The Press., 1905-06-28
5 ON THE DA~ By LUCY
 } BOAT BARNES
Copr4oht. 1SOG. by 4. s. RteAOrdsOH

Albany day boat, she had gradually wakened to the realization that, no mat. ter who passed by. glances furtive and open had been cast in her direction.
 Not that this was an unusual atten- ton for Margaret to receive. Chances of admiration had followed her ever since she had passed from spindling girlhood into glorious young woman hood. But these glanees were differ ent. The expression in the eyes of the women said quite clearly, Thank heaven I am not as you are" The admiration In the eyes of men was mixed unmistakably with pity.
 Margaret reached blindly in the di- rection of her hat. The little bend in the back was sQuarely above the coll at the nape of the neck. Perhaps 1t had slipped back too far. She raised her hand and felt of her pompadour. She knew by touch that there was just enough hair showing in the front. It might be soot on the tip of her nose. She drew forth her handkerchief and dabbed the tip of that member. but no spot showed on the cambric. Then she tried her chin and her cheek bones with the same result.
 An Odious woman, lOlling in a pat ent rocker, smiled at her, but 1t was a pitying smile. Not for worlds would Margaret have asked that woman what was wrong. And a woman who wore lace net dress to travel in would not have sense enough to tell another woman what had happened
 By the time Margaret had reached this conclusion she was actually per spiring with nervousness. She was not a girl whose thoughts ran entirely on dress and appearance, but she viewed with scorn the ungroomed wo- man. And at this moment she was morally certain that her grooming had slipped a cog. She reviled the manage ment of the boat line which did not panel its saloon with mirrors, but not for worlds would she have walked the length of that saloon to a dressing room. She preferred to sit in the lime light of the restless passengers to run ming the gantlet of the lounging pas sengers.
 She was ready to call herself names for having declined, with thanks, the vanity bag her brother Dick had want ed to give her on her birthday. She had taken a new collar for Pedro. Poor Pedro, grieving in the baggage room In the hold at this moment! What wouldn't she give now for the tiny mirror reposing in the rejected vanity bag7
 Just then a young man loomed upon her gloomy mental horizon. The boat had made a landing at one of those small towns from which tourists reached the Catskills. The young man looked exceedingly cheerful and harm less. Margaret decided upon this the instant her troubled glance met his. His eyes were the sort to create a feel ing of trust. He was good looking, but Margaret instantly decided that he couldn't be blamed for that. Anyhow, he was looking for somebody, and she became restless. She met his look of inquiry with a nod of invitation and deliberately drew her skirts to one side as if to make room for him on the divan.
 The young man accepted the un- spoken invitation with alacrity. He stood before her, hat in hand.
 A fully good Of you" he said, look Ing down at her frankly. 'I didn't rec ognize you at first You've changed quite a bit since you had that last pie ture taken"
 Margaret gasped. She had thought her own impertinence quite impossible once the die was cast. but this young mans nerve was monumental. She lowered her voice so that the woman in lace net could not hear what she said.
 ''Sit down, please, and I'll explain. Of course you were not looking for me, I know that. But you-er-play the part much better than I could. was In such trouble, and I just had to speak to you"
 Just for an instant a puzzled eXpreS- sion passed over the mans face. Then he pulled himself together and sat down beside her.
 "I am tremendously glad to be of service to any lady in distress. What particular form of distress has over taken yOuY
 Margaret looked straight into his trust inspiring eyes, and her own danc- ed
 "I am a victim of woman's 1nhu- womanity' to woman. Don't you dare to laugh when I tell you this, but eV- cry woman who has passed me for the last half hour has looked at me as If my hat was crooked or had soot on my nose or my skirt and blouse had parted company. Will you please tell me what is the matter7"
 The young man tried not to give way to the mirth which was yelling up within him and looked her over crit IcaIIy
 "Well." he said Judiciously, "I can't see anything wrong except that the thing you wear for a collar seems to have slid around. Does the bow be- long under your left carp
 Margaret clutched at the offending bit of ribbon.
 My stock! never thought of thatr'
 She pulled the bit of embroidered linen till the bow was poised with outspread. saucy wings. directly under her piquant chin.
 ''Now, Is that right ?" she asked, look ing up into her human mirror.
 Correct and trim as you please" he said reassuringly and watched her while she fastened the unruly stock with a tiny pearl headed pin.
 "You wouldn't believe what a mis- erable half hour have put in. know now that odious old cat in the patent rocker has grinned afresh each time my stock sprang a fresh notch. Isn't 1t funny that women can't show a lit- tie Christian courtesy to each otherT'
 "Well," said the young chap thought fully, ''I'm very sorry didn't get here half an hour sooner. I might have saved you some e-er-trihing discom- fort"