Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-10-03
PLAYING WITH FATE.
BY EMMA E. REFS.

Harry followed the porter into the
parlor car, folded up his overcoat. and
settled down to read; but he could not
fix his attention Upon his novel.
The occupant of the opposite seat dis
turbed him. Apparently she was asleep
and unconscious of travelling backward.
She was pale and there was a pathetic
droop to her lips. The book in her lap
was slowly but surely slipping from her
! unheeding fingers.
Its slow progress troubled Harry. He
wished the volume would travel faster
and get the threatened catastrophe over
With, so that he might attend com
fprtably to his own reading.
The expected happened at last, how
over. The owner of the book opened a
pair of startled brown eyes and looked
straight into Harry's interested blue
ones.
why, Harry!" she exclaimed, flush
ing from throat to brow. rs it really
you? You're not a ghost?"
Certainly no ghost" said Harry.
ITO think that didn't know you, Be-
atrice! But it's been-let me see, how
many years?"
Don't speak of years; what are you
doing in this part of the country"
I'm going to Ridgefield to spend Sum
day."
so am l."
Harry did not think it necessary to
state that the main purpose of his going
was to ask a certain young m an
important question. Perhaps, as things
turned out, it was quite as well that he
refrained from going into details.
DO you remember" asked Beatrice,
what good times we used to have In the
rose garden?"
I'VE were next-door neighbors, then,
weren't we? | used to crawl through the
hedge on my hands and knees to visit
you. What was it we used to play?'
Surprising, 'S'posin',' we called it
then"
"Oh, | remember. You sat on the
bench near the beehives, with YOU lap
full of big pink and white roses. and |
sat on the ground at your feet. 1t be-
gan like this: 'S'posin' a pirate should
come and carry you away"
lin a great big ship with lanteen
sails"
land a crew of murderous Las
cars"
land chests full of gold"
Gold. certainly. I'd follow"
would you, Harry?"
"Of course" said Harry. not noticing
that the girls voice had grown tremu-
lous. 'S'posin' this is the ship"
"Yes-yes-"
"And we're sailing-sailing-!"
ITO a far-off country, and the pirate is
waiting on the shore"
Beatrice glanced app~rehensively over
her shoulder.
Waiting to seize me and carry me off
to his dungeon. Yes, go on. l can see
him."
I'D draw my sword and STAY him,
n say: Fair one, be mine. Come
to these arms. l love thee!'"
20, Harry! You-didn't say it, aft
erward, when-I used to wonder some
times"
The girls face flushed, and then
paled suddenly.
But the pirate didn't come. You
didn't need me. If Ire had, you
know"
But I think-I have reason TO be-
lieve I'll find him waiting at the sta
ton. He's a wealthy pirate with chests
of gold, and-the family expects it,"
IN run him through with nv
broadsword-my umbrella-if Won saw
So"
mo, It's too late. 1 rather think
shall have to let him carry me off.
and yet-s'posin' at the same mo-
ment-'
"Norwalk-all changei'' the conduc-
tor called out Justify.
Harry leaned forward.
Let me take your bag. You are
sure"
Look! Just inside the gate"
Not Anderson, Beatrice? Surely
not Anderson. of all men?"
Yes Anderson. The pirate, you
know"
Beatrice, s'posin'-oh, Beatrice, let
me save youi"
do you mean"
Yes, everything. Quicki May II
save you-now-always? l always
meant to. Beatrice"
"Oh, do, dol" cried the girl, with a
lovely color flooding her face, and her
eyes dewy with tears of joy.-Ameri-
can Queen.
Inducement to Die.