The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-08-21

either To hand up their tickets or get oil
and walk"
but what am to do?" she cried help.
lessly; 81 haven't any money, at least
only forty cents in my bag, and l simply
must go to Wichita tonight"
THAT won't go down." returned the
impudent rascal; "yo"ll pay your fare or
you'll get off"
This was more than human nature
could stand, and with my blood boiling,
| rose up in my wrath and said: This
lady has told You precisely the truth. |
myself witnessed the whole thing. Tsaw
the gentleman take the ticket"
The face that turned to me was swcctcr
than an angels. The tears stood in the
beautiful eyes, and a high color had risen
to the poor little white cheeks
"Oh, thank you, sir, Thank you!" she
cried; chow good of you to come to my
assistance"
"You must allow ME to actually come
| to your assistance" answered, drawing
a roll of bills from my pocket and sub
tracing the fare from Kansas CITY to
Wichita.
ooh, you are too good" she exclaimed,
drawing back; "but, really, Icouldn' t."
Il cannot take no for an answer"
returned firmly; 81 insist upon doing this
for you. madam
She blushed ever so swcetly, and as
soon as the lecring wretch of a conductor
passed on, she began thanking me in the
most charming way possible
''Such dreadful thing never happened
me before" she began, with little lisp
that was too fascinating for words. 81
have never been anywhere alone in my
life, am twenty, but being an only
child, papa treats me as if were but ten
He cannot realize that l am woman"
Here she drew herself up and assumed an
immense amount of dignity for so small
Il person.
was perfectly carried away
The long journey, the ever-jolting cars,
the dearth of beauty among the passcn-
gers, and then this bright apparition were
quite as dazzling to me as the first ray of
sunlight to the man who has dwelt in
caves. She was Il most enticing little
creature, and the more | gazcd the more
| realized it. Her complexion was pure
pink and white, and the simplicity of her
dress only added to her charms.
''Do you know" she said frankly. after
she had told ne about being twenty and
never having Travelled alone, Il feel as if
you were an old friend. But" she went
on, her eyes Frightening and smiles play
ing about her mouth, IF you are not an
old friend, you certainly are a good one
Why, truly. am not under such obliga-
tions to any one else in the world"
begged her not to mention it.
Then she went on again: You really |
must tell me your name-it isn't proper
for me to ask it, is it.-because just as
soon as get to Wichita l want to re-
turn the money you have loaned me.
shall pay it out of my own money, too"
she continued proudly, because day after
tomorrow will be Christmas, and Uncle |
always gives INC a nice big check on
Christmas. handed her my card, and |
she read aloud:
"Mr. Shirley Hall. Why, what pretty
name. 1t is quite romatic, isn'tit? Shir-
ley is like the names you read in novels,
and Hall is nice, too"
You are very kind" | said, feeling
tremendously fattered.
81 suppose ought to tellyou my name
in return, SO you will know whom the
comes FROM" she asked with her
head on the side.
"By all means" l answered without
loss of time.
"Amy Dyer" was the reply.
"Oh, that's pretty, too" l cried.
mot as pretty as yours" she argued.
Eyes, yes, much more So" l insisted.
Would you mind, Mr. Hall" was the
next question, IF should ask where you
are going?"
ITO La Junta," responded.
"Oh, dear" she exclaimed, II was in
hopes you were going to Wichita, too.
Why" and she turned her bright eyes
full on him-"why don't you come on
there? 1t isn't so awfuly far from La
Junta."
For an instant the mad impulse to do
so ovcrcame me, and my hand sought my
pocket to extract the exact fare. But my
common sense returning, Withdrew it
firmly. My business wasin La Junta; in
fact, had appointments there from the
hour of my arrival, and there was alb
no reason for my going to
Wichita. did not know soul nor n
stick nor stone in the place.
Moreover, the doctor had recommend
ed Colorado air for me.
He had not said a word about Kansas.
81 should love to, returned, "but in
deed cannot. However" and | began
to trcmble as put the question, per
haps, on my way back, you will allow
me to come to see you in Wichita :"
"Indeed l will, F." she answered with evil
dent pleasure; then she wrote out her
unclcs address for me, which recognized
as the most fashionable quarter of the
place, and told me l must not fail to
come.
placed the address carefully in my card
case.
Our parting was to be when we reached
and before that hated time we
had most charming conversation.
She told me all sorts of little things
about herself in the most refreshing,
orderly way. She was five feet two her
hair was naturally curly, she wore n No.
2 although" as she added laugh
ingly, II was born in Chicago her
favorite book was Elizabeth and Her
German Garden" and she had four teeth
filled. She had never been East in her
life, and her one desire was to make the
trip. New York was to her only another
name for paradise, and to feed the lions
in Central Park seemed the height of her
listened to her prattle with
more interest than had ever felt in the
most inspired conversation and found
myself watching for the little turn of the
head and droop of the eye as eagerly as
for anything in my life. She had such