The Somerset reporter., 1907-11-21

together. At the corner they paused
before separating.
II wish you'd take this to your
Tom" said the lmpulsive young heir
ess There's a lovely little restaurant
In the park Tell Tom to take you
there for dinner" She opened her gold
mesh purse and hauled out crisp.
clean bill. The factory girl flushed
and drew back
TON amt that sort. He'd never
take money from woman"
The young heiress saw her mistake
well. then give 1t to some one you
think might not be able to afford a
half holiday trip-some one who has
no Tom to take her out" And she
sprang on board a waiting trolley car
before Maggie could reply The car
stopped at the next corner.
This car goes to Ridley's park?" de-
manded an elderly woman.
"Yes'm. Step llvelyr yelled the con-
ductor.
"Ridley's park~ Why. that was
to go. Katherine felt sudden whim
to see the pleasure ground of the
young people among whom she had
worked during the past week. She
would go to Ridley's park.
Away the car bowled. stopping now
and then, but less frequently as the
suburbs were reached. And 1t seemed
to Katherine that at every stop more
Maggies and Toms scrambled aboard.
all with an air of golden anticipation
that she had never felt at prospect Of
an automobile tour or garden party.
So absorbed was she In watching the
half holiday crowd that she did not
notice the attention she was attracting
from a group of half tipsy youths who
had dubbed her "the queen" and were
daring each other to 'pick up the
peach"
At Ridley's park she felt oddly dizzy
with the confusion. Perhaps she had
worked bit too hard at the Settle
ment house. Perhaps she had not eat
en- enough. At any rate, when they
reached the park entrance, and the
crowd showed her this way and that,
and the three youths clustered around
her and paid her loathsome compll-
ments. she wondered whether she
should faint or scream aloud Sudden
ly a man in uniform showed the leer-
ing youths aside and touched her ell
bow deferentially.
where do you want to go. miss?"
inquired the trolley inspector. for such
he was
Home, home" exclaimed the tired
girl with a touch Of hysteria in her
voice.
"Car on the third track" said the
inspector laconlcally. and he put her
aboard.
Once out of the crowd. with the cool
ing west wind tanning her face. Kathe-
rine felt better. She understood now
why Maggie felt that Tom-big, pro-
tecting Tom-had given the girl new
view OF life.
1t must be dreadful to be alone and
unprotected In the world. Now, II Ar
mold had only been different. IL he had
not been so absorbed in business. Then
suddenly feeling that had never come
to Katherine Morgan before obsessed
her. Had Arnold ever really neglected
her? Had he ever refused her his at
tendance save when she willfully
changed her mind or made childish de-
mands on his timer She rememb bered,
too. that her father said something
about a shaky market. possibilities OF
panic the need Of conservatism. etc.
They had all been meaningless terms
In her moment of anger. but now she
understood. If Arnold meant to take
her "outen the factory" he must stand
in with his boss. too. and Arnold's boss
was 1.-The street" Something bright
and round fell from Katherines eye to
the gloved hand she raised hastily as a
screen. and then it happened-crashing
beams. cracking glass. shrieking wo-
men and groaning men.
When Katherine woke up she was in
Arnold Gresham's big touring car and
Arnold Gresham's face was very close
to hers.
How did you get off ?" she inquired
duly, feeling as II she had been chang
ed into Maggie Delany and Maggie
Tom had come to the rescue.
81 went down to the Settlement house
for you, found you had left with one
girl, and another told me she had seen
you board the car for Ridley's park
was just following you out--when
saw the collision and thought | might
be of some service to the injured.
Katherine. why In the world did YOU
go out like this alone?"
Katherine laid her head contentedly
on Greshnm's still trembling shoulder.
Because | needed to know that-