The Glenwood post., 1907-01-12

~~ASS AAo w I'LL WAdl bAC AAO uCN-
er doubted, that Mrs. O'Brien kept a
respectable house." that her colored
maid, engaged the day before without
references, was the most honest and
God fearing woman she had ever
known" and perfect lady" that no
| Jewels had been stolen, that investiga-
ton would doubtless show that II they
had really disappeared Miss Rowan
herself had "pawned" them, and that II
she dared cast such an aspersion upon
an honest widow trying to make re-
| spectacle living all the reporters in
| New York would be called In and she
would rue the day that she and her
| worthless truck ever came out Of Colo
rado
Under this onslaught, which she was
not experienced enough to trace to its
btbulous origin, poor little Miss Rowan
blanched, wtlted and finally rushed
from the house. And it was only after
she had walked several bewildered
| blocks that she awoke to the realiZa
ton Of her appointment with John
Cleyerley at o'clock. A glance at her
watch told her that it was already ten
| minutes after the hour, and she has
tened her steps, more with the idea Of
at once unburdening herself of her
troubles than with an attempt at pune
tuality. AS she turned up Sixth ave
nue. she was surprised to notice
dense crowd gathered at the terminus
Of the elevated structure. But, follow
ing their uplifted gaze, her pulses halt
ed tensely at the sight that met her
eyes. Slanted toboggan fashion from
the terminus of the Fifty eighth street
track the wreck Of what had been the
rear car of the shuttle train topped
perilously In midair, prevented from
plunging into the thoroughfare below
by the weight of the other cars that
still held it to the track.
The wreck of the large frame bump
er at the end of the line lay strewn
along the trolley tracks below, and un-
der the suspended peril 800 yelling, ex-
cited people surged and clamored For
one moment Miss Rowan did not grasp
the Significance of the scene.
But the next, the hour, the possible
Significance of the event to her smote
her with sudden alarm. What if John
Cleverley had been on board that
train? No thought of any other victim
of the wreck marred the pure selfish
ness of the sudden fierce awakening of
love in her heart With blanched face
and wide, excited eyes she rushed into
the crowd.
What is the matter? When did it
happen?" she gasped at the first curl
Gus onlooker that barred her progress.
Train jumped the track. Shot past
the station. Broke over the bumper.
Fifty people injured. Roosevelt hos
pital," he explained, with terse impor-
tance.
What timer
"Oh. around five minutes to 3
O'clock"
And thus was the last doubt in the
young woman's excited mind dispelled
The Image of Cleverley injured,
bleeding-dead. perhaps-rose sudden
ly and was as suddenly blurred by the
quick binding rush Of tears. Scarcely
knowing what she did, she jumped into
hanson and gave brief direction to
Roosevelt hospital.
Then, leaning back against the cush-
ions, wholly oblivious of the frankly
staring pedestrians on the avenue, all
the newly awakened emotions Of her
nature found their outlet in passionate
sobbing. What happened in the next
hour, thronged with visits to hospitals
and police stations, with frantic tele-
phone calls to Cleverley's hotel and to
his address in a downtown office, Miss
Rowan does not remember to this day,
for at the end Of the search, when she
thought that only the morgue lay un-
explored and she plunged despairing
up the five long flights that led to her
studio. 1t was all blotted out by one
luminous incident-the opening Of the
studio door by Cleverley himself.
Even Cleverley admits that what she
said then doesn't matter. 1t is doubt
full II she knows, but he had never ex-
planned anything to Madge Rowan,
with her two arms about his neck and
her cheek warm and wet against his
own. before, and his remembrance is
naturally blurred.
"Why, of course was on that train"
he explained, "but I got off at Fifty
eighth street station with all the other
passengers. 1t was only in switching
for the downtown trip that the rear car
backed against the bumper and the rot
ten wood gave way and toppled the car
over. Some Of the train hands were
hurt, but-why, you dear little girl, you
poor little glrl-don'tr' For Madge was
sobbing passionate relief upon his
shoulder.
Then quietly, when he had calmed
her, she told him the story Of the after
noon, beginning with the lost necklace
and ending with her wild ride in search
Of him, and at the end she said shyly,
humbly:
"You didn't know I was such little
fool, did your"
And Cleverley, bending over her, kiss