The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-17
A woMAn's REASON
BY HAROLD CARTER.

1
proposition that Tom varcoe had put
to her on her way down to Cannons
In the subway.
She had two dozen girls under her.
She was considered an eminentiy re-
spectacle young woman. She had
been In Cannon's department store Tor
nine years.
She had known Tom varcoe for two |
years. He had . position at $50 IN the
buyers department. and looked for
ward with confidence 10 getting the
assistant buyers position, soon to De
vacant, 1t fifty. His wife was In the
asylum, an almost hopeless imoeciie'
And Tom, who was Jeans best FRIEND
whose loyalty to her had never fad
tered, had asked her to accept his
protection through life without the
impossible ceremony.
"You see. Jean, dear" he had sa'o
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 Tor
ever. And I'll take you to Europe
when l get the position. and we can
| i've oI0S6uIly. IOu huoW INV
enough to trust me. Jean"
She had promised to think II 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 Canuon'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 a married man.
and the type known as good EEL
low" He was the type that would ap-
peal. in its cheap fiashiness, to 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.
"I 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 60 to
him. And yet
, She walked homeward, considering
a why not?- she asked herself den
antly.
. And suddenly she saw, reflected In
|, a mirror at the entrance to one OF the
a flasher, but less fashionable restau
:, rants, the faces of Dodsleigh and little
4 Maggie Pryce.
= The girls face was flushed, there
4 was wine upon the table, and Maggie
a was leaning with both elbows on tht
table and listening to Dodsleigh'i
{. words.
Suddenly she walked straight int
the restaurant and up to the little tn
i. BILE at which they sat. She hardl,
:. knew that she was going there; some
power seemed to have taken posses
= sion Of her and to be leading be-
!. against her will.
= She saw Maggie start violently, ant
y Dodsleigh look up with an ugly sheer
. "Sit down, Miss Rae. The more thu
merrier, you know" he said with
;, grin.
7. Maggie, I want you to come witt
me-" said Jean.
Jealous, Ell. Miss Rae?" asked Dods
;, leigh. Say! Some day I'll take yo'
" out, II you're real nice to me. maybe.
:. Maggie, do you know that thi
= man has a wife and children?" ashe'
: Jean.
I" Maggie was docking up at her unde
: cidedly. Her weak little will was eat
!" fly overcome; just now she was NOR
:. in terror at having been discovere
y than at anything else.
Come, Maggie. DEAR" said Jean.
~ She took the girl by the arm. Max
gle began crying convulsively.
" 'See here!-" began Dodsleigh.
- "I1l see you tomorrow, Mr. Dodt
:, leigh" answered Jean. Maggie
>" dear!"
. She led her through the restaurant
&c among the staring faces. Dodsleig
followed them, and then. at the Ell
y trance, seeing that he had failed
&c turned away with a curse.
!! Jean called a taxicab and put Maj
o. ., gle inside. She followed. I'm goin
:, to take you home, dear" she sale
~ "And that man won't trouble 20
&c again, after I've spoken to Mr.. Cal
a non. don't think he'll show up a
10 the store any more"
Maggie was crying when the ca
reached her door. "Oh. Miss Jean.
y she sobbed, II know why you did thi
y for me- But amt worth It. You SCI
'e II I'd ever had real home. II I'd hs
you to take care OF me-"
re You're going to in future. Maggie,
D. answered Jean. kissing her goodnight
IL, But why did you do this for mt
!. Miss Jean?"
u 81 don't know" answered Jea
thoughtfully.
ne And she did not know. That wa
40 what she wrote to Tom that night.
" "Tom, dear, I'll wait until you or
W free, and maybe, II what the docto
. said Is true. il won't be many year
d. Bat 1 cant come to you now-an
don't ask me why. because | don
know myself"