Evening star., 1914-02-07
THE EVENING STORY.
The Unexpected Happens.
,coprrisnt, 1919. b- w. weruer.)

Elsie Lee stood behind her counter
waiting for n woman with reccding
chin to decide which of two patterns OF
ace She would buy she was tired, as
she had been standing since 80 o clock.
and although she had not gone on duty
;.util s, she had cIuug to a strap all the
WAY from her boarding place to the store
IT was now O'Clock. and she had the
prospect Of two hours more behind the
counter. with an additional half hour OF
strap hanging in crowded car.
True, she had had a, half hours respite
ht noon while she had swallowed a
c!aulny ham sandwich and a cup of
1ukswarm tea. but she realized hopeless
ly that there were three days more be-
fore Sunday. and that a week of hot
weather had been predicted.
vas a very hot September day Zach
me tho street door opened Whit of
d1tSt-satien air entered. People shrivelcd
and pers pred, but still there were those
wio must shop, even on such an after
noon. And Elsies woman was one of
these
'-Cluny or mechlin?" she whispered.
Elsie raised her eyes and looked across
1he nodd!ng plume the bent head TO
the -languid drift of humanity that silted
through the aisles. The raiment that had
been so fine and fresh in spring was soil
ed and crun. ed and Just bit out OF
fashion. She would have known in this
one. way If in no other that 1t was Ser-
terllber. So even do the skins Of animals
and the plumage of birds bear mute testi-
lnony TO the Shifting of the season. Ana
l.lSie 5 own soul was as jaded and worn
sas anything within her sight Wherever
She looked she saw the gray of dust and
Greariness and endurance
suddenly her. wandering glance met
another elance-direct and with kind OF
eyes set in Il long, brown face, with rug
gediy nodded Inns and nose and fore
head Never had she seen just this kind
of mans face, II he had spoken to her
called her by name, she could not have
felt more aulaZement at sight of him.
lie seemed TO mean something to her
that nobody else had ever meant. And it
was all so sudden and curious that 1t
stirred her little.
She was measuring off two yards of
clunv for the woman, who had finally
decided in its favor. when he came up
70 the counter and looked at her She
saw i'll a vague kind of way that his
face matched his body, which was big
and heavy and solid When she had
wrapped the lace and given it to the
woman and made change she looked at
linn inquiringly. And again she felt
thrilled.
II want some lace he said merely
The instant she heard him speak she
knew that he was not of the city. And
she was curiously glad. She also knew
that he did not want lace al ALL II was
on excuse 10 speak to her. And that
did not make her glad She was only
twegty-two, but she knew enough about
men to be wary of them even when
they had eyes like blue water.
She brought down several pieces of
lace and displayed the patterns. He
seemed to have become confused 1t
was evident he did not know one kind
of lace from another. and she was not
going to tell him. because she did not
mean to talk to him more than She
had to. She felt almost as if she had
called him to her and she was uneasy.
He seemed to be suddenly. cleverly An
said
.'Of which kndse''
cWhy. of-of-'' He hesitated "Of
this-and this he said boldly
She smiled ever SO family and snipped
off portion of Irish-tl4e real thing-at
S9-a yard. She knew then that he was