The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1909-08-05

less indeed he labored gravely under a
mlsaprrehension. he was observing
her for the second time within the
past few hours rI
Could ne be mistaken. or was this In
truth the same woman who had las
he bclieved) made herself free Of his
rooms that evening"
In confirmation Of such suspicion he
remarked her costume. which was al
together worked out In soft shades OF
gray. Gray was the misty veil. drawn
in and daiptily knotted beneath her
chin. which lent her head and face
such thorough protection against pry'
ing chances: Of gray suede we're the
light gauntlets that hid all save the
slenderness OF her small hands; and
the wrap that. cut upon full and now'
ing lines. cloaked her figure beyond
suggestion, was gray. Yet even its
ample drapery could not dissemble
the fact that she was quite small.
girlishly slight. like the woman In the
doorway: nor did aught temper her
impersonal and detached composure,
which had also been an attribute OF
the woman In the doorway. And again
she was alone. unchaperoned. unpro'
tected.
Yes1 Or MOI And. n yes. what to
do7 Was he TO alight and accost her
accuse her of forcing an entrance 10
his rooms for the sole purpose las far
as ascertainable) OF presenting him
with the outline OF her hand In the
dust OF his desks top =. oh,
hardly! II was all very well 20 be
daringly eccentric aud careless OF the
worlds censure: but one scarcely
cared TO lay ones self open either to
an unknown girls derision or TO q
sound pummeling at the hands OF Eel.
low passengers engaged by the Insult
offered to an unescorted woman.
The young man was still pondering
ways and means when a dull bump ap.
prised him that the ferry boat was en-.
tering the Long fsland City slip "The
dewitt" he exclaimed in mingled dis
gust and dismay. realizing that his
distraction had been so thorough A. 10
permit the voyage TO take place almost
4
worse luck,-it was too late 10 take
any one Of the hundred fantastic steps
he had contemplated half seriously. In
another two minutes his charming
mystery. so bewitchingly incarnated.
would have slipped out OF his life. a.
naiiy and beyond recall And he could
do naught to hinder such q finale 20
the adventure.
Sulkily he resigned himself to the
inevitable. waiting and watching
while the boat slid and Numbered
clumsIly. paddle wheels churning the
filthy waters over side. to the fioaiing
bridge; while the winches ratified. and
the woman. sitting up brlskly in the
! drivers seat OF the motor car. bent
forward and advanced the spark; while
the chain fell clanking and the car
shot out. over the bridge. through the
gates. and away. at a very consider.
able. even II lawful. rate OF speed.
whereupon. writing fnis TO the final
chapter OF Romance. voting the world
a dull place and life a treadmill. an
alternating In no uncertain terms his
lack OF resource and address. Maitland
paid OF his cabby.- alighted. and 10
that worthy's boundless wonder.
walked into the waiting room Of the
railway terminus without deviatlng n
hairs breadth from the straight and
circumscribed path OF the sober In
mind and body.
The 1920 had departed by a bare
two minutes. The next and last train
for Greennelds was TO leave at 1889.
Maitland with assumed nonchalanee
waiting room TO endure the 37-minute
interval. Five minutes later an able
bodied washerwoman with six children
In quarter. sizes descended upon the
same bench; and the young man in
desperation allowed himself to be dis.
possessed. The news stand next attract
ing him. he garnered fugitive amuse-
ment and two dozen copper cents by
the simple process OF purchasing six
might extras" which he did not want.
and paying for each with a fiye-cent
piece. 'Comprehending. at length, that
he had irritated the news dealer, he
meandered on, iingling his copper for.
tune In one hand, Juggling his news.
papers in the other. and made a de
termined onslaught upon a slot ma.
chine. The latter having reluctantly
disgorged "a assorted samples OF
chewing gum and stale sweetmeats.
Maitland returned to the washerwom-
an. and sowed dissension in her brood
by presenting the treasure horde TO
the eldest girl with instructions TO
share II with her brothers and sisters.
Il is difficult to imagine what folly
might next have been recorded against
him had not, at that moment. a fe-
rocious and inarticulate howl from the
train starter announced the fact that
the 1889 was In waiting.
Boarding the train in a thankful
spirit. Maitland settled himself as com
fortably as he might In the smoker
and endeavored 20 ind surcease OF
ennui in his collection OF extras. In