Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-07

with start Something was creaking and jolting;
the very air breahed sounds strange and unusual Then
she lay back contentedly. She hadn't walked I'D to a
rushing day of toll where the very minutes sometimes
represented SO many precious nickels and dmes but
there hours and hours of rest no responsibility
and Of luxury that she could indulge herself
in her hearts content She loved luxury and she
had had little of it! She smiled to herself at the
idea of considering the box of berth luxurious, but it
the lack of responsibility the rest and change that
gave her the illusion. She had face problem later
on, but that was months ahead This day was to be
all her own.
At breakfast she found herself seated opposite
striking looking woman, with little girl who stared
at her moment and then said formally:
"How do you do?"
Her first thought was newspaper woman then she
recalled something familiar in her. She couldn't re-
member when and where she had met her. she merely
smiled and bowed
Il don't think you remember me- the LADY said. Il
come from New Orleans, too. You taught Mrs Har
rison's little girl l met you thsce day.
Her heart humping in panic for fear her
would out She did want to be left alone
for this day! She glanced up and looked out the
window the Her eyes rested for second
the fraction of a second-on a cean-cut manly
face, pair of smiling gray eyes, quizzica mouth
and magnificent head, covered with shock of brown
hair. Perhaps she would not have known she saw
the if at that psychological moment he hadn't been
saying:
come from Mexico"
Il wonder if by any shadow of chance" she thought
The knows John H. Morton"
whats your name?" the little girl was asking ;,
She drew in her BREATH and plunged out with:
"Snlith-Mary Smith" 1t was the only name she
could think of suddenly like that
The smiling gray eyes attracted in her direc
tOn and the sounded horribly distinct in the un-
accountable silence that seemed to fall upon the ear
The lady's brows showed just tiny puzzled wrinkle
then they cleared.
Pardon" she said 81 didn't recall Somehow
didn't quite remember was Smith 1 am Mrs. Carle-
ton"
She ran the conversation into sociable little remarks
about the country through which they passing
the weather, the trip, and all the time Eleanor was
turning thing in her mind
That man there comes from Mexico
When she returned to her section, she settled down.
with mild interest in the flying lanscape and her fell
low-passengers Later she fshed from her grip a
couple of books, but she was in no humor for
reading because you see there the gentleman from
Mexico opposite, hidden behind newspaper. 1t
awfully distractng.
Gle might know John H. Morton" she found her
self thinking.
Then she laughed at the idea-of course it was abb
surd? She didn't know that he came from
Mexico 1t only the end of a sentence she had
caught.
But she couldn't keep from noticing him out Of the
tail of her eye. He really different, he fairly
exuded vitality sort of acI-in-the box with the lid
down. Occasionally he his fingers around inside
his collar he were unused to it, and yet he wore
his clothes we'll
She bit exasperated at herself but she just
couldn't help overhearng remark he made to a man
that he'd been four days the rain and he guessed
they getting pretty close to New York now.
Pretty close Heavens!
The little Carleton girl in from another car to
see her. Eleanor answered innumerable questions
They discussed dancing school-and cats-and dogs
and fairies. The gentleman across the way seemed
amused His newspaper sagged, leaving an attractive
picture sticking out from the underside of it. The little
girl went over.
lie that picture, if you please" she said
sociably.
The gentleman was very nice and polite about it.
His little visitor stayed there time discussing
blue Skies-and water-and trees-and fairies.
Eleanor amused, too, and very formally, very
casually, two remarks passed between the gen.
tleman and herself When the little girl went back
to her mother the gentleman with her. and when
he returned Eleanor thanked him as if he had con-
ferred personal favor. They were almost acquainted
At Atlanta, Eleanor asked tiny formal question
concerning the exact time, and if they late. She
had made up her mind dozen times about that Morton
question. She would lead up to it, of course with
little conversation about the country It seemed per-
ecty easy, but her lips always closed tightly at the
last instant
She restless, was the stranger, for as the
train switched back and forth, she noticed him out on
the side of the track letting off energy in swinging
stride, Once he looked UP and caught her eye. She
withdrew her glance calmly and gracefully but when
the passed she. dove head-frst into her book
with startled expression, and later found something
amusing there
When she went into luncheon. awful shocki-the only
vacant seat was opposite him She was shown to that
as matter of course. She took it What else could
she do?
Now it takes great deal of grace to sit opposite
clean-cut manly face smiling gray eyes and quizzi
cal mouth, and look if you don't notice them; and
not look too much that way, either, because he had
spoken to her once twice, with the little girl as