Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-08-24

were moving.
A pipe helped him to bear up while
the train was making it's two other
stops in the borough of Woolwich. 1t
consoled him little that none disputed
with him his lonely possession of the
compartment, that he had caught the
Sheerness train or that he was really
losing no time. A sense of deep de-
lection had settled down upon his con-
sclousness, with a realization of how
completely FOOLS errand was this of
his. He felt foredoomed to failure.
He was never to see Dorothy Calendar
again, and his brain seemed numb
: with disappointment. Presently he
toppled Imply over on the cushions
and fell fast asleep.
Rattling and swaying, the train left
the town behind.
Presently he put aside his pipe and
stared blanlsly out at reeing land
scape, the pleasant, homely. smiling
countryside of Kent A deeper mel
ancholy tinted his mind-Dorothy Cal
endar was forever lost to him. Pres
emily he toppled Imply over on the
cushions and fell fast asleep.
After long time he seemed to real
lie rather hazily that the carriage door
had been opened to admit somebody
Its smart closing bang shocked him
awake. He sat up, blinking in con-
fusion. hardly conscious of more, to
begin with, than that the train had
paused and was again in full flight
Then, his senses clearing, he became
aware that his solitary companion, Just
entered, was woman. She was seated
across from him, her back to the en-
CINE, in an attitude which somehow
suggested highly nonchalant frame
of mind. She laughed. and Immediate
ly her speaking voice was high and
sweet in his hearing.
Beneath his breath the bewildered
man said, 1.-THE deucew and above it.
in stupefied tone, Mrs. Hallamr'
She nodded in not unfriendly fash
ion, smiling brightly Myself, Mr..
Kirkwood! Really our predestined
paths are badly tangled just now,
aren't they? Were you surprised to
Z,
confess you were"
He remarked the smooth, girlish
freshness of her cheeks, the sense and
humor of her mouth. the yelled CLEAN
of excitement in her eyes of the chang
ing sea, and saw as well that she was
dressed for travelling, sensibly, but
with an air, and had brought small
hand bag with her.
Surprised and delighted" he replied,
recovering. with mendacity so inten-
tional and obvious that the woman
laughed aloud.
II knew you'd be! You see, had
the carriage ahead, the one you didn't
take. l was so disappointed when you
flung up to the door and away again.
You didn't see me hanging half out
the window to watch where you went,
did you? That's how l discovered that
your discourtesy was unintentional,
that you hadn't recognized me-by the
fact that you took this compartment
right behind my own"
She paused invitingly, but kirkwood,
grown wary, contented himself with
picking up his pipe and carefully
knocking out the dottle on the window
ledge.
Il was glad to see you," she affirmed,
but only partly because you We're you,
Mr.. Kirkwood. The other and major
part was because sight of you confirm
ed my own secret intuition. You see,
I'm quite old enough and wise enough
to question even my own intuitions.
For YOU are going to Queensborough.
aren't you. Mr.. Kirkwood?"
"Qneensborough? he echoed blank
ly, and, in fact he was at loss to
follow her drift. mo, Mrs. Hallam;
I'm not bound there"
Her surprise was apparent She
made no effort to conceal it. Out
she faltered. IF not there
Give you my word, Mrs. Hallam,
| have no intention whatever of going
to Queensborough." Kirkwood protest.
ed
II don't understand" The nervous
drumming of n patent leather covered
toe, visible beneath the hem Of her
dress, alone betrayed a rising tide of
Impotence. "Then my intuition was
at faultv'
In this instance. If it was at all
concerned with my insignificant af.
fairs. yes-most decidedly at fault"
Very well. then. Now. let us see
where are you bound?"
Kirkwood looked out Of the window.
I'm convinced it's rendezvous"
Kirkwood smiled patiently at the
landscape.
"Is Dorothy Calendar so very, very
beautiful. Mr.. Klrkwood?" with a
trace of malice.
Ostentatiously Kirkwood read the
Southeastern and Chatham's framed
card of warning, posted just above
Mrs. Hallam's head. to all such in
durable lunatics as are possessed of
n desire to travel on. the running
boards Of railway carriages.
you are going to meet her. aren't
you?"
He gracefully concealed yawn.
The woman's plan of attack took an
other form. Last night. when you
told me your story. believed you"
He devoted himself to suppressing
the temptingly obvious retort and sue
ceeded; but, though he left it unspokcn,
the humor of it twitched the corners of
his mouth, and Mrs. Hallam was OBJ
servant. so that her next attempt to
draw him out was edged with temper
II believed you an American. but q