Evening journal., 1909-11-11
THE VELVET HAND.
~ EpMuNp cAMProN.

me story about when you we're
young man"
"A story about when was a young
mani Let me sec. There's one about
ride IN train I once took that might
Interest you. III 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 door,
thus Offering the scat 10 any one who
chose to take it Presently a girl came
in. looked disconsolately at the now
well fled seats. glanced irresolutely
at tho seat beside me and dropped into
It,
"She was about twenty, a blond.
pretty as peach. handsomely dressed.
with a suspicion OF the odor OF yiolets
about her. considered myself a lucky
man to have such an attractive crea-
ture 90 close beside me. drank in her
beauty ont OF the corner OF my eye.
though ] reluctantly refrained from
turning my head Ia her direction.
The train was suburban one, and
the journey would be short. This re-
gretted for 81 we had had longer rido
should certainly have made an effort
70 scrape an acquaintance with the
lady. When the conductor came
through the car Tor tickets I noticed
that she was going 10 the same place
as myself. This gave me comfort. for
so taken was with her that resolved
10 leave no stone uniurned TO discover
who she was and secure an iniroduc-
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 iu darkness. yielded
70 temptation 10 turn my head for a
look at my nelshbor. 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 h9r afraid OF me.
Instead OF shooting right through
the tunnel. the train slowed mp and
stopped In the center of-it. II always
makes me tImorous 10 stop in tun-
nell I don't Ike tunnels anyway. II
anything should happen TO a train ia
one Of these holes "a the earth the
panic OF the passengers would be
dreadful The girl beside me evidently
had tho same view IN the matter as !.
she wore an overcoat with pockets at
the sides and had been riding with the
hand next 20 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 forget
ting everything but the situation.
Presently the train moved on. 1t had
scarcely started when felt something
plunged into my own overcoat side
pocket. the one next the lady. Natural
~ rrt my own hand IN the same
place and grasped a hand--a soft hand.
Indeed. knew So WIS the hand OF tho
girl beside me- The hand nc once
arasped mine and held Il in n grip a
delicate woman could only have pro-
duced under some strong emotion.
what shonld I do? II did not occur
10 me that the girl had tried to rob
me. Such eupposition never entered /
my head. But what was her hand do |
ing in my pocket. and what object had 1
she in holding 1t so tightly7 Had she |
held il gently ! should have supposed /
she was no better than she should be |
and had taken this means 10 capture |
me. ] did nothing-simply waited for
When the first dim re-
turning light entered the car the girl
called to a man sitting on the opposite
side OF the aisle in a terrified voice:
f'sT'm beire robbed Protect mer
s'rhe man rose and stood facing us.
Meanwhile the train ran out OF the
tunuel The girl rose. which impelled
me 10 rise also. The man. the girl and
I looked down at my side Tho girl
gave a shrek. took her hand out OF my
pocket. thrust Il into her own and
drew out a fat pocketbook. Then she
sank back into her seat and covered
her face with her hands.
Il explained briefly in an undertone
10 the man she bad called upon 20 pro-
eoct her that she had mistaken my
pocket for ber own. he resumed his
seat, with a smile. Several persons Sit
ting near asked 10 be enlightened. and
gradually the story spread through the
car. wave Of litter accompanying il.
when We reached the station at
which the ciri and were 70 leave the
train she was oblivious 20 our arrival
Shere. lifted my hat and asked her
n that was not her stopping place.
She rnade'a dash FOR the door. rush
ed after her and with difficulty kept
her from jumping or the train when II
was still moving rapidly. A carriage
was waiting for her. and put her in
d. AS she was driven away said:
"sfou succeeded in robbing me, after
an
-'She looked at me with a half dazed,
half puzzled expression. but said MOTH
Hng
Later secared q formal introduc-
tion. 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
railed that distressing episode.' told
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