Imperial Valley press., 1912-01-29
ACASE OF
TRESPASS
BY EDWIN L. DANFORD
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

was crossing the big Atlantic pond
on my way to London When we
were all just abo"rd, the stateroom
doors lying open and everything
higgledy pigg!edy. / noticed among a
family whose rooms lay in the same
aisle rs mine girl about twenty. pret-
ty as "A peach and dpmure as Il Quaker
esS | kept going out of and into my
room for the express purlmse Of passing
her. and every time did so hoped She
would at least glance at ne. but she
didn't. The family bad two rooms.
both outside. One nt them was o"Cu-
pied by Il boy OF sixteen and another
of twelve.
The next morning | met the young
lady on deck and raCked my brains
for some method OF Scraping an ac-
Ouaintance with her. but couldn't think
of any way in the world TO do it. There
were plenty OF chances, but she block
ed every one of them. ! didn't know a
soul on the ship to introduce me. and
it looked as if we should cross the
ocean together without my speaking
q word to her.
One day when met her l fancied
| could see the fainteSt suspicion Of a
smile on her face indicating that she
knew well enough that | was trying TO
make her acquaintance and she was
giving me all the trouble she could in
doing So That made me mad
One night | was lying in my berth
sound asleep when was awakened by
a soft hand clasping mine.
"Feel any better, Bunny?" asked a
sweet voice.
gave grunt as much as to say
NO"
Want anything"
l gave another negative grunt. but I
didn't withdraw my hand. Another
hand was laid on my forehead. a de-
liciously soft hand.
"You haven't any fever"
supposed | should say something.
but | uttered never a word. | knew
perfectly we'll what had happened.
but | didn't care to interrupt the pro-
ceedings. The girl. whose acquaint
ance I had been trying to form and
who had headed me off. was forming
mine with vengeance. | had heard
her mother in the next stateroom min
isterinC to the eldest of her two boys.
who seemed to be i'll. and it was plain
that the daughter, intending to go into
see him. had got in my room instead.
"Well," she said finally. Il don't
see that can do anything for you
so I'll leave you. Good night"
She bent down and kissed me, then
went out.
If was mean enough to let her dc
all this wasn't the E,an to lei her
| know Of hnr mistake a. least in any
! but q delicate way I dreamed Of
that kiss all night and in the morning
/ on waking saw on the floor Gainty
| handkerchief. evidently a womlns.
Then | knew | had the game in my
own hands.
But waited If she didn't mention
the visit to her brother she supposed
she had made him she would never
know she had called on me instead
When she mel me again she showed
not the slightest consciousness of her
visit. Later. while she was sitting in
a steamer chair. l stepped up 10 her,
raised my hat defeventially and, hold
ing out the dainty bit of linen, said:
Pardon me, but | think this is your
/ handkerchief"
The lool; Of surprise on her face
was a sight to behold. She evidently
expected NE to tell her where found
it. but | bowed Il second time lower
than the first and walked on with
my nose in the air.
The tables were turned. Knowing
of my advantage. though, | afterward
often passed the young lady deferen
TALLY.
never noticed her. One day while
sitting on deck she came up and took
seat not very far from me. felt
that this was the first step in resolve
to crafty her curiosity. Indeed, sus-
pected from her manner that she had
fancied something was wrong and may
have interviewed her brother. She sat
near me for Il long while. | was read
ing and did not move. Presently she
arose and. coming to where l was.
stood before me. | pretended to be so
absorbed in my book that ! did not see
her. She spoke. and stood up at once
and uncovered.
"Will you kindly tell me where you
found my hundkcrchief:" she said. red
as Il rose.
ITO avoid wounding your sense of
delcacy | should have to lie to you;
therefore beg Of you to excuse me-
That only made her more determined
to know, and after some persuasion
said:
The other night you. got into the
wrong room"
She was not only now red as rose,
but red as a jack rose knew the next
thing she would ask was, WHY didn't
you stop me-" so to forestall her
went on:
Il will excuse the trespass if you
will do me the honor to dispense with
an Introduction and permit me to con-
slider myself an acquaintance"
she seemed to take the trespass part
of it in earnest and thought the pen
atty for her bIunder very light one
followed her all over Europe. pro-
posed to Ter in Venice, we were mar