money" said Mrs. Sangster, using her kindly--and brilliant-imag gina tion freely. "Now, my friends are my brothers friends, and his friends are mine, so-you'll come home with me until the morning, will you not?"
 Long and hard-earned habits of self. control stood Esther in good stead al this trying juncture, and she neither wept again nor gushed on Mrs. Sang ster's shoulder. But the guard, watch 1 ing the occurrence from the car plat form, felt, somehow, that the girls troubles were over, and Bruce Darke tenderly escorting Esther from the West to the South Side line, presently in the swishing wake of his sisters graceful draperies, knew that the day of his happiness had come.
 
 R4IIl Ha XNna Gra&A4ul