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

counsel, and he appreciated that in
a case like this It was the girl, not
the man, who should first mention the
I matter.
He had presented to Mr.. Danforth
7 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 70
/ be accomplished he did not know. He
/ could hardly ask 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
l 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
| ther 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 10 New York, and
that he had no friends in the great
city
see here, Mr. Craig" suddenly
suggested the hospitable New York
er, ~ YOU have no engagement for
this evening, suppose you come up
and dine with my wife and daughter.
! know they would be glad to know
you"
Mr. Danforth was surprised at the
CLEAN OF pleasure that illumlned 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 reiolnder. Il will be mighty glad
to GOMEZ"
Craig remembered with a sensation
Of relief that he had brought dress
suit to New York with him, having
been advised to do this by the senior
member Of his firm. You never know
what you VIII run up against in New
York" his employer had said, land II
some big business bug should ask you
TO dine you would want to look your
best"
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 win go uptown togeth-
err l shall be detained here later than
usual this afternoon, as ! have some
| important letters to get off. But you
/ be back by $50"
Indeed ] win, 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, DOMINIC her pref
test little dinner gown. q simple pale
blue affair that showed her fair neck
and shoulders and intensified the blue
Of her eyes and the auburn tints IN
her hair Her suppressed eXcitemen.
| brought a vivid color to her cheeks
Gordon Craig had thought her a pref
ty 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 a shadow over the
upper part of her face He was, there
fore.~ uuprepared for the very attraC-
tive vision that met his gaze when,
responding to her fathers call Of
Mary, child, where are you? l have
"A guest here | want you to meet" she
| came into the drawing room. Her
eyes looked straight into those Of the
| tail Texan and deeper flush came -
| her cheeks. As her father said, MARY,
| this Is Mr. Craig, of Texas she held
out her hand with a frank smile.
MIR Craig" she said, softly, Il 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 poise
and 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.
/ TO come and dine with us tonight
when there are so many interesting
/ things in New York for visitors TO
see"
'On the contrary" he said. as he
bent over her hand. 1T is Mr.. DAN
forth who Is kind to give me the op-
portunity Of meeting the members Of
his family In his delightful home.
| He turned with bright smile TO Mrs
/ Danforth, with whom he had been
II chatting before Mary's entrance.
You don't know" he said. what u
means to 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 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
friends already. She had many friends
among young men-in fact. was rath-
er popular with the youths in her set
for she was pretty and vivacious
But she had the reputation of being
rather cold and distant. Boys bored
her at times and, when they became
sentimental. they almost disguised
her. a fact that other girls, more ro-
mantle and impressionable than she,
could not understand. But she was
aware now that she found this West
erner distinctly interesting. He was
entirely unlike the young men who
talked triyialties with her-thinking
that was the sort of thing that a girl
Hked-and much more interesting
than the old men, who she felt. re-
| garded her as an uninteresting young