Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1912-02-09
A CASE OF
TRESPASS
By EDWIN L. DANFORD
Copyright by American Press Asso-
riafiop 1QIf

WAS CTOSSluS tue DIE Atldutlc pOnu
In my way to London. When we
were all just aboard. the stateroom
doors lying open aud everything
higgledy piggledy. l noticed among a
family whose rooms lay in the same
aisle as mine girl about twenty. pref
ty as a peach and demure as a Quaker
ess l kept going out Of and into my
room for the express purpose Of passing
her, and every time | did 50 hoped she
would at least glance at me. but she
didn't. The family bad two rooms.
both outside. One Of them was occu-
pied by. boy of sixteen and another
Of twelve.
The next morning l met the young
lady on deck and racked my brains
for some method of scraping an &C.
quaintanee with her, but couldn't think
Of any way in the world TO doit. 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 IL We should cross the
ocean together without my speaking
word to her.
One day when met her 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 I was lying in my berth
sound asleep when I was awakened by
a soft hand clasping NINE
Feel any better. Bunny?" asked a
sweet voice.
gave a grunt as much as to say
"No."
Want anything"
gave another negative grunt. but
didn't withdraw my hand. Another
hand was laid on my forehead. de.
hciously 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 q vengeance. ] had heard
her mother in the next stateroom min
istering to the eldest Of her two boys,
who seemed to be Ill, and it was plain
that the daughter, intending to so 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 do
all this | wasn't the man to let her
know of her miStake-at least in any
but delicate way. dreamed of
that kiss all night and in the morning
on waking saw on the floor a dainty
handkerchief. evidently a woman's.
IT,. ! 10y had the game in my
own hanIs.
But ! waited II 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 met me again she showed
not the slightest consciousness Of her
visit. Later, while she was sitting in
steamer chair, | stepped up to her,
raised my hat deferentinlly and, hold
ing out the dainty bit Of linen, said:
Pardon me. but think this is your
handkerchief"
The look of surprise on her face
was sight to behold. She evidently
expected ME to tell her where found
it, but | bowed 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
a seat not very far from me. | felt
that this was the first step in resolve
TO crafty her curiosity. Indeed, l sus-
pected from her manner that she had
fancied something was wrong and may
have interviewed her brother. She sat
near me for long while. | was read
ing and did not move. Presently she
arose and, coming to where was.
stood before ME. | pretended 10 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 handkerchief" she said, red
as a rose.
ITO avoid wounding your sense of
delicacy should have to lie to you
therefore l beg of you to excuse me-"
That only made her more determined |
to know, and after some persuasion |
said:
1.-The other night you got into the |
wrong room"
She was not only now red as a rose. |
but red as jack rose. ! knew the next
thing she would ask was. why didn't l.
you stop me?" so to forestall her 1 |
went on: s1a ~. --..e.-
Il will excuse the trespass II you
will do me the honor to dispense with
an introduction and permit me to con-
slider myself an, acdtlaintance."
She seemed to-take the trespass part |
of 1t in earnest and thought the pen
atty for her blunder very light one.
followed her all over Europe, pro-