The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-29
by JEANNE 0. LoIZEAuX.
Copyright. 1911, by the Associated
lilerarN Pressl

The August day was enough 10
make Casper hot and cross. He
was all that and more. He was
lonely and the man on the desk WAS
grouchy. Casper wished he had re-
manned on the farm ana married his
first sweetheart like the other boys he
had been brought up with. College
was all right, hut journalism. as seen
from tho reporters viewpoint. was be-
ginning to be too much for him. So
many things hurt his heart and his
sense of right and justice.
Go out and dig up some news.
Casper" called Jones from the desk,
This weather is hot enough 10 mako
somebody commit murder, and we
want TO be nosing around the spot
when 1t happens. You've the nose
for news. But don't get soft and lot
some girls pretty eyes beg you off
from playing her up in a story
Casper started out 1t was satur-
day afternoon, and most of the stores
were closed, and most OF the offices.
Only newspapers Keep up the
grind Saturday afternoons" he said
to himself. Il feel like drowning my
self In the lake, The News would
have story then---only Id have to
rescue girl from a watery grave
nice girl well enough to want TO
rescue her. Wish / could see a girl
from home-~-wish I knew where Ruth
Is" Going down the street he met a
little mouse of girl that made him
think of her
Entering the first drug store, ne
called for root beer ana asked the
clerk v hat was doing" His thoughts
were on the girl he had lost track
Of. Suddenly she had stopped her
simple little letters while he was at
college, and on his graduation he
came homo and found that she had
left town The old aunt she had
lived with had died and the girl
been lett her and had gone to the
city, No one knew where She was
going nor what she was going TO do
She had been always a strange. ST
lent, wide-eyed little thing, and had
come an orphan into the town. She
meyer seemed to fit there. nor TO
naFte friends except with Jerry Cas-
par lie had written school Low g
notes to her. and taken h.r 10 lee
cream soclables, ANA walking sun
day afternoons. Once he took her
to Uncle Toms Cabin In the opera
house over Swilktns grocery and
/ hardware emporium, but she cried
I over little Eva so that lie had 10
take her home before Il was finished.
I The boy. for he was hardly twenty
four, remembered how her gray, soft
eyes would widen II anyone was un-
happy. And She was SO little and
good. He wished he could find her.
and wondered whether she were mar
/ ried. She was not the girl to take
! care OF herself, Then he turned
down a street where it was less noisy.
a street where there were many OFF,
| ces Of physicians, and obscure law
| yers, tho less prosperous business men.
| Where should he look for A story
| He hethought himself of Doctor
! Faulkner. Faulkner Was a quack.
/ Iic had no conscience. He dealt
I With tito untlerToTv " tire city once
! he had given Casper Il story. Cas-
/ per hated Faulkner, but he slowly
/ walked towards his place.
The boy stumbled a little, and in
saving himself from fail, looked
upward just in time to See u hand
kerchief fall and flutter from third
story window TO 91is feet. He pickle
/ it up. II was small and clean bat
| twisted, 1t had an Il in the corner.
| lilo laughed a little. Then a love
| Of romance, a desire for a story,
made him suddenly turn into the
stairway. He would see who dropped
that handkerchief or course 1t had
fallen out by mistake But perhaps
1t would be his luck to find story
behind it or connected with 1t.
There was no elevator and tho hall
was unspeakably hot and dark. Who
ever owned the little twisted rag had
a bad place 10 stay In, too, second
rate people all through the building.
The second flight made him pant 4
little, but he found the upper hall
cleaner and "A little more respecta-
bic.
He entered several offices before he
found tho window he wanted over
looking the street--then he came to
an open door. and Went into an Office,
but he saw no one. The inner Office
was closed, but he heard a cry from
within, and hoped the doctor was not
hurting child more than he could
help--it was little child like cry.
Then 1t came again, and he caught
the words clearly. but In girls
voice.
go away or / shall surely call
3aoRaeGnst A7ou shall ndt,'t
without an fnstant's pause, Casper
STROBE to the door, jerked it open
and entered. A gross looking tall
young man, carefully dressed, was
holding the arm of slender girl
who was pulling away from him. her
back towards Casper. Casper waited
a moment. Tho girls hair was soft
and dark and knotted plainly at the
| back Of her srnaff head. She wore a
blue gingham dress and looked very
neat
Can I help you?' His clear voice
I made the girl turn her head, and the
4 man let her go. Caspar, for one
dazed minute, forgot the fellow be-
cause Ruths gray eyes looked tear
fully up to him. 1t was Ruth, though
for the moment he could not believe
his eyes.
Ruth Cadyl What are you doing
here" His voice was stern, but
she came to him readily. holding on
to his arm with both hands. He
pulled away from her. and went to-
wards the man.
4 What do you mean?" and his voice
was terrible. Then he remembered
the girl, and the newspapers. pant
ing for story, and that walls have
ears He would get her away first.
/ Then he would find the man and set
tie with him. Thee must be no fight
4 now. He took him by the back Of the