Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-11
One Woman S
Story
By Virginia T. Van De Water.


EARY DANFORTH had been
/ Nl right when she felt that Cor
don Craig would not mention
to her father the encounter Of the
day before. He was one of the men
] who know how to keep their own
counsel. and he appreciated that in
case Ike this IL was the girl, not
| the man. who should first mention the
matter.
/ He had presented to Mr.. Danforth
/ the letter Of introduction from his
/ firm-nOt only with the hope OF Sc
curing an order but, 1t must be con-
+ fessed with an equally keen hope of
/ again meeting his acquaintance Of
/ the subway train How this was 10
/ be accomplished he did not know. He
could hardly ask a man many years
/ older than he to allow him to know
/ him in a social way, and, unless he
/ did meet Mr.. Danforth socially, how
should he have an opportunity of any
| closer Intercourse with Mr. Danforth's
/ daughter?
/ He decided to leave this on the
| knees Of the gods and TO give his
/ whole thought to the business upon
which his employers had sent him to
New York Therefore, putting Mary
/ from his mind for the time, he talked
| business so well that the girls ia
Their was impressed by his earnestness
and his direct manner. and, after
/ promising 10 give him an order,
! turned the conversation to the young
mans home affairs He soon learned
| that he was from Texas, that this
! was his first visit to New York and
! that he had no friends In the great
city.
See here, Mr.. Craig" suddenly
! suggested the hospitable New York
err III you have no engagement for
| this evening, suppose you come up
and dine with my wife and daughter.
| I know they would be glad to know
/ you"
Mr.. Danforth was surprised at the
/ CLEAN Of pleasure that illumined the
/ good looking face Of the young man
/ before him, but he liked him the bet
/ ter for his evident appreciation of
/ the compliment implied In the invi-
| tation from a man old enough to be
| his father
Thank you. sir!" was the delight
| ed rejoinder. Il will be mighty glad
/ to comet"
Craig remembered with a sensation
Of relief that he had brought dress
D
been advised to do this by the senior
member Of his Arm. You never know
what you win run up against I'm New
York" his employer had said, and IL
some big business bug should ask you
TO dine you would want to look your
best"
While MIR. Danforth was not what
the Westerner considered "a big bust
ness bug" the young man certainly
did want to look his best-fOr rea-
sons Of his own. These thoughts ran
through his brain while his prospec-
tive host was saying:
Come back here a little after 6
o'clock and we will go uptown togeth-
er. I shall be detained here later than
usual this afternoon, as ! have some
1 important letters to get off. But you
/ be back by $50"
Indeed | will. sir" the happy Tex
an assured him.
Thus II came about that Gordon
Craig and Mary Danforth met Tor
the second time. The girl had be-
slowed more care than usual on her
toilet this evening, donning her pref
tiest little dinner gown, a simple pale
blue affair that showed her fair neck
and shoulders and intensified the blue
Of her eyes and the auburn tlnts IN
her hair. Her suppressed excitement
brought q vivid color to her cheeks
Gordon Craig had thought her a pref
" girl when he met her on the train,
but he had had only time to take in
the general effect OF her appearance.
She had been tired and wan then, and
her hat had cast q shadow over the
upper part Of her face. He was, there
| fore, unprepared for the very attrac-
/ tive vision that met his gaze when,
responding to her fathers call Of
| MARY. child, where are you? | have
| a guest here l want you TO meet she
came into the drawing room. Her
! eyes looked straight into those of the
tall Texan, and deeper flush came ID
/ her checks. AS her father said, Mary,
/ this is Mr.. Craig, OF Texas" she held
out her hand with a frank smile.
Mr. Craig" she said, softly, II am
| happy to meet you
There was no suggestion In her
voice and manner Of any former en-
counter with the stranger. and he
| thrilled with admiration Of her pois7
land self possession, He had heard
| that New York women were mis-
/ tresses of all situations, and he could
| believe this as he looked Ct the young
/ girl.
1T Is nice of YOU" she was saying
/ ito come and dine with US tonight
when there are so many interesting
| things in New York for visitors 70
| see"
"On the contrary" he said. as he
bent over her hand. 1T is Mr.. DAN
! forth who Is kind 10 give me the op-
portunity Of meeting the members Of
! his family I'm his delightful home"
/ He turned with a bright smile TO Mrs.
/ Danforth. with whom he had been
| chatting before Mary's entrance.
You don't know" he said, what It
I means to a fellow far away from
! home and friends to receive such a
/ cordial welcome as this from people
/ he had not even met "a hours ago"
Then, as his eyes met Mary's, she
/ saw in them a twinkle Of amusement.
and remembered that "a hours ago he
/ had already met one member OF the
| family. and that member was her
self Somehow. this knowledge, pos
sessed only by these two, made Kind
| Of bond between them, and she felt
! that Craig and she were almost
I erianHg airoa5y Gha had many friends