El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-02
: One WOman's Story =
BY Virginia Terhune Van de Water


EARY DanfOrth, a young girl in
/ M the final year of her course
in a new York high school, is
the only child of a fairly well to do
! but rather extravagant business man
, who lives right up to his income. Al
though her parents are devoted to her,
and expect to be able to provide for
| her as long as she remains unmarried,
4 they hold to the theory that every girl
| should be fitted to make her own Iiv-
ing is it should prove necessary for
! her TO do So Accordingly, in addi-
/ ton to her regular studies, Mary is
striving to become proficient in stenO-
Sraphy and typewriting.
As she is returning home from
school on the subway, Qne warm
| spring evening, she feels tagged and
tired from her days work, and de-
pressed and discouraged at the pros
pect of the examinations which lie
before her in the weeks to come.
The express on which she is riding
is running along between stations
side by side with a local train. Mary,
standing in the aisle of the express
train, gazes absent mindedly through
the car window into the speeding
local only few feet distant Her
| eyes meet those Of a tall young man
in the other car, who like herself,
has been compelled to stand. Seeing
that he returns her look, she glances
ndSllly away out moment later
chanclng to look again in his dlrec-
ton, she sees his purse drawn swift
! ly and deftly from his pocket by a
! thief who chances to be crowded
close to him in the rush hour throng-
She tries by a gesture to warn the
victim, but he does not understand
the meaning she attempts to convey
When Mary changes from the ex-
press to the local train at Seventy
second street, she finds herself in the
same car with the young man whose
pocket she has seen picked. Moved
by a sudden impulse she speaks to
him and tells him what has happened.
At first he is startled but quickly
RECEIVERS himself, makes light of the
mishap. and thanks his informant for
her kind efforts to warn him in time.
The mans name is Gordon Craig He
is Texan, and has come to New York
on business for his firm Mary, on
questioning him, learns that the thief
has taken all the money the stranger
had on his person. The girl offers
to lend him some change so he will
not be obliged to walk back to his
hotel He accepts a quarter, asking
for her address that he may return
the loan With reluctance, Mary COM
plies with his request so far as TO give
him her fathers name and the address
of his place of business, telling Craig
that he may return the coin to that
office. The Texan shows surprise as
he jots down the name, street and
number, and, just as he leaves the
train at the next station, tells Mary
that he has a letter of introduction to
her father from his firm in San An
tonic, and that he hopes he may be
able TO return the coin to her in per-
son.
On reaching home that evening
Mary speaks of having seen a mans
pocket picked in the subway, but for
some reason which she does not an
alyze, refrains from telling of her en-
suing conversation with Craig. The
next afternoon her mother informs
ne
intention of bringing a business &C
quaintance-a stranger in town
home to dinner that evening, and
Mary feels certain that the guest
whom he has invited is Craig. She is
surprised to find herself thrilled at
the prospect of seeing the young man
again
Meanwhile. Craig has presented his
letter of Introduction to Mr.. Danforth ,
partly with the hope Of securing an
order for his firm, yet more because
of his desire to see Mary again Mr..
Danforth is so agreeably impressed I
with the appearance and manners Of /
the young man that he invites him
to dine informally with him and his J
suggestion Craig accepts eagerly
At tze dinner hour the young man (
arrives at the Danforth apartment |
and is introduced to Mary by the
proud father. She IS looking her best /
and the Texan IS surprised TO see
how pretty she is Neither he nor she /
I
fore. but greet each other as complete |
strangers Craig charms Mrs. Dan |
forth with his frank boyish manner, /
while. with the bond of a common !
secret between them, he and Mary I
chat like old acquaintances-
The dinner passes off pleasantly, ]
Mr.. Danforth talks of the training
that he has insisted on his daughter !
receiving. so that. if she should ever /
have to support herself, she may be !
able to do so.
After the dinner Mary and Craig /
are left alone for a few minutes in /
the drawing room. The man takes I
of this opportunity to re- 1
she had lent him She receives both +
the coin and his thanks for the coin (
without demur and with a self pos
session which he admires- When she
in the wallet which was stolen from
him. he replies that he already feels
many times richer than he did before
he lost it. since, by that adventure,
he had the pleasure of first meeting
her.
At this juncture Mr.. Danforth, re-
turning unheard to the room, speaks
suddenly to the young man. Mary
starts with surprise at the sound Of
his voice and the quarter which she /
is holding drops to the floor and rolls Z
toward the door Mrs. DanfOrth, who !
has entered with her husband, picks 1
up the coin and hands it to Craig. He !
disclaims ownership, and says that it
sists that this is impossible, as her
daughter has on an evening dress.
with no pocket, and would certainly
not be carrying money about in her
Craig accepts the
quarter again, slipping it into his
vest pocket
Continued next issue)