Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-26
She Hrgus Daily Short Story
'Fate's Second Chance. BY Lester Rose.
Copyrighted. 1908. by Associated literary Press.

Jean Griffith looked about her curl (
ouSly. The street was at once familiar |
and strange. like an old friend encoun- |
tered after years of separation. Five |
years had passed since jeans father |
had moved out west-tive years of min |
gled pain and pleasure-and this was
her first return visit
She was stopping at downtown ho-
tel and had come uptown to call on
some of the girls she knew to be still
living in the old neighborhood
The altered aspect of the street re.
minded her that she. too. had changed
One learns much in five years.
She had been glad to leave the city
five years before. At eighteen she had
just broken her engagement with Tom
Fleming and had felt that every one in
their set was talking about it. 1t had
been an absurd quarrel. She had want
ed to live in the city. and Tom had set
his heart upon the purchase of little
home in the country.
They had been walking down that
very street one afternoon. and she had
insisted upon inspecting the apart
ments in house just being completed.
Tom had protested that it was useless
! to look at fats when they wanted a
| country home. and. though Jean had
her way. Tom bad grumbled all the
! time they were being shown through
the rooms.
| As they had stood on the steps after
| the caretaker had left them Jean had
| declared her intention of living in one
| Of the corner apartments. and Tom had
turned stiff1y away with the declara-
ton that it was apparent they never
| could agree.
| With her bead held high. she had
watched him go down the street but
when he had turned the corner she had
hurried home to wash out in tears her
pain and indignation.
A few weeks later she had moved
away. and Tom. his anger slowly cool
ing. had found out too late what that
going meant to him. He had written,
but his letter was half apoogetic, still
half defiant In tone. so Jean had not
answered. He had not written again.
Jean found none of the girls at home,
and with hurried step she started for
the avenue where the cars ran. A
cloud Of ominous blackness was form
ing. and the wind blew down the side
streets in cold gusts that threatened
an Immediate precipitation.
She was within block of the car
line when the storm broke. and she
huddled under the nearest awning. II
was the only shelter in sight. and since
it shielded the windows of a saloon
she could not enter the place.
The fury of the storm was soor
spent, but in place of the terrific down
. pour a gentle rain fell, and since there
, was suggestion of clear weather
Jean waited In the hope that she
might not have to ruin her new hat
As she stood thus her heart gave {
great leap, for coming down the street
his head bent, was Tom Fleming. No
until he was almost opposite her dix
he see her. Then he halted. with ,
look of glad surprise in his face.
81 did not know that you were II
town. he cried as he advanced witt
/. outstretched hand.
II arrived only last night" she ex
planned. II came up to see some o
the girls. but could find no one a
home and was starting for the ca
|, when the storm broke and anehore
: me here"
"Come under my umbrella" he sus
gested. The rain is almost orer. an
!. that dress doesn't look as though th
!. damp would hurt It. Ill see that you
hat doesn't get wet"
Almost before she knew It Jean ha
tucked her arm through Toms. an
they we're going down the street in tt
old familiar way. To her surpris
Jean found it very pleasant to be Vi
!. der the umbrella with Tom.
It seemed impossible that FIVE yea
y had passed since they had walked u