The Marshall republican., 1906-08-31
AN
ELEVATOR
"C CUPID
BY CARROLL WATSON RANKIN.

wv 'ffta'fsnifto WIZ thdtI VI tTlTilht'
ing themselves to the elevator in the
Bailey Building. for II was connected
with an electric motor Of such unstable
character that the initiated had lost al
confidence In Il rs a means OF transporta.
ton.
Katherine, however. was not an inhabi.
tant. In her own town elevators pur.
sued the even tenor Of their way without
vagaries OF any sort so, when her bust
ness with the photographer on the top
floor wa completed the young woman,
with every reason 10 expect n swift and
tncventful journey 10 the street, stepped
confidently into the elevator.
Atlthe fourth floor the elevator stopped
10 admit a second passenger. a man
named Westcott. Wesicott differed from
Katherine In that he entered the cage
like apartment with full knowledge OF rs
treacherous tendencies. but Wcstcott was
that morning In a frame OF mind 20 court
disaster. He assured himself 40 I've
stepped IN that u was q matter OF COM
plete indifference % him whether the elc.
yator shot suddenly upward and crashed
through the skylight or dropped wiihou,
warning into the basement.
The elevator, however. did neither OF
these things Under the guidance OF a
chubby. bluc.eycd youth, II pursued Us
downward career until u reached the
space between the first and second floors
there Il stopped.
AZ the sight Of her fellow passenger
Katherine had turned pink with embar-
rassment. The man had muttcrcd some.
thing under his breath and bowed frig.
idly: for. before counting disaster, he had
courted Katicrinc-apparently u had
amounted 10 the same thing. They had
parted forever only the evening before,
and the ring she had worn for three
months was At that momen, In Westeott's
trousers pocket. where he had thrust II
savagely al the end Of their quarrel.
why are We stopping herel" asked
Katherine, turning 10 the elevator boy OF
chcrubic couricnance.
Cause we cant 20 on" returned the
boy, producing n bag Of peanuts and q
dime novel, AID PROCEEDING to make him.
scli comfortable. The blamed powers
on."
"IIas Il cycr-does Il often go OF like
thisi"
"Oh, yes" replied the boy eheerfully
There's nothin' TO I've scared OF. Some.
times she runs all right for rs much as
n week; then. again. she won't bulge
for six or seven hours nc a stretch"
."Six OF seven hours" gaspcd Kath-
crime.
yep" replied the boy, settling himself
more comfortably on his stool. Once
Il was longer. but gin'rally they get her
Roin IN ~ hour or two. There's no dan
ger at all. miss"
The boy gently discouraged further
conversation by burying himself In hi.
book. Katherine moved TO the end OF
the lang, lca,her-covercd seat. Westcoit,
49, iISle other end. stared sloomib
Katherine ionkcd q, her watch. II wa.
already past luncheon time. and she had
been too miserable to eat much break
fast. Still-she frightened nj the thought
she should not siarve. for she had with
her a box Of chocolates she was taking
home 20 her sisters children.
She looked at her watch again. Only
four minutes had passed. but pangs OF
hunger were becoming uncomfortable, The
chubby boy munched peanuts with appar-
emily no thought OF his fellow sufferers,
Katherine united the pink string that
bound the candy box, unfolded the paper,
lifted up the Id and ate a chocolate.
When she had eaten three she glanced
at Westcott. He was still CARING nj the
wall. The walls In elevator shafts arc
seldom interesting. This one wal tinted
with a bilious grcen-a color that West
colt bbhorred.
"How he must hate me-" thought Kath.
crime, eating another chocolate, "wher
he'd rather look ut n wall than at me
| wonder what l ought to dof II w
were utter strangers. cast away on q des'
ert isle and he had one biscuit and thre,
drops OF water. ] should think him hor
rid u he didn't offer me half. suppos,
| ought TO offer him some Of these choco
lates, even 10 we're not on speaking
terms"
Katherine. sitting very straight, an,
with her eyes straight ahead. pushe,
the box along the seat, Westcott pai'
no attention.
"Will you have n chocolate" aske,
Katherine. somewhat unsteadily.
Westcott was SO sure that he wa
dreaming that he did not make any an
swer.
"The lady spoke to you." prompted tn
elevator boy,
.Wesicott looked inQuirinsly at Kath
crime.
"Wil you-will you have a chocolate ,
mo, thank YOU" replied Wesicott. re
turning to the contemplation Of the gree
wall.
There wa another long pause. Tn
neglected box remained half way between
the suspended passengers.
II think you're very-ungentlemanly,
said Katherine, at length.
$50 you said last night" responds,
Westoott eoldly.
You're more 10 to-day
SLOW SOP"
"You--you know Tn too polite to ca
those chocolates and let you 90 hungr
and I'm fairly starving"
Westcott, with an air Of exaggerate
politeness, took a chocolate and ate Il
with his eyes fixed unsoeiably upon III
green wall, lie dared not trust himsel
to look at Katherine. Katherine nibble'
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