The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-29
THE THIRD PARTY.

W
TelIers lodgings. and for whom the fonC
youth cherishes 4 tender though unde
| clared passion. Until recently Mr.. Telle
has been calling on Miss Becker ever
week. He has been kindly received no
only by the young woman. but by hel
mother and her large. muscular father
But now his cherished hopes are-let tn,
facts tell the story
Last Friday night-the date is burned
into his memory-Mr. Teller went down
town after dinner to complete some worE
at the office He was busy until 1
O'Clock. Then-without even stopping Il
drink a glass of beer-Mr. Teller left tn.
office and walked straight over to the
IL station ar Wabash and Madison
Just as he was starting To walk upstairs
a well dressed woman of good appear
| ance accosted him
Can you tell me where to take North
! western L train? she said.
Right UP these stairs" said the polite
| Teller.
That's what they told me-" the wo.
man answered. but l was afraid they
were fooling me-
I'm going right up to take the train.
said Teller. land if youn come with me
III see that you get ,ae right one"
The woman walked up the stairs be-
side him, talking all the way and before
! they reached the top Teller had learned
| without her telling him. that his compan-
| ion had been dining late, and had. per-
| haps, taken a drop more wine than was
| discreet. Her color was just a trife
| heightened and her voice Just shade
| higher than it would otherwise have
| been.
| Teller escorted her through the turn
| stile, took her to a seat where she could
! wait comfortably for a train and then
, walked away. He had gone quite as far
as politenesS required.
Presently the train pulled in. Teller
| had dismissed his late companion from his
| mind. and had sat down in d seat next
| the window when he was surprised on
! looking up, to see that she had followed
| him into the car and was nov sitting in
| the other half of his seat, and looking
| at him in a grateful way.
Teller saw at a glance that she was a
young woman who was not at all used to
being out late at night without an es-
| cort. He also decided that her taking a
glass of wine too much must have been
an accident. He felt really sorry for
her.
How far out 40 you go?'' she asked
Teller told her. She said that she went
two stations farther. and. with this be-
ginning, she went on TO talk freely about
herself, and how it happened that she
was out so late. Looking at her, Teller
noticed that her cheeks were getting
brighter and brighter and she was talk
ing little louder than was necessary
He saw that other people in the car were
looking AZ them, and he fancied that he
could detect an angry CLEAN as the eyes
OF the other passengers fell on him. Evil
IDENTIFY they blamed him. But the con-
sciousnesS of perfect innocence kept him
up.
Just before the train left the loop a
crowd got into the car. The Mortified
Teller looked up after they had entered
to see Miss Ann Becker and her father
occupying the seat across the aisle from
him. Miss Becker was looking straight
ahead of her. and her father glared
across the aisle without a glance of rec
ognitioFin his eyes.
Teller did his best to keep his compan-
ion quiet, but she persisted in talking,
gesticulating, and laughing. He did not
dare to try TO catch the eye of Miss
Ann, but he could feel. without looking
the look of pity on her face as she
glanced at the woman. and the look OF
scorn as he came into the field of view.
1t was the worst situation Teller had
ever found himself in.
Presently, after what seemed years to
Teller, the train stopped at his station,
and he got out The next morning he
went straight over to the Beckers' house
the front door.
My daughter is not at home, SIR"
said Mr.. Becker. She will not be at
home again TO you. No. as Teller
started to explain. it'll do you no good
TO lie about it. I've been around some
myself. and You can't explain what I've
seen with my own eyes,
Then the door was closed and Teller
having nothing else to do, went away
That night Bottomeale Teller's room
mate, looked with sympathy at his bed
fellow, but asked no questions, for he
himself had been through the trials and
understood. Bottongale was a newspa-
per man and did special work for one OF
the morning papers.
The next morning Teller could stand 1t
no longer. and opened up his wounded
feelings to his friend. He told all.
''Oh, I'll fix it all right almost cried
Bottomgale. He would not explain, but
was off to his work
This added to Teller's misery, for what
would a girl think of fellow who had
sent his friend to explain what was so
bad on its face. He went to his work,
but could accomplish little
That night. however, he returned home
hoping that his luck hau turned and that
he had made it out worse than 1t was
But his suffering was not over yet
for when he entered. Bottomgale instead
OF getting up and welcoming him with
the news of happy adjustment simply
sat and read his paper as though nothing
had happened. He even whistled and
Teller could have cursed him for IL.
IT was too much. This thing Of being a
martyr was not what it looked to be tc
the spectator Next day he ate nothing
At night a sudden desire to walk attack
ed him, and he struck out.
As he turned into his flat, worn in mind
and body a sweet voice with little
tremble in il. cried out:
Mr.. Teller, jackson, I understand
now"
1t was Ann holding out in her excite
ment. newspaper.
Bottomsale had written a story for the
page. explaining just how Teller
had been misjudged. II. NJ H.