Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1910-01-13

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Yes, dreadful! And especially for
the handsome one," replied her COM
panion.
Now which of us does she mean?"
wondered Allan. His uncertainty was
credit to his modesty, for Georges
lean, brown face, in spite of an ex-
preston of alert intelligence. lacked
every element Of beauty. Fortunately
the speaker settled the question by
adding, What dark beautiful eyes he
has. l never care for blue eyes in a
man"
Allan heaved a sigh of relief
Georges eyes We're gray. He improved
the first opportunity to glance at the
other table. The girl in blue was beau
tiful. Her oval face was tinted like a
seashell and the glib violet eyes with
their long lashes, were bewitching in
their frank pity.
George nudged his friend. and his
nimble fingers spelled out warning,
Don't stare so. It's rude"
The worst of it is" remarked the
girl who had spoken first, that such
an affliction shuts them off from ey-
erything. OF course they can't marry.
slider such thing
II don't know why cried the girl
in blue Indignantly.
You don't" The exclamation Of
her companion indicated mingled dis
approval and surprise.
Well for one reason, he couldn't
make love to you"
He wouldn't need to-" declared the
girl in blue a trif1e sentimentally, "if
only he looked" she broke off with a
laugh. and her companion said reprov-
ingly:
Well, Winifred! l don't wonder you
blush"
Allan longed to see how she looked
when she was blushing, but he did not
dare to raise his eyes. And her name
was Winifred. Somehow he liked the
sound of il He repeated it musingly
to himself
The talk at the table on the right
turned into other channels, but though
Allan listened eagerly for clue to
the identity of the speakers, none
reached his ears. "In few minutes
We'll leave or they'll leave" he reflect
ed, land I'll never see her again." It
seemed to him that 1t was piece Of
malice on the part of fate to have
placed the girl in such tantalizing prox-
unity, at the same time setting be-
tween them the barbed wire fence Of
social convention. Why couldn't he
have met her? He wished for hurri-
cane or an earthquake, something that
would afford him an excuse for hurry
ing to her side and proffering his aid.
But nothing happened except that
George fingered his crabs and asked
on his fingers the leading question:
"Why have you lost your appetizer"
Allan took final glance at the girl
as he rose to go. She was even pret-
tier than he had imagined-and sweet
er. What pensive little mouth was
htrs, dropping at the corners! And
what a brave. tender-hearted little
girl she had proved herself in her i'm
petuous challenge to her friend. 1t
seemed hard that he was turning away
from her without any assurance that
he would ever see her again. AS he
stepped aboard the street car he had
so burdensome a sense of heaviness
of heart that the ludicrous side Of the
situation forced itself on his atten-
ton, and he laughed aloud.
In the nature of the case an ener-
getic young lawyer who is also a So
cial favorite, has little time to give to
sentimental regrets. But somehow the
memory of the girl whose name was
Winifred. came back to Allan often in
his hours Of relaxation. or when he
heard sweet music. Sometimes, he
dreamed of seeing her, and the Joy of
recognition invariably awoke him. And
so things were one crisp full morning,
when Fate again took hand in the
game.
Allan came out of his office in a
rush. He had some important matters
to attend to before meeting a client.
He had not yet reached the point in
his profession when he could safely
keep clients waiting. Accordingly he
started to cross the street, despite the
fact that touring car was bearing
down upon him, heralding it's advance
by the aggressive toots by which the
modern motorist asserts his pre-emi-
nent claim to the public highway. Al.
Ian believed that he had time enough
to get across before the car should
strike him. and that, anyway. it was
the chauffeur's business to look out
At the critical moment his calcula-
tions We're upset by a hand that
clutched his arm. He stopped and pull
ed violently back from under the very
wheels of the swerving car.
Allan got back to the sidewalk with
out knowing lust what had happened
excent that the hand that had first
clutched him, still held fast to his arm.
Then looking down he saw that it was
a little hand in blue glove.
The hand released it's hold on him,
touched his shoulder. as if to attract
his attention. and pointed in the direc-
ton of the now vanishing car. Allan
understood that an effort had been
made to save him from the conse-
ruences Of his own recklessness, and
he tried to seem grateful.
Yes, | see" he stammered. 81 sup
rose it was rather close. Awfully good
of you"
The brim of the big hat was tilted
with startling suddenness, disclosing
u face, winsome in spite of its pallor.
"Yo-you can speak?" gasped the girl
Girl yx,hnca name yyipifrod