The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-27


she lay back contentcdy. She hadn't walked up to
rushing day Of toll where the very minutes sometimes
represented many precious nckes and dimes, but
there hours and hours OF rest, responsibility,
and sense Of luxury that she could indulge herself
in to her hearts She loved luxury, and she
had had so little OF i'll She smiled to herself at the
idea OF considering the box OF berth luxurious but it
the lack OF responsibility, the rest and change that
gave her the illusion She had face problem later
on, but that was months ahead. This day to be
all her
At breakfast she found herself seated opposite a
striking looking woman with little girl, who stared
at her moment, and then said formally:
How do you do?'
Her first thought was newspaper woman, then she
recalled something familiar in her She couldn't
member when and where she had met her. she merely
smiled and bowed
Il don't think you remember me" the lady said u
come from New Orleans, too You taught Mrs. Har-
rson's little girl. met you there day
Her heart was humping in panic for fear her
name would come out. She did want to be left alone
for this one day She glanced up and looked the
window across the car Her eyes rested for second
the ,Ierest fraction OF second-on cleancut manly
face. pair of smiling gray eyes quizzical mouth
and magnificent head, covered with shock of brown
hair Perhaps she would not have known she
the man if a, that psychological moment he hadn't been
saying
como from Mexico"
Il wonder ii by any shadow of chance she thought
che knows John H Morton
What's your name!' the little girl was asking.
She drew in her breath and plunged out with:
"Smth-Mary Smith 1t the only name she
could think OF suddenly like that
The smiling gray eyes attracted in her direc
ton and the name sounded horribly distinct in the
accountable silence that seemed fall upon the
The ladys brows showed Just tiny puzzled wrinkle
then they cleared.
Pardon she said. y didn't recall Somehow
didn't quito remember it was Smith am Mrs. Garlic
tom
She ran the conversation into sociabe little remarks
about the country through which they passing
the weather, the trip, and all the time Eleanor
turning over one thing in her mind
That there comes from Mexico
When she returned to her section, she settled down.
with mild interest in the flying lanscape and her fell
low-passengers. Later on she hshed from her grip
couple of new books but she was in no hlrnor for
reading because. you there the gentleman from
Mexico opposite hidden behind a newspaper 1t
awfuly distracting.
He might know John Fl. Norton she found her
self thinking,
Then she laughed at the idea-of course it was alb
surd7 She didn't know that he came from
Mexico 1t was only the end of sentence she had
caught.
But she couldn't keep from noticing him out Of tho
tail of her eye. He really different, he fairly
cxuded vitality sort Of jacs-in-tc box with the lid
down. Occasionally he ran his fingers around inside
his collar as if he unused to it. and yet he
his clothes well.
She was a bit exasperated at herself, but she just
couldn't help overhearng remark he made to man
that he'd been four days the tran and he guessed
they were getting pretty close to New York now.
Pretty closet Heavens
The little Carleton girl came in from another car to
see her. Eleanor answered innunlcrablc questions.
They discussed dancing school-and cats-and dogs
and fairies. The gentleman across the way seemed
amused. His newspaper sagged leaving attractive
picture sticking out from the undersde Of it. The little
girl went over.
"Lc' me see that picture, if you please" she said
socially.
The gentleman was very nice and polite about it.
His little visitor stayed there some time discussing
blue skies-and water-and trees-and fairies.
Eleanor was amused, too and very formally, very
casually one or two remarks passed between the gen.
tlenlan and herself. When the little girl went back
to her mother the gentleman went with her and when
he returned Eleanor thanked him if he had con
ferred personal favor. They we're almost acquainted
At Atlanta, Eleanor asked a tiny formal question
concerning the exact time, and if they were late She
had made up her mind dozen times about that Morton
question She would lead up to it, of course, with a
little conversation about the country. 1t seemed per-
tcctly easy but her lips always closed tightly at the
last instant.
She was restless, so was the stranger, for as the
train switched back and FORTH she noticed him out on
the side of the track letting off energy in swinging
stride Once he looked up and caught her eye. She
withdrew her glance calmly and gracefully, but when
the passed on she dove head-irst into her book
with startled expression, and later found something
amusing there
When she went into luncheon awful shoek!--hc only
vacant seat was onnosie hilnl She was shown to that
as a matter of course She took it What else could
she do?
Now it takes great deal of grace to sit opposite 4
clean-cut, manly face smiling gray eyes and qulzzl,
cal mouth and look as if you don't notice them; and
not look too much that way ether because he had
spoken to her once twice with the little girl as
chaperon and had answered a spotc question