Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-05-22
IN A RAINSTORM.
By N DoLAN.

he cared to reckon, seeing the hair on
his temples was iron gray now thai had
been glossiest brown when he went
away. He left England to try and for
get" and he had succeeded beyond his
ambition; he had been forgotten, too.
His brothers were married, his only sis.
ter dead, his friends scattered and Eng
land seemed strangely empty. Empty
and changed. The climate had changed;
London streets had changed; habits
and fashions had changed; above all had
the women changed.
Being unprovided with an umbrella
which for many a day had ceased to be
accounted a necessary item OF his inn
pedimenta, he stepped under the portico
of an adjacent building which offered
shelter.
The streets appeared suddenly desert
ed, the steaming air was full of despair
ing cab whistles, but not a cab was to be
seen. 1t was off the bus route, too, and
Herbert Blake, hunter and explorer, felt
a twinge of ironical amusement as he
realized his ridiculous reluctance to
plunge into a London downpour.
"Such is the influence of civilization
he thought. AS he stood there ruminat-
ing he saw the slight, 1.-THE figure of a
woman battling against the driving rain
and coming at an acute angle across the
road toward him.
She, too, sought the shelter OF the por.
tico beside him, and he moved a little to
make room for her. She acknowledged
the action with a frank, b%usinesslike jerk
of the head which made him look at her
again. What was she? A lady typist?
Too bon genre for that. A teacher? Too
smart. A governess? Too Independent
in her gait and mood. What was she?
He noticed she held the dripping UNI
brella at a perfectly perpendicular angle
to the ground and at arms length well
away from her person.
She is no ordinary woman" he
thought.
After a little she eyed him furtively
and seemed undecided yet DESTROYS to
speak, This was a new clew. Was she a
superior barmaid, a free lance or per-
haps an actress in a small way of bust
ness? His mind began to smile, but he
kept his face rigid. The rain continued.
BY and by a hanson bowled past them
with three people inside; the whistles
were still audible from various parts of
the compass.
Doesn't seem to be a cab to be had,
ventured Herbert Blake.
'Never is" answered his companion.
shortly.
He sc~rutinized her closely. She did not
seem in the least disturbed by his ad-
dressing her. She manifested neither
the excitement of ~displeasure, nervous
ness nor complacency. What was she?
I'm afraid you'll get awfully wet
walking" he remarked.
Just what | was thinking about you"
she replied. 1--WE got an umbrella, you
haven't"
Perhaps she was not going to be SO diff
fcult to classify after all.
Which way are you going?" she
asked, abruptly.
He stared at her in amazement for a
moment, but something about her utter
lack of self-consciousnes checked him.
IF | can see a cab | shall drive to Pic
cadilly. he began.
We'll, | am going to catch a bus to
Oxford street, so your path lies my way.
You can share my umbrella as far as we
go together if you like. This rain is
going to last all day" She picked up her
skirt as she spoke and exhibited a pair OF
serviceable ankles and strongly shod
feet.
HXO1I aro xynrxy LIND - ho ctasrar1arA1 /
completely at a loss. But she had al.
ready started and he had to put forward
a long stride to comesup with her.
Let me hold the umbrella, won't
your" he asked.
We'll, perhaps you'd better. You're
taller she said. Come along this way;
it's a short cut She plunged up a side
down another, through a perfect
labyrinth of ways.
you know London we'll, it seems?"
he remarked tentatively.
eyes," she said.
At this moment they emerged on the
main road and buses. cabs and carriages
despatched them with mud. An empty
hanson was crawling along the curb a
few PAGES from them.
There's your hansom," she cried,
her hand on the umbrella above
his. He held on firmly.
you'll let me drive you, Of course?"
he said.
I'm not going to Piccadilly," she re-
hailing the cab, which quick
ened its pace toward them
But can't leave you inthe rain utter
you've been SC kind"
Let me have my UMBRELLA, please.
My bus will pass In . minute."
But" He hesitated yrhen Instant
ly without quite knowing why. he yield
ed her the umbrella
Surely you will tell ne to whom I am
~indebtsd7p he Veald. raising his hat and
feeling in his Aaistcoat pocket Tor bis