Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-05-10
THE KISS.

By LOUISE 3. clJMM,noa

p. CUMMINGS.
icoDyrisht. 1909. BY American Press Asso-
| ciation.l
Ihey met on the transcontipentaI
train going west. He started from
New York, and she got on at Omaha.
she was a dashing girl. He was a
Dit OF a swell in fancy waistcoat
and light CATERS over his shoes. she
sat near him In the parIor car. and
when the conductor took her ticket
and let It down like the steps Of a
coach Of 1896 he saw that she was
booked for San Francisco. He was
going to San Francisco himself
he wished he had some one To in
troduce him, but he hadn't. In a little
while. though, something funny oc-
CURED. and she smiled, happening to
catch his eye at the same time. He
hadn't been used to having eastern Ia
dies smile at him on a train. He
couldn't make this one out.
They were crossing the alkali plains.
and there was nothing attractive TO
look at. Even the river Platte. devoid
OF a fringe Of bushes on its banks.
was bereft. Of beauty. He couldn't
stand it any longer. He took his news
paper and novels, dumped them on the
seat beside her, lifted his hat. threw
open his coat the better to show the
pattern OF his waistcoat and said:
I shall be pleased il you can find
anything among those to help Won
while away the time in this desolate
region"
"Oh, don't wish to ready' she said.
I've had enough Of books lately. I'd
much rather talk"
She took up the papers and put them
on the opposite seat. He sat down
beside her.
He was quite astonished at the ease
with which the acquaintance had been
made. Since he had never thus made
lady's acquaintance before 1t was
natural that he should be a little sur
prised.
There was an added zest in finding
her out-plenty Of difficulty in 1t. And
1t was an adventure much to his lik-
ing, although he rather suspected that
she might turn out to be an adven-
turess or a ladylike pickpocket. She
was fairly well educated, made no slips
In grammar, used no slang, but he had
not been conYersing with her an hour
before she treated him as IL they had
been introduced. and at the end OF
twenty-four hours acquaintance like
an old friend.
And he was astonished at himself
for the confidence he committed to
her. He told her he had a chum Ily-
ing in San Francisco who was about |
to be married. He was going out
there to be his friends best man. She |
asked him a great many questions.
concerning the couple who were to par
ticipate as whether there |
was a romance in 1t, how old the
groom was, the bride. Was he hand |
some? Was she pretty? Were they |
rich or poor? She prattled and ratified |
on till she had exhausted all he knew |
about the groom and had made up all |
he didn't know about the bride, which |
was considerable. By this time she
knew that his own name was Scarbor-
ough, his friends name WolfOrd and |
the brides Merriam. She was dIsap- |
pointed that he couldn't tell her the |
brides first name, though she was
sure 1t was Resale. When he asked
why she said 1t was because that was
the name she should have. He told
her that Charlie Wolford-after this
she always spoke Of him as Charlie
was not a romantic chap, so he in
ferred that there wasn't much romance /
In the case. She said she didn't be-
heve it-that she had never known a
Charlie that wasn't a good fellow and
just full of love and lovableness.
What had Charlie told him about II
Rosalie's looks? He couldn't remem-
Der Charlie having written him about
that, but he was sure Charlie thought
her pretty.
When they reached the mountains
and the scenery became grand the girl
had become so interested In the man
that she did nothing but prattle to him.
leaving the canyons to waste their gor-
geous beauty on some one else. She
treated him with as much unreserve
and unconventionality as II she had
been brought up with him. He could
only understand it on the assumption
that there was something just a little
bit queer about her. However, some
thing, he knew not what. kept him
from acting on the assumption till
they were nearing San Francisco.
Then when they were alone on the car
platform she put her red lips so near
10 his that there was nothing left for
him but to take a kiss. Instead Of
or drawing back, she burst
into a merry laugh. Then he was
more mystifed than ever.
He asked TO see her to a cab when
they should reach the station. but she
told him that she expected friends
10 meet her-very straitlaced friends
who would not like to see her in COM
pany with a man. 50 be must 60 away
-