Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-12-22
THE Velvet HAND,
BY EDMUND cAmPToN.

BY EDMUND CAMPToN.
copyright, 1909, by American Press Asso-
ciation.
"Father." said miss Of sixteen, 'tell
me story about when you were a
young man."
"A story about when was a young
man: Let me see. There's one about
ride in train once took that might
interest you. I'll tell you that one.
Il got into the car ten minutes be.
fore the train started. and. there being
but few seats occupied. put my satch-
e. beside me. hoping that might sit
alone. But people kept coming in. and
reluctantly set the bag on the floor.
thus Offering the seat to any one who
chose to take it. Presently girl came
in. looked disconsolately at the now
well filled seats, glanced irresolutely
at the seat beside me and dropped into
It.
''She was about twenty, blond,
pretty as peach, handsomely dressed.
with a suspicion of the odor Of violets
about her. considered myself a lucky
man to have such an attractive crea-
ture so close beside me. drank in her
beauty out of the corner Of my eye.
though l reluctantly refrained from
turning my head in her direction.
1.-THE train was Il suburban one, and
| the journey would he short. This re-
GREETED. for if we had had a longer ride
should certainly have made an effort
to scrape an acquaintance with the
lady. When the conductor came
through the car for tickets l noticed
that she was going to the same place
/ as myself. This gave me comfort. for
so taken was with her that resolved
to leave no stone unturned to discover
| who she was and secure an introduce
ton.
"A few miles from the city there are
heights under which the trains must
pass. We entered the tunnel. the train
being lighted only at the other end
from that which we occupied. leaving
our end almost in darkness. ! yielded
to temptation to turn my head for a
look at my neighbor Unfortunately
she turned hers in my directly at the
same moment. She turned it away
again Immediately. and somehow a
feeling took possession Of me that
had made her afraid Of me-
''lnstead Of shooting right through
the tunnel. the train slowed up and
| stopped in the center of it. 1t always
| makes me timOrouS to stop in Il tun-
nel l don't like tunnels anyway. If
| anything should happen to rain in
one of these holes in the earth the
panic of the passengers would be
dreadful. The girl beside me evidently
had the same view in the matter as l.
She wore an overcoat with pockets at
the sides and had been riding with the
hand next to me in her pocket, as
though holding on TO something she
was afraid of losing. When we stop
ped she withdrew her hand. looked
about her nervOusly evidently forgot
ting everything but he situation.
"Presently the train moved on. 1t had
scarcely started when felt something
plunged into my own, overccat side
pocket. the one next the lady. Natural
" l put my own hand in the same
place and grasped hand-a soft hand.
Indeed. l knew it was the hand of the
girl beside me. The hand ut once
grasped mine and held it in grip a
delicate woman could only have pro-
duced under some strong emotion.
"What should do? 1t did not occur
to me that the girl had tried to rob
me. Such supposition never entered
my head. But what was her hand do
Ing in my pocket. and what object had
she in holding it so tightly: Had she
held it gently should have supposed
she was no better than she should be
and had taken this means to capture
me. l did nothing-simply waited for
developments. When the first dim re-
turning light entered the car the girl
called to man sitting on the opposite
side of the aisle in terrified voice:
"'I'm being robbed: Protect me-
"The man rose and stood facing us.
Meanwhile the train ran out of the
tunnel. The girl rose. which impeiIed
me to rise also. The man. the girl and
looked down at my side. The girl
gave shrek. took her hand out of my
pocket. thrust it into her own and
drew out fat pocketbook. Then she
sank back into her seat and covered
her face with her hands.
II explained briefly in an undertone
to the man she had called upon to pro-
tect her that she had mistaken my
pocket for her own. He resumed his
seat, with smile. Several persons sill
ting near asked 10 he enlightened. and
gradually the story spread through the
car. wave of litter accompanying it,
"When we reached the station at
which the girl and were to leave the
train she was oblivious 70 our arrival
there. l lifted my hat and asked her
If that was not her stopping place
She made dash for the door. | rush
ed after her and with difficulty kept
her from jumping off the train when it
was still moving rapidly. A carriage
was waiting for her. and I put her in
1t. AS she was driven away said:
"'You succeeded in robbing me, after
ALL
''She looked at me with half dazed.
half puzzled expression. but said moth
ing.
"Iater I secured formal introduce
ton. and after an acquaintance extend
Ing over some months she asked me
one day what meant by my remark
when parted with her after what she
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