The herald., 1911-09-14
He Took Her
For a Thief
By DANIEL WINSTON
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.
By DANIEL WINSTON

and with pearl stickpin in his crayat.
was waiting on the platform OF sea
side station at the height Of the sum-
mer season A number Of persons were
there. some to receive friends, some to
see friends of. all waiting for train.
When 1t rolled up to the station At
kinson craned his neck with the rest.
like a turkey gobbler hunting for some
favorable point to fly over a fence.
While thus looking up he suddenly
felt two arms thrown around his neck
and a pair of lips pressed to his.
Now, at this especial resort. situated
not far from a large city. were many
different classes Of persons. from the
highest to the lowest. When Atkinson
felt himself in the embrace Of wo-
man who was stranger to him the
first explanation Of the situation that
entered his head was that 1t was
game to relieve him Of his money.
Disengaging himself as quickly as pos
sible, he clapped his hand to his hip.
where he kept his pocketbook. He
was relieved to find the wallet there.
Then he instinctively felt for his pearl
scarfpin. and 1t was gone.
By this time the woman who had
embraced him-a girl Of twenty-was
standing looking at him with puz-
Fled expression which. as she gazed.
developed into one of horror.
II greatly fear" she stammered,
"that have made a mistake"
"You certainly have made mistake
II you take me for fat You hand
out my stickpin mighty quick or III
call the police"
At this the girl put on an expression
to describe which language Is made
quate. Her face was scarlet; her eyes
flashed alternate indignation and fear.
Then suddenly Atkinson made a dive
| for her skirt, where be saw his scarf
pin hanging, and caught 1t as 1t was
about to fall to the ground. Putting it
in its proper place. he gave the girl a
| final glance and was about to turn
away when she said:
do you mean to tell me that you
are not Ben willard"
81 don't know the gentleman"
"'You are the image Of him." the girl
added. ready to burst into tears.
Atkinson gave her another look as II
undecided whether to apologize or say
something harsh. then walked away
very much disgruntled. While he had
been thus engaged a friend he had
come to the station to receive had es-
capped him. AS he walked to the sum-
mer residence where he was staying
he began to see the episode in its true
proportions and to become conscious
of having made a guy of himself. Be
fore the day was over he regretted not
having apologized to the girl and long
ed for an opportunity to undo what he
had done.
young lady whom he had mistaken for
thief he was dancing the cotillion
at one of the cottages" A line OF
ladies was advancing toward line
Of gentlemen. and as the lines met the
first gentleman whirled away with the
first lady. In the coming line Of ladies
Atkinson suddenly espied the heroine
of the stickpin. This in itself was en-
barrassing, but when he counted the
men ahead of him and the ladies
ahead Of the girl In question and dis
covered that she would fall to him fol
a partner his heart sank down into the
heels of his patent leather boots.
When the couples ahead of them
were reduced to three Atkinson saw
the girls eyes fixed upon him and
shuddered. He saw by her expression
that she was about to take her re-
venge. When all those who had pre-
ceded them had sailed away in the
dance and they stood face to face the
girl turned on her heel. presenting her
back to Atkinson In sight Of all pres
ent. and marched out Of the room.
Atkinson made way for the man
next behind him, wishing that some OF
those standing about would shoot him
He made his exit through door oppo-
site the one by which the young lady
had passed out and left the house.
The rest Of the evening was given
up by those who were not dancing to a
discussion Of what Atkinson. who was
known to be gentleman and favor
lite socially. had done to draw forth an
expression of such contempt.
The next fortnight was one of pro
found suffering to Atkinson. He sen,
friend after friend to the young lady
Miss Langdon, with explanations and
apologies. No reply came from any OF
them. When he met her on the beach
she did not notice him. Had she shown
again signs of her contempt he would
have liked it better. He declined al
Invitations. fearing that he would meet
her. But when an intimate friend
gave a cOtillion party at which he was
obliged to be present he was horror
stricken to see Miss Langdon among
the guests. He tried to shirk dancing
the cotillion. but failed. Sitting in hi:
chair, the picture Of misery. waiting
while the ladies were offering favors
what was his establishment to see the
girl he had taken for thief advance
toward him. smiling. and hand him Q
favor.
1t seemed as If the tortures of Tar
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