The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-02-12

Daughter
How She Met Her Fate
BY, the
BARONESS Won hUTTEN
DOWNRIGHT by Frank A, Munsey &C. F.
BARONESS Won HUTTEN
. Copyright By Frank A. Munsey Co. .


Nv IilLus luOOIuS IuS uIOAStOAC OA
the window with the dingy curtain.
looked out into the night
Wickham shuddered and drew back
into the shabby comfort of his second
class carriage.
karlsruhe, probably" he thought as
the noise Of banging doors announced
a speedy departure.
1t was too dark to read. Wrapping
his rug we'll about his legs, he leaned
back again and closed his eyes. Then
Just as the train started the door of
his compartment was opened, the light
from q lantern flashed across him, and
a woman, vigorously helped forward.
stumbled into the place opposite him.
and a worn bag was dumped by a por-
ter directly on his foot. AS If that
were not enough, the wner paid no
attention to his discomfort. but sat i'm.
movable In her place.
Wickham was annoyed. He dislik-
ed being the only other person in a
compartment with a woman. and this
one. judging from the shabbiness Of
her wet brown skirt and the cotton
gloves On her Imply folded hands.
was utterly lacking in even the small
charm necessary to reconcile a cross
man to the bore Of opening and clos
ing windows and arranging another'S
hand luggage.
Ignoring the small bag at his feet.
he watched the blurred lights Of the
city until they were swallowed up III
the darkness. Then, closing his eyes
again. he tried to find his way back to
the comfortable half sleep that had
soothed him since he left Mannheim.
But he could not sleep. The pres
ence Of his neighbor. still as she sat.
made him nervous.
Lifting the bag, he put it on the
seat beside her, but still she did not
move. And then as the train rushed
round a sharp curve she fell helplessly
sideways. Her hat. crushed into the
angle of the head rest, fell back and
revealed her face in the feeble light.
Good heavens!" said Wickham. The
girl-for she was not more than four
or five and twenty-lay silent and still.
Wickham stared ut her for a few
seconds. Then. digging his flask out
Of his bag. he sat down by her, bal
anced her limp body as well as he
could in the wanton. jerkiness of the
train and poured a few drops of the
6uid into her mouth.
1t seemed hours before a little color
came back into the pale face and the
sunken eyes opened.
"Danke schoen,'' she said presently,
drawing away from. him. "Forgtve
me-"
Good heavens, I have nothing to
forgive" he answered with a vehe-
mence that he vaguely recognized as
quite uncalled for. III l hadn't been
q brute Id have seen It once that
you were ILL.,"
"Oh. l wasn't iii! / wonder wheth-
or. az you have been SO kind. you
would let me have a little more Most
OF what you gave me- went-outside."
why. you are English!" Wickham
exclaimed. handing her the fask.
"How strasge! You'd better drink out
Of the TASK. the: train shakes So"
"'Thanks. Yes. l am English" she
said. while he watched a wave Of bril-
liant color sweep up her thin cheeks.
Then. to his disappointment. she closed
her eyes. and be dared not speak
again.
Her hands. bare nov Of the dis6g-
uring gloves. lay loosely as before, and
he saw that. though painfully thin.
they were white and slim.
Then she opened her eyes.
Don't be frightened" she said. try
ing to smile. but am dreadfully
afraid l am going toto do 1t again."
"Oh. for heavens sake. my dear
young lady. don't! Take some more
brandy"
She waved the flask away. mo. no!
IT, Then suddenly she added. speak
ing very fast: 'The truth is l am not
I'll; I am only hungry. If you happen
to have
Catching the look in her face as she
tasted the meat In the sandwich he
thrust into her hands. he fed to the far
end Of the compartment and stood with
his face to the wet window. positively
sick with pity.
When she called he found her fold
ing the paper about the remaining
sandwiches. II ate two" she said.
with q little shamed laugh, "and-.
shan't try to thank you. I suppose
you never were hungryy" ~
mo. I was never hungry" he return
"a, feeling himself an unmitigated
brute. II was never hungry in my
life"
"Hpur people are dead?" he went on.
The train was draw wing into the Stuff
cart station. and he saw in the electric
light the half defiant expression Of her
face az she answered.
my father is alive" she said.
"sThen I'd like to punch your fathers
mead"
Eyes? My father is the Duke Of
Tarbolton."