The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-05
A WOMAn's REASON
BY HAROLD CARTER.

Copyright, 1915, by w. G. Chapman-)
Jean Rae was still thinking over tn
proposition that Tom Varcoe had pu
to her on her way down to Cannoni
In the subway.
She had two dozen girls under her
She was considered an eminently re
spectacle young woman. She hae
been in Cannon's department store fol
nine years.
She had known Tom Varcoe for two
years. He had a position at $35 in thu
buyers department. and looked for
ward with confidence to getting tne
assistant buyers position. soon to bt
vacant, at fifty. His wife was In the
asylum, an almost hopeless imbecile
And Tom. who was Jeans best friend
whose loyalty to her had never fal
tered, had asked her to accept hif
protection through life without the
impossible ceremony.
you see, Jean, DEAR" he had said
the night before, 1T Is the law Of the
state that is to blame. You Will be
Just the same as my wife to me for
ever. And I'll take you to Europe
when I get the position. and we can
live elegantly. You know me well
enough to trust me. Jean"
She had promised to think 1t ovel
and give him his answer later.
Tom was, indeed, the sort Of man
of whom any woman might be proud
Not all men in Cannon's were like
that. There was Dodsleigh, for in
! stance. the fioorwalker Of the perfum
; cry department, whom Jean had
| warned away often enough when she
: saw him ogling some of her newcom
ers. Dodsleigh was married man.
and the type known as good fel'
low" He was the type that would ap.
peal, in its cheap flashiness. to a girl
like little Maggie Pryce, for instance
Maggie had been in the department
store four weeks. and her little empty
head was swimming with romance.
Her knowledge OF life was at the zero
point.
1t was only the day before that Jean
had seen Maggie talking eagerly to
Dodsleigh during her luncheon time.
She had taken the opportunity to
speak a few words to her seriously
afterward.
II guess know what I'm about" an.
swered Maggie pertly. with toss Of
the head.
She passed the day at the store as
though in a dream. When closing
time arrived she had still failed to
come to any conclusion. She loved
Tom. All her impulses were to go to
him. And yet
She walked homeward, considering.
"Why not? she asked herself def
antly.
And suddenly she saw, reflected In
a mirror at the entrance to one Of the
flasher. but less fashionable restau-
rants, the faces of Dodsleigh and little
Maggie Pryce.
The girls face was flushed. there
was wine upon the table, and Maggie
was leaning with both elbows on the
table and listening to Dodsleigh's
words.
Suddenly she walked straight into
the restaurant and up to the little ia.
BILE at which they sat. She hardly
knew that she was going there; some
power seemed to have taken posses.
sion Of her and to be leading her
against her will.
She saw Maggie start violently, and
Dodsleigh look up with an ugly sneer.
"Sit down, Miss Rae. The more the
merrier, you know" he said with q
grin.
Maggie, want you to come with
me-" said Jean.
Jealous, eh, Miss Rae?" asked Dods.
leigh. Say! Some day I'll take you
out. If you're real nice to me, maybe"
Maggie, do you know that this
man has wife and children asked
Jean.
Maggie was looking up at her unde.
cidedly. Her weak little will was cas-.
lily overcome; just now she was more
in terror at having been discovered
than at anything else.
Come. Maggie, DEAR" said Jean.
She took the girl by the arm. Mag.
gle began crying convulsively.
See here!-" began Dodsleigh.
I'll see you tomorrow, Mr.. Dods-
Leigh" answered Jean. Maggie,
dear!"
She led her through the restaurant,
among the staring faces. Dodsleigh
followed them. and then, at the en-
trance, seeing that he had failed,
turned away with a curse.
Jean called taxicab and put Mag
gle inside. She followed. I'm going
to take you home. DEAR" she said.
"And that man won't trouble you
again, after I've spoken to Mr.. Can.
non. I don't think he'll show up at
the store any more"
Maggie was crying when the cab
reached her door. "Oh. Miss JEAN"
she sobbed. 81 know why you did this
for me. But amt worth 1t. You see.
II I'd ever had real home, If I'd had
you to take care of me"
You're going to in future, Maggie"
answered Jean, kissing her goodnight.
But why did you do this for me,
Miss Jean?"
Il don't know" answered Jean
thoughtfully.
And she did not know. That was
what she wrote to Tom that night.
"Tom. dear, I'll wait until you are
free. and maybe, II what the doctor
said is true. 1t won't be many years.
But I can't come to you now-and