Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-07
THE EVENING STORY
IN A PROPER PLACE.
BY JOANNA SINGLE.

| . -
Copyright, 1910, by Associated Liter
airy Press
Rushing lunchward with the
healthy sardor Of youth, Stephen
Carl turned corner and ran, head
on, into the girl. SHE nearly lost her
balance, and her packages and purse
flew from her hands. With a grasp
of her arm he restored her equl-
librium. Then, inwardly cursing his
headlong awkwardness, he restored
the belongings and apologized pro
fusely. AS he did SO, he noticed that
she hardly heard him, that her deep
gray eyes were wide with sort OF
fear, that she was refined, but shah
billy dressed, and extremely young.
She was the sort of girl that brings
to men the instantaneous thought
that this is a hard world Tor women.
AS she took her purse she assured
him that she was quite unhurt. Her
voice was most satisfactory. Then
there was nothing for him to do but
to lift his hat and take himself off.
Her manner told him the episode was
closed. Five minutes later he drank
to the memory of her eyes in a cup
of excellent coffee and-forgot her.
The next morning, going to his ONCE
earlier than usual to do some reading
on troublesome case, he suddenly
observed in the elevator that she stood
facing him. Their eyes met, and at the
recognition in her own, slight though
it was he lifted his hat gravely. She
cot off at the fifth floor-he continued
to the seventh. Again, for all her gal
liant bearing of high head and we'll
held shoulders, he was impressed with
the strange look of fear in the depths
of her straightforward eyes. He had
this morning noted the extreme
beauty of her fine brown hair, arrang-
ed with Madonna-like simplicity. Who
could she be?
It was several days after this that
the elevator refused to work. and re-
turning from lunch. young Carr, UNI
willing to wait, climbed the stairs.
AS he turned the corner of the dark
hall on the fifth floor he came sudden
I " upon her. She did not see him, but
stood near window overlooking the
dingy court. Her small hands were
crushing and tearing at bunch Of
fresh perfect violets. With shudder
she flung them out. Then she turned
and saw Carr. At his intense gaze, an
other girl might have blushed, or sim
pered, but she only turned shade
paler. and with perfect composure
gave him grave and very small bow
| of recognition. She passed him, and
Just then he saw Simeon Herbert look
ing out of his Office door.
"Oh. there you are. Miss Everett!
Ready for some dictation? Eth, Carr"
he said in his oily, joking manner.
"are you responsible for keeping my
pretty stenographer out in the hall?
won't have handsome young chap
like you about her-take that from
me!' He chuckled at his own wit.
The girl could not pass her employer.
who filed the door. She waited
quietly.
II went to the window for breath
Il was choking with the smoke in
here" she said steadily, in that low
voice, and not looking at Carr. Then
Herbert stepped aside, let her pass,
and followed her.
Carr gasped a little. This mans Of
fee was not the proper place for any
young girl. And this one, this Miss
Everett was not the sort to have to
look after herself. He had an i'm
patient wonder that she would stay
there. She should leave-immediately
and find a safer berth if she must
earn her living. He wondered what
cursed combination of circumstances
should have sent a girl like this out
. . e Z. Il