The herald., 1911-10-26
Two Kisses
By c. ARNOLD COLE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

Formerly railroad cars passing
through tunnels were not lighted as
they are now. A number of episodes
have been recorded of affectionGte
action In these dark holes in the
ground, and kisses have been surrep-
titiously taken. Leonard Starkweather.
young man Of some twenty-one years
and proportionately inexperienced,
took one Of these kisses. and 1t led to
no end Of worry on his part. He
finally paid the penalty
he was travelling with Miss Gwen
dolin Stewart. a young lady two years
his junior. Miss Stewart had one Of
those compilations which can only be
compared to a ripe peach of a light
shade. a pale rose on ivory. Her lips
were Of that same shade Of pink and
quite tempting enough to cause any
man to wreck himself to touch them
with bis own. Stark weather had
been introduced to her by mutual
friend before the train started. and she
had been put under his care. This rem
dered his act all the more dishonor-
able.
The better to cover his tracks the
kiss was stolen with malice afore-
thought. He told the young lady just
before the train entered the long tun-
knew. that be was going into the
smoking car for Whit at cigar. In
stead Of doing so he went into the next
car back, where he remained till the
train shot under the hill. The young
lady sat on the right Of the car. the
eighth seat from the rear. This he had
carefully noted. Putting his hand on
the back Of every seat till he reached
the eighth. he felt carefully till he had
noted Miss Stewards position, then
quietly bent down and took the kiss.
A muffled cry was heard above the
rattle Of the train, but when the car
shot out into the light there was no
evidence Of anything wrong. Stark
weather had made good his escape.
and Miss Stewart was apparently en-
deavoring to regain her equan lily by
fumbling with her handkerchief, which
she was examining as though she had
bought it at a bargain counter and
doubted If she had not been sold as
well as the linen.
Half an hour passed-quite enough
to enable her to quiet down after the
episode-when Mr.. Starkweather re-
turned TO his seat beside her, bringing
with him the Odor Of tobacco smoke.
He was a trifie nervous. but felt re-
lieved to find Miss Stewart quite COM
posed He expected that she would
tell him of the outrage that had been
inflicted upon her and ask him TO take
measures to discover the perpetrator.
He was surprised that she didn't men,
ton the matter and considered her re-
framing from doing so due to maid
emily modesty.
But Miss Stewards treatment of her
escort was somewhat different from
what II had been. An innocent free
dom was replaced by slight reserve.
The righteousness. the confidence
call 1t what you will-of girlhood
seemed to have departed from her.
Occasionally Starkweather caught her
looking up at him sidewise with an
expression that he could not fathom.
He began to be troubled lest she had
known or at least OWNED that he
was the man who had insulted her.
But how could she have got any ink
ling Of this? When he kissed her not
a ray of light had penetrated the car
He had felt no touch. His face was
smoothly shaven. so that no pointer
could have been obtained from the
character Of beard. No: 1t was SIM
ply impossible that she should have
any evidence of having been kissed by
him. This being the case. why should
she have withdrawn that outspoken
confidence with which she had treated
him? And yet 1t was not a turning
against him: 1t was rather like that
condition which comes between friends
Of different sexes when the man let's go
friendship to grasp at love.
Starkweather looked upon a young
girl Us something too holy to be pro-
famed. This Is a characteristic of
youth. and another Is a great sensi-
tiveness to woman's treatment. His
theft was to him like that Of the
Spartan boy who stole the wolf-not
criminal so long as not found out. The
boy had the wolf under his coat and let
1t gnaw the flesh away rather than
that It should be discovered. Stark
weather began to believe that Miss
Stewart knew he had kissed her. Per-
haps If he had been sure Of this it
would have been more tolerable than
the uncertainty under which he suffer
ed. Horrible situation! An innocent
girl had been put under his care, and
he had kissed her In a tunnel Should
she really know that he had so betray-
ed trust possibly before they parted
she might resent the outrage as 1t
deserved. The thought was madden
ing.
They arrived at their destination
after dark. Starkweather saw the
young lady to her home. leaving her at
her door. In the light Of street lamp
be stood. half expecting that she would
give evidence of her scorn. Instead
she turned up to him those lips that
had tempted him. What did II mean?
he didn't stop TO ask. He kissed