The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-20
4 WomAH's REASON
BY HAROLD CARTER.

Copyright. 1915. by w. @. Chapman)
Jean Rae was still thinking over the
proposition that Tom Varcoe had put
to her on her way down to Cannon's
in the subway.
She had two dozen girls under her.
She was considered an eminently re-
spectacle young woman. She had
been in Cannon's department store for
nine years.
She had known Tom Varcoe for two
years. He had . position at $35 in the
buyers department, and looked for
ward with confidence to getting the
assistant buyers position. soon to be
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 his
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 IL to blame. You will be
just the same as my wife to me for
ever. And I'll take you to Europe
when l get the position, and we can
live elegantly. You know me well
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 were like
that. There was Dodsleigh, for in
stance, the floorwalker Of the perfum.
cry department, whom Jean had
warned away often enough when she
saw him ogling some Of her newcom-
ers. Dodsleigh was q married man.
and the type known as a good fell
low" He was the type that would ap-
peal, in its cheap flashiness. 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.
II guess l know what I'm about" an.
swered Maggie pertly. with a 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 we're to 90 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
Dcdsleigh look up with IN ugly sneer
"sit down. Miss Rae. The more the
merrier. you know" he said with .
grin.
Maggie. I want you to como with
me-" said Jean.
Jealous. eh, Miss Rae!" asked Dods
leigh. Say! Some day III take you
out, II you're real nice to me, maybe y
Maggie, do you know that this
man has q 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.
"I1l see you tomorrow. Mr.. Dods
Leigh" answered Jean. Maggie
dear!"
She led her through the restaurant
among the staring faces. Dodsleigf
followed them, and then, at the en-
trance, seeing that he had failed
turned away with a curse.
Jean called a taxicab and put Mag
gle inside. She followed. I'm goinl
to take you home, dear" she said
"And that man won't trouble 20,
again, after I've spoken to Mr.. Can
non. l don't think he'll show up a
the store any more"
Maggie was crying when the cal
reached her door. "Oh, Miss Jean,
she sobbed, Il know why you did THU
for me. But l amt worth 1t. You see
II I'd ever had q real home. II I'd hal
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?"
81 don't know" answered Jea1
thoughtfully.
And she did not know. That wa
what she wrote to Tom that night.
atom, dear. I'll wait until you ~
free, and maybe, II what the docto
said is true. 1t won't be many year.
But I can't come to you now-an
S-.A - unn u,hv haasmsA AnMi