The Washington herald., 1914-03-08
tCopyTight, MAD

which he had retained suf1cier Judgment
to recognize as perfection
Good morning" said -shs, with. osten-
sIbly. no 'qualm.
Madam" he replied, turning To her
his young. haggard facs. lost 10 an light.
81 shall regard any attempt to assist, TO
convert. TO reform me rs a most atrocious
impertinencs.'
With this he would hAxe lifted his cap
and passed on alnns. bun she fen into
step by his sids.
Il do not wish to do any OF those
things"
'Madam,," who ,aIe you7"
She extracted a god card case from
the flap pocket df her tweed coat and
from the card case n card
Miss Anna Stuart"
The ex-cunptct handed this back and
said, with his hitter rigidtty:
Il I'm no wiser, madam And i hope
thai You WIN be content 10 leave me- in
my ignorance"
She repIieds IT shah not do that For
the last week ] have come here To watch
prisoners relsased. Untl today I have
nnt seen this kind OF man wanted Now
find him, shan not let him go. What
are your Plans"
I have none
They were sfin walking. setting their
faces in the direction OF the station
Good" said she You hare no plans
Yon have no nfe-no hope. no fear WeN
that l. whom am looking for, 1 have
employment for such WIn You teke III
He looked her ore carefully: then
v~4
the effort and went on
-'You VIII come up 10 London with me
today
I have In my pocket he answered
sardonicaIly- mine and eleven pence"
Your salary has begun" said Miss
Stuart Il should like TO make a slight
advance on the first week"
She took from the tweed coat a small
roll and selected a bank note It wAs
for five pounds
Are you no. going TO ask my namee
said he, drawing back
--Ah. yes Your nameT'
Charles Captain"
Take this note. Mr.. Captain"
He took if. not without a sort Of shamed
reluctance. and lingering suspicion Of her
philanthropic propensities.
You will spend the day with me-" she
added In the course of 1t you will
learn what is the nature of the position
/ am offering you" .,...s.
Il am not Mt" he said gioomily, affer q
moment or two. Ito travel up to town
with a woman in these clothes"
You talk nonsense" said Anna Stuart.
An hour later they were at Weymouth.
As the train started. she said to him
from her corner-he was sitting. quiet
and dazed, in his.
Coming to consciousness again. my
friend. is very painful. Sit quiet. Think.
Read. Talk when you like And do not
forget to order lunch.''
With that she smiled; her smile awoke
him, and within an hour he was observ-
ing her almost as normal man may OBJ
serve a young. healthy, and pretty
woman.
At Paddington he remembered her books.
her umbrellas, her bags; and that he
should see her into a cab.
To part with her at the door OF that
taxicab caused him a strange pain. She
leaned forward, put her hand in his, and
kept it there while she spoke:
Mr.. Captain, I wish you to accept an
other advance on your first weeks SAL
ary-"
It was a ten-pound note which she prof.
fered and he took.
Because you will dine with me to-
night early, at 7 o'clock, at 164 En-
peror's Gate
She was carried from his sight, and he
was alone in the crowd on the platform.
He put his hand into his pocket, and felt
plenty OF money. Uncertainty, still a lit
tie dazed, he signed for a taxicab. and
wondered where to go.
II want some place which will fit me up.
and give me anything I ask for" he said
TO the driver.
The driver advised the huge store in
Oxford street. Thither he was driven,
and within II he was found dress clothes
to At as well as ready-made garments
can. and the rough fingers of which he
felt such shame were manicured, and
after that he had tea and heard music. |
mo Hfe," he said to himself. mo hope.
no fear"
At o'clock be presented himself in |
Empercr's Gate. He found Anna Stuart |
in the drawins--oom Of q large and beau |
tiful fat. She rose from a pillow-filled |
divan on which she had been sitting, and |
went to meet him. She was no longer !
the girl in tweed who had met him in the |
at the prison, but a regal being |
in soft and subtle brocade that cIung
about her. Her neck and arms were /
lovely; two diamond stars blazed from
her brown hair. Half way across the
room he stopped, dazzled and hesitating,
with a sickness of shamed doubt of him
self upon him, but she came on to meet
him.
"GoodI she said. Come in to dinner
We are alone. We shall talk" I
At dinner she dispensed with servants.
and asked him many questions, such as:
Il wish you to be perfectly frank with
ne. Do you asree?''
Absolutely"
Have you really no plans?"
None"
mo anchor?''
None"
NO friendsT'
None"
Amy scruples?'
None" ]
@, 10 80. s.9s