The Washington herald., 1911-02-09

near, scowling. He was powerless, since
the young woman had spoken first
Charity" in a half-articulated voice.
as if the word to her possessed many
angles and she was endeavoring to find
the proper one to fit the moment. What
organization?"
A blank pause my own. ma'am. of
which I am the head" There was no
levity in tone or expression.
BY now every window in the club
framed a dozen or more faces.
Il will take this Canova, believe.
she finally decided, opening her purse
and producing the necessary silver. "Of
course. it is quite impossible to send
this?''
YES. maam Sending it would eat up
all the profits" But, with ill-concealed
eagerness, III you will leave your ad-
dress I can send as many as you like
Il will do that"
Incredible as it seemed, neither face
lost its repose: he dared not smile and
the young woman did not care to. There
was something familiar to his memory in
the oval face, but this was no time for a
GiIgent search
Hey. MISS" yelled one Of the news
boys. you're t'rowin' your money away.
He's A fake; he amt no statoo seller.
He's doing it for a joke"'
Fitzgerald lost little color. that was
all. But his customer ignored the impu-
tation. She took out card and laid 1t
en- the tray. and without further ado
went serenely on her way. The police
man stepped toward her as il to speak.
but she turned her delicate head aside.
The crowd ensulfed her presently. and
Fitzgerald picked up the card. There
was neither name nor definite address on
it. 1t was a message. hastily written,
and it sent a thrill of delight and specu-
lation to his impressionabie heart Still
carrying the tray before him, he hast
ened over to the club. where there was
something of an ovation. Instead of a
dinner for three. it became one for a
dozen, and Fitzgerald passed the statu-
cites round souvenirs of the mos,
unique bet Of the year. There were live
ly times. Toward midnight, as Fitzger-
aid was going out of the coat room
Cathewe spoke to him.
What was her name, Jack?'
Hanged if l know"
"She dropped card on your tray"
Fitzgerald scrubbed his chin. There
wasn't any name on it. There was ar
address and something more. Now. wal,
moment. Arthur; this is no ordinary
affair / would not show it to any one
else. Here, read it yourself"
''Come to the house at the top Of the
hill in Dalton tomorrow night at
o'clock But do not come il you lack
courage
That was all. Cathewe ran a finger
comb fashion. through his mustache. He
almost smiled.
Where the deuce is Dalton?' Fitzger-
aid inquired.
1T is a little village on the New Jer-
sey coast; not more than forty houses,
post office, hotel and general store; per-
haps an hour out Of town.
What would you do in my place? IT
may be a joke, and then again it may
not. She knew that I was a rank i'm
poster
put she knew that a man must have
a certain kind Of daredevil courage to
play the game you played. Well. you
ask me what 1 should do in your place.
Id CO.
II shall. 1t will double discount fish
ing. And the more I think of 1t the
more certain I become that she and
have met somewhere. By-by"
Cathewe fingered in the reading-room,
pOndering Here was a twist to the
wager he was rather unprepared for. and
If the truth must be told. he was far
more perplexed than Fitzgerald. He
knew the girl. but he did not know and
could not imagine what purpose she had
in aiding Fitzgerald to win his wager or
Turing him out to an obscure village IN
this detective-story manner.
-Well, I shall hear all about it from
her father" he concluded.
And all in good time he did.