Smyrna times., 1908-01-08

where Maggie and Tom had plannea
to go Katherine felt a sudden whlm
to see the pleasure ground of the
young people amcn@ whom she had
worked during tine 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 it 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 a 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 cOmpH-
ments. she wondered whether she
should faint or scream aloud. Sudden
" man in uniform showed the leer-
ing youths aside and touched her ell
bow deferentially.
"Where do you want to go. missY
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 laconically. and he put her
aboard
Cnce out of the crowd. with the cool
ing west wind tanning her face, Kathe-
e 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 anC
: unprotected in the world Now, if Ar
mold had only been different. if he ha'
= not been SO absorbed in business. Thel
:, suddenly Il feeling that had never conn
to Katherine Morgan before Obsesse
her Had Arnold ever really neglected
" her? Had he ever refused her his al
1t tendance save when she Willfull
e changed her mind or made childish dc
y mands on his time? She remembered
IS too that her father said somethin
II about shaky market. possibilities c
N a panic. the need of conservatism, et
{ They had all been meaningless term
L in her moment of anger, but now s1
lt understood. If Arnold meant to tai
K her ''outen the factory" he must stan
lg in with his boss too, and Arnold's boS
T. was 1.-The street" Something brigl
IT and round fell from Katherine's eye
e- the gloved hand she raised hastily as
ed screen, and then it happened-crashiI
ld beams, cracking glass. shrieking W
er men and grOaning men.
When Katherine woke up she was
nd Arnold Gresham's big touring car al
NV Arnold Gresham's face was very clio
ng to hers.
'How did you get off?' she inquir
lid DULY, feeling as if she had been chal
up ed into Maggie Delany and Maggi
ith Tom had come to the rNscue.
es. 81 went down to the Settlement hoI
elf, for you, found you had left with
md girl, and another told me she had sc
out YOU board the car for Ridley's park
t a was lust following you out-wher
the saw the collision and thought l mi
s a be of some service to the irjur
ave Katherine, why in the world did
eels 90 out like this aloneP
pa Katherine laid her head contente
on Greshams still trembling should
red Because l needed to know ina
could not get along without you.
less mold, dear, take me home"