Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-02-28
2V FRANCIS hNDE Asgs

gifted, and helpless idler from choice
By workings of the mysterious sixth sense
Brockton felt the comparison, and it angered him.
So when Alicia said, who is our friend of the
CINE cab'?" he replied shortly, Its Jack Ornan,"
looking down upon her to note the effect. What he
saw gave him weapon which he fully meant to use
if the need should arise.
Orman slept that night at the inn, and, matter
of course, fate flung them together. The work Of
trackclearing completed by nigtfall, but there
was pic1ing-up enough to keep the wreclng crew
the ground for two or three days, and Orman
wired in to the division station for his travelling
bag. which down Number Seven. Because
of the travellngbag and its transforming contents
A1thea hardly knew him when he walked into the
diningroom, but she gave him friendly little nod
when the waiter, at sign from Mrs Lockhart
seated him in the chair which would have been
cupied by Alicia if she had not pleaded headache
and gone to her room.
1t moment of surprises for Althea on more
counts than That the vce-president, who had
returned on Number Seven should remember the
young whom he had reprimanded was not be-
yond belief; but that he should welcome him
cordially to a seat at his own table was by way of
being inexplicable. And when Mrs. Lockhart made
much of him, calling him "Jacl" and putting him at
once upon the footing Of family friend, A1thea's
wonder was complete.
After dinner it was Orman, and not Brockton,
who went with A1thea to her accustomed corner on
the archaeological piazza; and their talk in that
first tete-a-tete all of industry battles. But
three evenings later when the wrecking crew was
finally piecing the string of cripples together for
the to the shops, the ni1e-posts Of commonplace
we'll to the rear and she ventured to repeat the
question she had once asked of Mr.. cambridge
Brockton.
"Nir Orman who are your By all the family ira
ditons 1 ought to have known you long ago, but
didn't"
His smile was slow wrinkling Of the plan-song
face.
you haven't missed much I've known your
cousins and Mrs. Lockhart>for number of years;
but the Major knows only as a wheel in the rail-
way machine"
She marked the plural cousins" and remembered
that Alicia had been all but invisible since the day
of the wreck had avoided Orman at every turn
But she to be turned aside by the intrusion
of the small mystery,
"Still, you not accounted for" she persisted,
half jestingly.
"Were you in character that day when Uncle
Jabez scolded your"
eyes and no. No, because he didn't recognize me
the wiper's regimentals; and yes, because 1 am
truly workingman, truly as I seemed to be that
day; lean, unwashed artihcer,' as your Cousin
cambridge dubbed me. But twice in my life I
have played the part of Bottom the weaver think"
us it permitted to ask how?"
at Is permitted to you. The first time was when
1 was fool enough to believe that woman loved me
for myself; and the other"
He broke off abruptly at this point, and she led
him on whether from idle curiosity or real interest
he could not tell.
"The other" she said
''Was time when I was tempted to forget the
lesson so hardly learned"
She was silent for full minute, and he rose, but
toning his coat.
Il must go now. MacCarthy is about ready to
pull out Shall hunt up Mrs. Lockhart or Brock
ton for you?"
She shook her head and went with hina- to the
steps, where they stood for moment looking down
upon the string Of "crippes" pricked out by the
moving lanterns of the trainnen Then she gave
him her hand, and her parting word no less
than friendly
81 am sorry to have you go You have done much
for me in these three days"
He smiled down upon her quzzica1ly
Is 1t permitted one to ask the nature of the
ice?".
in the widening of horizons l can't particuarize; at
least not while Mr. MacCarthy waits"
Then | shall come back may 2"
Whenever you please. But you mustn't neglect
your work"
He laughed like pleased boy "How good that
sounds" he said "My ideal woman is one who
would say to man, to the she cared for Your
work the thing go and do it, and do it better than
you have ever done it before-for my sake"
selfish on the part of your ideal But really, don't
you know, it is the most sublmated type of feminine
selhshness. 1t would be true womans triumph
to know that mans work in the world owed
thing to her. Goodbye"
He ran down the steps and crossed quickly to the
waiting train, throwing up his hand to her, railroad
wise as he passed out of the hotel grounds Fifteen
minutes later they bringing him back on an
improvised stretcher and the house physician was
wiring the companys surgeon to come to Under
cliffe by special train When the string Of cripp1es
was started, broken drawhead had pulled drop
ping brakeman fairly beneath the wheels. Ornan
had saved the mans life at the cost Of his own; at
least SO ran the report which passed from lip to
on the hotel piazzas.
It was fortnight before they would let her 60
to him. and Mrs. Lockhart had talked herself to
standsti1l in expostulaton
ut is simply dreadful" she declared, firing her
next to the last shot. Everybody here supposes
you are Bainbrdge's fancee-I have as good as told
them so-and it will make ridiculous scandal
Why you have known Jack Orman only day or
two at the most!'