The daily Alaskan., 1914-05-22
THE KISS STEALER
He Was Very AdrOit In
 His Thefts
By E. A. rIITCHEL

s5.s.sli.t. E ' & t ss'ts3't The railroad, like everything else, is & development The fr5t rails were strap iron on wooden beams. The first car was a stagecoach, then several stagecoaches together mounted on wheels. Then came the passenger car of the present day, only much smaller. When these cars were pulled through a tunnel the passengers were left In totaI darkness. Indeed, the lighting of railway cars passing through tunnels is a feature of recent years.
 When Tom Arnold was about to re- turn to college for his sophomore year he was asked if he would escort a little girl who was going in the same direc- tton to boarding school Tom didn't like being burdcncd with the care of a "Iitde girl" but he couldn't very well decline. When he saw his charge he didn't mind taking care of her so much as he had thought he would. Lucy Atwood was fourteen years old, but tall enough for a girl of sixteen. She was very demure and appeared to be utterly devoid of conversational pow ers. Her protector, having reached the adylnred age UO hcr) of eighteen, probably filled her with such awe as to prevent conversation with him.
 Uut iC Miss Atwood was tongue tied she was very pretty. There Is nothing more delicate, to a young man espe- cia.ly. tban a pair of pink coral lips. Lury's complexion was as soft and dowuy as peach, and her lips were a combination of beautiful curves. Tom couldn't keep his eyes off them. Re was young and a sophomore In college, continuation that can occur but once in mans life. His thoughts, his ar gumeuts. therefore were sOphomOric:
 .I have been burdencd with the care of a tongue tied kid without recOm- reuse. It bch00ycs me to look out for my own reward. don't know any navmout that would suit me better than just one kiss of those lips. Iu ha,G aa hour we'll get to the tunnel. It i requires three minutes for a train to 20 through ir. and one can do a great deal in three minutes
 This was the basis of a plan Tom formed. Before reaching the tunnel he would gJ into another car, first noting the exact position of his charge. . Ns soon as the train plunged Into dark ! ness he would re-enter, make his way to where Lucy sat, take the kiss and retire Some time after the train had emerged into the light he would go back t0 his seat, yawn, take up a l newspaper and begin to read as fl unconscious of anything eventful hay ing happened.
 It was very pretty scheme but . ! more tempting to a youngster of eight cen than to a full dedged man. There was one thing about it, however, that Tom didn't like. The kid had been placed in his care, and he didn't con- sfIar it quite honorable to avail him self of the situation to take what didn't belong Co him. But the more criminal the act. the more horror attached to being found out, the more attractive the scheme.
 Tom s0t looking sideways at those | lips. before which every vestige of honor faded. Nevertheless as the train ap1r5a.hed the tunnel his courage be gan to fail him. What an awful thing for him to do, But how nice! Sup |. pose the girl should scream and some one should grab him! The very tlought gave him the shiYers. But be was gt am age when the greater the risk She greater the temptation. He fcu and great was the fall thereof.
 He had often been through the tun- mel and knew the approaches we'll Some ten minutes before the train reached it he told hls charge that he would go into the smoking car for while if she didn't mind sitting alone. She said she didn't, and Tom, having noted that tLe seat was the third one from tie door on the right, left the car He didn't smoke, fearing that the oJor of tobacco would give him away He sat looking out through 8 . window. a prey to numerous emotions.
 When the train entered the tunnel, l suuuouiug all his resolution, be hur- ricd into the car be had left and count .d the scats on the right by putting a