Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-01-14
WHER e
JOUR IN e Y S
END
cRITTENDEN MARRIOTT
Copyright, 1908, by 7. 9. Mcclure

the Pullman. Twenty four hours
more he murmured We'll, it can't
be helped BY George, that's pretty
girl! Nice old lady with her too Hope
they'll come in here
Next moment his hopes were real
lied. as the two women entered the
car. guided by an obsequious porter,
who deposited dress suit case and an
umbrella in the section opposite. BE
here about ten minutes, ma am" he
said in answer to a question from the
elder; 'sgot TO cut in some sleepers and
a diner"
THANK you. Better sit down, Aunt
Bessie"
But the elder woman shook her head.
81 do wish you had some one to go
with you, Dorothyv' she exclaimed in
tones Howard could not help oyerhear-
ing. Il can't bear to have you go
alone. Your uncle never would have
let you if he hadn't been sick in bed
You're sure you don't mind?"
81 don't mind the least bit in the
world, auntie. We bachelor girls have
to learn to do for ourselves"
Bachelor girls, indeedr' The elder
lady shifted, while Howard felt an I'M
accountable thrill of pleasure pass
through him. 'sOld maids we used TO
call them. A girls a girl, no matter
what she says, and | don't like to see
one travelling alone 1t wasn't consid-
cred proper in my young days"
Il know returned the girl softly
'sBut travelling has changed so since
then, even down in this dear little out
of the way corner of the south. Why.
what could harm me?v
"Oh, nothing, suppose, but don't
lunch with you,' she added irrelevant
~, her hospitable southern heart as,-
grieved. 1T seems so inhospitable to
send any one away without something
to eat
You're awfully good, Aunt Bessie;
but, indeed, it wasn't worth while. I'll
get dinner and breakfast in the dining
car and be.in New York for lunch.''
A sudden changing made the elder
Won9n start. "Graciousr' she ex-
claimed. "I'H be carried off! Goodby,
Dorothy Write as soon as you get to
New York. I'll be anxious till hear"
The two hurried to the platform.
where the girl stood smiling and wav
ing until the train was well under way.
So we'll under way was it, indeed. that
as she turned to enter the car sud-
den lurch threw her violently to one
side and made her grasp the rail to
steady herself. AS she did so her
purse, hung to her belt by q chain.
few open and sent most of its contents
at large through the yet Enclosed doors
of the vestibuie
Unaware of this, however, Miss Yer
non walked to her seat, glancing around
her just in time to see Howard watch
ing her. Both We're thinking of the
good lady's anxious hospitality, and
before they could recover themselves
they had smiled squarely into one an
others eyes.
With quickly stiffened lips Dorothy
sank into her seat AS she did so her
purse swung forward into her lap, ex-
posing its emptiness to her startled
gaze. With a gasp of dismay she seiz-
ed and examined it. Her ticket was
safe in an inner compartment. but ev
cry cent of her money was gone.
It did not take her long to decide on
the moment Of her loss nor the hope
lessness of repairing it, Miss Vernon
was a very independent young woman
who on more than one occasion in the
four years that had elapsed since she
had begun to earn her own bread had
seen her funds depleted nearly to the
vanishing point. vet never before had
she found herself entirely penniless
There was nothing I 0 be done, how
ever. To telegraph to Aunt Bessie for
money would be to frighten that lady
almost to death. and there was no one
else on whom she felt at liberty to call
She must simply resolve to make the
best of her journey, all twenty-four
hours Of it, without money.
Meanwhile Howard had been watch
ing the girl out of the corner of his
eye, admiring her more every moment.
He had noted the look of vexation that
froze the snlile with which she had un-
Intentionally favored him and had
promptly averted his eyes, as if in
hopes that the girls wrath might glance
off his broad shoulders Thus, turned
away, he had missed seeing her discov-
cry Of her open purse and her conse-
quent CONSERVATION When he had ven
tured to look again. she was staring
straight ahead Of her with what seem
ed to him a most inscrutable express
sion. In reality she was thinking Of the
luncheon she had refused and ponder
ing the great truth that even a modern
dining car is Of little avail unless one
had the price of meal.
AS the afternoon wore away Howard
began to curse the conyentionalities.
Here be was within a few feet Of this
peerless girl as he had already begun
to term her. and yet to all practical pur-
poses was miles and miles away. He
had always been slow to Scrape ac-