Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-01
-. The Daily News Short Story j..

too young for such deceit" she chuc
kled as she pulled down the shade
But think Of the eager young mans
discontinue when he finds that little
Mary has flown" Then she became
aware that the strange young man
across the aisle was regarding her with
much interest in his glance, and she
lifted her chin little and began to
read her magazine. The young man
went back to his paper, and after a
little she looked him over surreptitious-
ly. He was evidently college man,
she decided-clean cut, big and vigor-
GUS, with clear, brown skin and gray
eyes,. And presently there came to
her haunting sense Of familiarity.
She thought she must have seen him
somewhere.
The young man looked " to see her
gazing speculatively at him, and their
eyes met. Again she tilted her chin,
but 1t was too late, for she had been
caught, and the warm rosy red tingled
In her cheeks and on her forehead
The man lifted his hat gravely, but
with an amused twinkle.
Mary felt horribly embarrassed and
Inundated. In sheer desperation she
turned to the window to put 1t down.
1t worked more easily than she
thought and before she could pull her
arm back had caught and imprisoned
the corner of the loose sleeve Of her
little pongee wrap. She could not pull
1t out without tearing 1t, and the suit
was new. She spoke softly to the old
man In front Of her, but he did not
hear. And then, while she bit her lip
and flushed still more deeply, the young
man from across the aisle had reached
over her without word, and her arm
was free.
THANK you," she said icily, and then
In spite of herself she looked up and
caught the CLEAN of pin on his soft
shirt. "Oh" she exclaimed and then
blushed again.
He whipped Off his panama and bent
down. please don't be formal. You
see I'm from your own college, only
I've been east since at law school,"
Later she asked suddenly: Didn't
you belong to the Dramatic club?
Weren't you Benedict in your class
play? That's where 1 must have seen
you. The pictures are up in the club
room, you know"
1t was three hours later that the
train pulled into the little station at
Okeboji, and she realized that she did
not even know the young mans name.
''But Madge will remember, and she
Is Dramatic club member and will
probably be able to place him." she
thought as she sat erect and wondered
what she should say to him when she
got off.
When the train stopped and she rose
to go he didn't move.
"If you wait moment, the aisle will
be less crowded." he suggested, and
she waited. Neither spoke, and when
the aisle was cleared he rose, picked
up his hat, lifted his suit case from
the seat across the aisle and followed
her to the door, 1t had never occurred
to her that he would be getting off
here too.
Madge was waiting for her, and the
two girls embraced with sudden rip
pie of laughter. The young man step
ped to one side and waited, hat In
hand.
did you escape himr he heard
Madge say, and Mary answered: "Eas-
lily as you please. But they'll be furi-
GUS when they find out what I've done.
He's there by this time, and They
turned around to go to the waiting
trap. and Madge caught sight of the
man.
"Therew she almost screamed and
stared at the young man and from
him to Mary. why, you must be in
sane! Don't you know The man
drew closer, and Madge suddenly
laughed at the utter bewilderment on |
Mary's face.
What are you talking about? You
must be insane yourself! Why
Madge wiped her eyes and held out |
her hand to the man.
You have hoped out of the frying |
pan straight into the fire, my dear"
she said to the dazed girl. ALLOW me
to introduce Mr.. Ben Markham"
1t was quite six weeks before he
dared to tell Mary that he had not
run away from her, too, as she had in
terpreted his presence on the train, but
had been there by design. When she
heard that her mother had met the
trunk on its way to the station the day
before she left and Mrs. Markham had
telephoned her nephew she gave up in
despair,
you see," said the man, you might
at least have given me the chance l
was giving you. felt as much like
a fool as you did, only was willing
to be shown, and you-well, you were
Il wasn't" said Mary. But at any
rate we viii not be married in Octo-
Der. That would be too much. Your
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