The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-18
A woMAn's REASON
ey HAROLD CARTER.

proposition tudt lom va
to her on her way down to Cannon >
In the subway.
She had two dozen girls under nei'
She was considered an eminenuy re-
spectacle young woman. she hau
been in Cannon's department store iof
nine years.
She had known Tom varcoe for TWO
years. He had a position at $50 IN tne
buyers department, and looked lot
ward with confidence TO getting tne
assistant buyers position. soon TO DC
vacant, at fifty. His wife was In the
asylum. an almost hopeless imbeciie'
And Tom, who was Jeans best frienu'
whose loyalty to her had never iai'
tered, had asked her to accept ms
protection through life without the
impossible ceremony.
You see, Jean. dear" he had saio
the night before. III is the law OF the
state that is to blame. You will be
Just the same as my wife to me 'or'
ever. And I'll take you TO Europe
when I get the position. and We can
live elegantly. You know me wen
enough to trust me, Jean.
She had promised to think it over
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 we're ike
that. There was Dodsleigh. for In
stance. the fioorwalker OF the perfum-
cry department. whom Jean hao
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 hashiness, 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.
II 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 few words to her seriously
afterward
81 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 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
fashier. 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 sheer.
sit down. Miss Rae. The more the
merrier. you know" he said with a
grin.
Maggie. l want you to come with
me-" said Jean.
Jealous, eh. Miss Rae?" asked Dods.
leigh. Say! Some day I'll take you
out. II you're real nice to me, maybe
Maggie, do you know that this
man has a 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 curse.
Jean called a 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. l don't think he'll show I'D at
the store any more"
Maggie was crying when the cab
reached her door. "Oh, Miss JEAN"
she sobbed. Il know why you did this
for me. But amt worth it. 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. IL what the doctor
said is true, it won't be many years.
But can't come to you now-and
don't ask me why, because I don't
know myself"
nnti