The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1903-01-15
girl was very pretty and
daintilv dressed. Jack Granger,


He was puzzled by the sad, harassed
look on her face, which he thought haa
no business to be there at all. II was
lovely June evening, but the part was
RAPIDLY thinning. for the inevitable din
ner hour claimed society for It's own.
So absorbed was Granger In contem-
plative study that, mirable dictu, he mad
forgotten about that all important rune
ton.
Presently the chair ticket man came
along and stopped before the girl.
Have you paid yet, m'mf
No" she answered.
"one penny, please
She fumbled In her pocket, but no
purse made its appearance.
I'm afraid IL haven't-I'Ye left
~
ALLOW me-" put in Jack, Selling the
welcome opportunity. Most awkward,
of course" he went on, not noticing her
deprecating gesture. Il really see no
other way out of the difficulty and he
settled the matter by paying for them
both. while the ticket man walked on,
his face wreathed in inscrutable smiles.
An old trick. that" he thought, as
he strolled along though there's many
marriage the outcome Of 1t an the
likes"
1T is really good of you" said she
girl at last, but rather than be under
any obligations to you l would have
much preferred to pay another day"
a pleasure at any time TO help
lady out of difficulties" answered
Granger, delighted that the Ice was
broken. Its so easy to forget your
purse, too. never bother myself With
such impediments. Much safer 10 car
ry your money loose In your pockets;
don't you think so?'
"If you have any-yes,' replied the
girl, smiling In spite of berself and
tracing little patterns in the grass with
her parasol.
Rather an odd remark" thought
Granger.
"Er-er, perhaps your pocket has
been picked?" he venOired at last.
NO"
Lost your purseF'
She shook her head.
Forgot it,"
ooh! how dense you are" she ex-
claimed, almost petulantly, you men
never seem able to realize that We
women can be hard up although we
present fairly respectable appearance.
n.
tingeney occur to you other than what
you have guessed?'
Jack thought for a long while, but
his brain could not rise to the solving
of such riddle. Impecuniosity was as
foreign to him as are the tropics to the
polar bear
"Then you must shame me to an adj
mittance," she answered.
"ohT' put in Jack at last beginning
to realize the truth, you don't mean
you can't mean that you haven't got
-"
YES" she whispered, and her eyes
filed with tears as she gulped down a
sob, ''in spite Of all-all this" and she
made a pretty gesture, indicating her
dainty clothes.
"Wheugh," whistled Jack, softly,
"well I'm he didn't say what he
was, but whistled again.
She hardly realized why she had TAX
en- this man, total stranger, even
thus far into her confidence But there
was something so kind, so sympathetic
in his Accommodating different from
other men.
Have you no friends, no relatives
In town." asked Granger at last.
Il know no one"
Then what are you going to dof
81 don't know" She began to cry.
Come" said Jack cheerily, there is
always a silver lining to every cloud.
Perhaps | can help you. Tell me all
about It,"
my father and mother died a year
ago, leaving me with scarcely any
money" began the girl, "and until n
month ago | remained in my Devon
shire home. My slender resources be
gan to exc out, so | came to London
to see If | could get employment as n
governess. Luck has been against me,
and | have now some to the end OF
my resources That's all-the whole
thing in a nutshell" she concluded bit
terly. 81 need not go into details. You
will understand what have gone
through.
The girl flushed scarlet with shame
at such an exposure. Her pride and
self-esteem were wounded, too.
The irony of 1t struck him forcibly.
"Fm-I'm awfully sorry" he said al
last, awkwardly enough. "It's fearful
ly hard"
Their eyes met. Her face was still
flushed, and there were tears In her
voice and eyes as she smiled and said:
"Thank you for saying that. You are
SO sympathetic"
The words, though slight In them.
selves and so simply uttered, carried
world of meaning.
Granger stared yacanuy across the
road again.
What a sweet face she had. Why
should fate be so cruel to one with
whom Nature had dealt so generously.
Who, to look at her, would have thought
such cruel poverty was hers? Dalntlly.
charmingly dressed-not penny in the
world!
Well, he couldn't leave her without
doing something.
Look here" he said at last, here is
al T.