The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-01
Q Q o 0 Q @ Q 0 o o Q Q 0 0 Q I
Q THE DAILY STORY c
. C @ G @ C @ C @ c. @ C Q O G c
Number seventy-one
lBy CIarissa MackIel

the five dusty flights TO the top floor
ana paused in front Of his own door,
The CHEEKY whistle came to an abb
pupt close. even as the door slammed
E0isily in his face. He had seen
nothing save the bare, lofty room with
he gray Sky beyond the north win
dows. Now he heard little rapping
ueelians on the boards--the boards
ae had paid Anna Moran TO scrub the
cay before
He leaned against the banster and
moodily surveyed his trunks and box
es piled in mountainous heap
against the opposite wall He had
moved in that morning-and now 1t
was evident that he had moved out.
His peremptoly knock on the door
lrought the heels Yapping across the
iloor The door opened briskly and
Sack re moved his hat in the presence
Of a most bewildering vision.
Graceful with mist Of blond hair
Blowing about pink and white face,
eraygreen eyes, dark-lashed, with Il
line line OF arching brow; Il chasmina
nose and indescribable mouth-that
was the girl he beheld. She was en-
yeloped in a coarse, blue apron, in
Heating that she had been engaged
III domestic duties.
Il beg your pardon Lane said,
meekly; but will you be so good as
c tell me why have moved out?'
Her face crinkled into q sympa'
lhetic smile. "You were in the wrong
loom, she said kindly, II wanted to
move in here myself, so had the
ianiior put your things outside
Jack stared amazed There must
me some mistake. engaged this
oom yesterday from the agent, paid
q months rent and hired a woman TO
scrub the floor--in fact was here
when she scrubbed it. | moved in
his morning.
she leaned against the door with a
little puzzled frown. That's very
strange | came up and looked at the
room last night and 1t was so sweet
ind clean that | decided to take ii
at once. d.d so and paid the ianiIor
a months reni-see, here is the re-
aeipt.1
She drew d small purse from her
apron pocket and floulished a strip
)l paper in Jacks face. lie bent
over it Just long enough to catch the
name,
~. l.ane4 he exclaimed That's
MY name
MS my name, 100, said the girl
quietly. tl
Jack bt his lip and knitted his
hrows He fell very awkward stand
ng there and disputine possession OF
/ The, room. ~
u ain very sorry she was saying,
half apologetieally There surely has
oeen a mistake; perhaps the room
You engaged IL on the floor below.
lou see, want ed this room because
Of the lignt-l am an artist"
She blushed a little and caught her
ileath as she said the last few words
tut there was a light of enthusiasm
in her eyes that Jack recognized and
respected.
He found himself turning away
with mumured word of regret at
having troubled her, and then the
door closed and left him standing
there alone. For a brief instant he
surveyed his traps piled about him.
and then, drawing letter case from
( his pocket, he extracted the receipt
he had taken from the agent of the
building.
7 Il was made out in proper form for
the rental of this big room under the
ikylght-No. n.
he walked slowly down the hall
and scanned the cards affixed 10 the
doors. Two architects and three art
isis were fortunate enough TO find
eluge behind as many doors in the
/ corridor 10 the right He looked at
No. 20. There was no card ON the
.ioor which was slightly ajar. He
pushed it open and beheid the fac
smile OF his Dwn room Bare and
clean and smelling of suds and Ann
Moran,
Miss j Lane had made mistake!
I This was her room. Nevertheless, he
/ decided to say nothing more, and,
mowing off his hat and coat, tugged
and pulled and hammered and un.
racked to such good purpose that at
o'clock that night he paused and
tiunphantly surveyed the comfort
thle quarters. He had laid Il fire in
he board fireplace and drawn his
easiest chairs In comfortable proXl-
mily TO the hearth.
red and hungry, yet wthal hap
by. Jack removed the traces OF his
labor and freshly attired, went out
tor a bit to eat and the evening pa
per A light shone through the tran
som of No. II, and as he no longer
reard the click OF heels on the floor
he decided that j. Lane had also
become settled in her new abode
On his return he paused at the top
Of the stairs and looked inqusiliyely
az the transom above her door. A
faint dusk of smoke obscured the
right, and, az the transom was sud
denly lifted from within, the smoke
issued forth, bearing on its breath
telltale odor..
10 one who has supped heartily
and well the fragrance of a Welsh rah
bit Is not enticing. Jack mentally re-
proved his pretty neighbor for supp
ing so unwisely and fell asleep.
In spite Of the fact that they were
close neghbors, they rarely met,
When they did she passed him with
cool little nod--thai waG all.
One morning when he was painting
husily a soft rap came upon his door
ilse vas expecting 4 ragged italian
rrchin who often posed for him.
Come in" he shouted
There was an .stant's silence and