The Washington herald., 1913-12-16
DAILY SHORT STORY

snes got mighty heap OF money"
queer
How do you mean queery'
"She reads books"
Don't your"
mot that kind sir. She won't read a
book unless II Is a story of knight or
hero, or OF some rich girl marrying !.
poor young man who has saved her lie"
And how does II come that you know
80 much about the rich girl next door?'
asked the private secretary.
Il was the cook there for seven Ions
years. and only quit a year ago when
the mistress OF the mansion got TO show
Ing that she fest herself a heap above
me. Miss Roma and were like sisters.
know her better than her own mother
does"
But the advice?"
Wait week."
Young ST. Claire was slightly con-
soled by the knowledge that Miss Roma
McCabe was romantic. She had a IA
tner VINO wasn't bit that way. and the
chances were that he would have some
thing TO say about it.
The girl would marry a poor Young
man or none at all. He was a poor
young man. all right, but she had
ful half million others to pick from.
ACCORDING TO the cook, Miss Roma
wanted hero. He was perfectly rriIIirs-
TO become hero. but where was the on.
poTtunity. Mr.. ST. Claire hadn't the nerve
70 put himself In the way Of meeting the
girl
No! There was no hope for the young
man. He must mourn himself into fhs
grave through unrequited love Wbat
left him without a ray of hope was that
Betty Baker was rebuked for sitting In
the parlor with her feet cooked up on an
other chair, and she had stood on her dig
nifty and quit her job. 1t took ten days.
and y more a month to get her back
again. and after she had got the kitchen
running in the same old way she dropped
into the library to say:
rs IL suicide for you?"
1t might as well be-" was the melan-
choly reply.
That can keep for a spell, like Boston
baked beans. am going to Miss Roma
and tell her you are perishing Of your
love for her."
''Merciful heavens, nor
Not word in your praise until after
the event.
But what event?'
Young man. said Betty Baker in
solemn tones" Miss Roma walks in her
sleepr'
Mr.. St Clair looked at her in bewiIder.
ed way.
Yes. sir. she do, and her own mothe,
don't know it. Many is the night have
followed her and brought her back to her
bed"
rs 1t possible"'
"She gets up, slips on a wrapper and
leaves the house. At the back end OF
these lots, as you must know, runs the
river. She win go down there and stand
on the bank
"But-but-but-"
Yes she takes her life in her hand
every time she does it. I have saved IL a
dozen times over. 1t is now up to you"
ITO mei''
Yes. sir. We will now see whether you
are hero or a nincompoop. Your bed
room window overIooks the McCabe back
yard. She walks just at midnight when
she walks You must watch and follow
her. and be on the spot in case she falls
into the water. You Will then be a hero
and"
And what?"
For an educated young man you are
the stupidest thing I ever sawi Figure
i out for yourself I have got work in
the kitchen"
Whether Miss Roma Mccabe ever
walked in her sleep or not has never
been told. There came a aight. however.
when Mr.. st. Clair saw a human figure
leave the McCabe back door-when he
dew down stairs and followed il to the
river-when he stretched forth his eager
hands and saved it
And there came a day when Mr.. Nc
Cabe rose up in his wrath and pointed
the way out of the library to a hero.
And another day when Betty Baker
stood with arms akimbo and said: Stick
10 it, young man! They can't beat a
sleep-walking girl and a hero of young
man.
And a marriage that took place about
4 year later went TO prove that Betty
was right