Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-01-22

cooily. Il was locked In my brotner .
studio and | didn't want to wait-so l
jumped down here
The man glanced up at the open
window in Jim Colson's workshop,
You jumped from theref" he asked
incredulously. and as she nodded. he
added quickly: You are hurt-wait a
moment and will fetch you a cup Of
c~offee-then. perhaps you will let me
carry you downstairs"
At the kindness in his altered tone
Leone promptly sat down o the sofa
pillow and sobbed while her rescuer
disappeared.
Il hope you will pardon my rude
ness" he said when she had finished
the cup of hot coffee and could smile
at him; but, you see. when a chaps
up against 1.-THE lost egg and the end
Of the loaf mean a whole lot! Oh.
therem be plenty more tomorrow" he
went on hastily, as a pitiful little cry
escaped her, only 1t IA inconvenient.
you know. I'll run out and get a bite
to eat by and by"
Leone smiled again. but a ave OF
pity swept over her heart for she felt
very sur that hi. light tone covered
heavy h~eartedness and that he would
go to bed supperless now that she had
ruined his omelet.
But there was nothing she could say
OIL do to mitigate the circumstances;
although the gold mesh bag was
crammed with money, she could MT
offer it to this perfectly fierce looking
man whose supper she had spoiled.
Leone would not let him carry her
down stairs, but she leaned on his
arm. and as they made slow progress
down four flights of stairs to the street
he told her something about himself.
It seemed that he was an illustrator;
he had turned out some fair stun, ne
told her modestly, but progress had
been slow. While he was awaiting the
payment for some magazine sketches
he was illustrating advertisements.
Shocking, isn't it?" he laughed.
Il think it's splendid" cried Leone.
Why, I always look at the advertis-
ing sections of the magazines the very
first thing"
Il am encouraged" he cried almost
gaily; some of them pay very we'll
but you know, it isn't the sort of stun
l really want to turn out"
"Of course not" agreed Leone So
berly.
They became better acquainted as
the moments few while they waited
for the taxicab summoned by the art
list. He told Leone that his name was
Loomis-Carl Loomis-and she was
startled at the vague familiarity Of it.
OF course he was one of Jim's friends.
81 am sure that / have heard my
brother Jim mention your name" she
told him.
VERY likely. We were classmates"
Leone blushed hotly because of the
thrill of delight she felt. If he was
one Of Jim's friends, she would meet
him again.
The taxicab came and Mr.. Loomis
tucked Leone inside, handed her the
gold bag, held her hand in his big one
for q brief instant, and then watched
the machine bear her from his wist-
full sight.
In the Colson mansion. James Col
son, Jr., was plunging into his over
! coat in remorseful search for his pref
ty sister. He had entirely forgotten
his dinner engagement with Leone I'M
til long after the appointed time; then
he had arrived home to discover that
no one had seen Leone and no one
knew where she a
When Leone came limping into the
house it was to fall into Jim's arms.
In the warm library, where her father
and mother had taken anxious refuge
during Jim's absence, Leone told her
amazing story and tossed the sofa
pillow at her brother.
"Loomis-Carl LOOMS? Well, l
should say I did know him. Best chap
in the world. Didn't / aver tell you
about the agreement he made with his
father? You know old Loomis is roll
ing in money-could buy the governor
out several times, couldn't he. sir"
grinned Jim.
Mr.. Colson smiled indulgently and
passed a hand over Leone's bright
hair.
rs he the youngster who wanted to
be an artist and his father told him II
he could support himself fer one year
by his pen and brush he would settle
a hundred thousand dollars on him and
send him abroad to study"
That's Carl Loomis," exclaimed
Jim. HE told me the other day that
the year would be up next week-said
he had been on the ragged edge Of
starvation half the time, but he had
worried through. Carl said he'd been
cooking for himself when funds were
low and that he'd grown sick to death
of eggs"
Leone laughed softly and her eyes
were very bright, but she made no
mention Of the frugal meal or Of the
omelet she had ruined. She would
never forget Loomis' angry dismay at
the catastrophe.
Six months later when Carl Loomis
asked Leone to marry him and go to
Paris for a year or 30. she turned q
rosy face to his.
Il can make a delicious omelet,' she
whispered.
Copyright, 1913. by the Mcclure News
paper syndicate.)