Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-17
An,oref's
 OrouSSeau.
By Martha Cobb Sanford.
Copyright, 1907, by Homer sprague.

copyright IVY, Dy Homer Sprague. s GsssSssSsssSSssssssSss sSsssSsSssssssss$SAl Amoret was very excited. It was her first long journey alone, and vast and entrancing as her dreams were of the delights of California she knew she should find even her dreams tram | scended. 4 ~ She took off her stylish little hat and handed it to the "portress," as she mentally dubbed her. Then, with a cushion at her head and another at her feet, she settled back with a sense of replete comfort. .:> But when the sun, with last wink of his bright cyclopean eye, at length disappeared behind the distant trees Amoret turned her attention aimlessly to the people about her. An uninterest- ing and prosaic collection was her un- spoken verdict save for a very evil dently newly married couple who were too silly torbe even amusing. What was there, Amoret unused, about hon. eymoon that so invariably transformed even the most sensible people into such insufferably sentimental idiots? Las call to dinnahI' announced the |, dining car porter, swinging pompously through the train.
 Amoret opened her purse, in which
 she was carrying her miniature watch
 She glanced at the time and then, fem
 inina faSbion ho0on fo ipuactiroto tho
 varied contents of her pocketbook
 Suddenly she started, then, growing
 very white, leaned back and closed
 her eyes.
 The "serious and dignified" young
 man across the aisle had been watch ing her. He guessed what had hap pened.
 How could he help her?' Could he
 ask her to go into dinner with him?
 Of course not She'd starve before
 she'd accept. Well, he might as we'll dine himself and think over the situa- tion while he did so.
 As he rose and walked ahead into
 the dining car Amoret opened her eyes.
 She stifed the impulse to jump up and
 follow him. He was the only person in
 the car that she liked the looks of He
 was a thoroughbred from tip to toe.
 But there must be some other way out
 of this awful predicament. She closed her eyes again. All that she could think of was the roll of bills which she
 had been so long saving for this very trip and which she knew she had that
 very morning placed in her pocket book.
 When Richard Mason returned from ! the dining car he found Amoret alone. i The rest of the passengers were evl- | dently at dinner. Now was his chance. | He had thought up no brilliant lead, to be sure, but the proper words must come if he could get up sufficient nerve to speak. He cleared his throat once, twice, but the silence remained other wise unbroken. ..
 The train whizzed on. Richard pre- tended to be reading his paper, but the print might have been Egyptian hiero- glyphics. Suddenly he crushed the sheet behind him and turned toward Amoret.
 Great heavensw he exclaimed and, jumping up, caught her in his arms just as she fell forward fainting. He rang the porter's bell furiously.
 Get some water, quick" he con- manded, "and send for the maid! Don't lose a minutew
 "Yas'r; no, sah," responded the DOT ter and vanished with something akin to the speed and grace of hurry call ambulance.
 Meanwhile Richard laid the girl gen. tly down on the seat and got flask of brandy from his valise. When the DOT ter returned with the water and with the excited maid bringing up the rear Amoret had begun to show signs of , consciousness.
 Here, Sarah" ordered Richard (why , Sarah he couldn't have told for the life of him), you take care of her , while I go and get some soup. She f ought to have gone in to dinner sooner, , but-but she didn't"
 Amoret did not refuse the soup. h. I deed, she didn't think to question |, where 1t came from. She even allowed , Sarah to coax her into eating a little Q chicken and afterward to superintend the making up of her berth. Ii
 "Tll make it all right with you in the ! Amoret assured her. You fl shan't lose''- She stopped short the whole miserable predlcament suddenly a flashing over her agnin. But Sarah had n not noticed the interruption. f.
 "Yo' husbands already done dat, n honey" n The curtains were shut tight, and t Sarah had gone before Amoret could n get up courage to attempt an explana- lion. h "How is she nowY' inquired Richard |, lnxiously. n "Oh, she's jes' good as new, sahI fl You'll talk desc TIT spells mo calmly when you've been mailed mo continu- JUS lsk'" And, with a friendly smile. cI Sarah left the young man staring llankly after her.
 Here was a situation,
 In the morning the porter's first call f, Q breakfast' rang cheeringly through he car. Amoret heard and tried to n, orget as she went on with her spirit m