The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-03-03
CHAPTER II.


UNE, busy with her own
thoughts, did not notice the
IL closed cab which stood at the
W Corners the next morning as
she left the house As she passed by,
however, walking briskly up to the
surface car, Officer Mack, who had
been watching that cab and the hand
some brunette whose vivacious face
had occasionally appeared at the win
dows, saw the cab start and slowly
move away.
June had stepped from her uptown car
and was crossing to Broadway when
a closed cab passed her, turned and
drew up from the opposite direction.
and a gloved hand tapped on the win
dow. Tommy Thomas, the girl to
whom Gilbert Blye had introduced herl
Which way, pretty maidY' Tom
my's glowing face protruded from the
door of the cab.
ITO the employment Office. kind
lady" she laughed. and June exhibited
her little address slip.
I'll take you over offered Tommy.
The two girls laughed together as
they drove away, but at the next cor
ner Tommy excused herself for a mo-
ment and ran into drug store to tele-
phone. Tommy hurried out and re-
turned to her place in the cab with
June. but Mrs. Willard, to whom she
had phoned, remained at the telephone
lnd called up another number.
When June walked into the Acme
Employment bureau. having chosen n
new one. quite naturally. since the old
one had sent her to gambling house,
she found a new address ready for her.
A lady wanted companion.
Her eyes widened with pleasure as
she saw the beauty of Mrs. Wizards
home. 1t was scarcely visible from the
street, set back of and below a tangled
profusion of shrubbery and trees. Be
fore it rolled the broad. smooth Hud-
son. Her timidity was set entirely at
rest when in the coy parlor just back
Of the stiff drawing room she met the
kindly faced Mrs. Willard.
Companion? She was not to be a
companion to this charming and sweet
and yet sometimes sad lady. She was
to be a friend, a sister, daughter.
They knew that much in the first three
minutes of their converse ton, and then
Mrs. Willard took June up to q wonder
full bedroom which had once been a
child's, upon the walls of which were
peacocks and BOOSTERS and gnomes and
elves. 1t was visiting day among the
Willard cottages and the cottages be-
You'd which were not Willard cottages,
and June had the joy once more of CIV
Ing, mingled with the sorrow that there
was need.
1t was late when they arrived at the
cottage of the Groggs, and as they en-
tered the front door Mr.. Grogg came
up from the lower road and entered the
back door. fully ten feet behind his
breath. He was red faced man with
no blend in his countenance whatso-
ever. Nose, ears and all, he was the
same tint of red from where his neck
rose out of its sprawling collar to
where his low forehead disappeared In
his sprawIing yellow hair.
"D'afternoon, ladies'" observed Mr..
Gregg cheerfully and bowed his smile
In the direction of the severe eyed Mrs.
Willard and the shocked June. Brought
you little present, Louz," and, with
as much extravagant Importance as II
this had been the rajah's jewel. he be
slowed on Mrs. Gregg the potted token
of his thoughtfulness, a geranium in q
papier mache pot.
Mrs. Grogg was thin woman, chiefly
distinguished for droopiness and hol
lowness as viewed from almost any di
rection.
"Al"-the woman's voice concealed
tremor-'can we pay Mrs. Willard any
thing on the rent today?'
"Ain't you got any money!
"Why. Al, you didn't give me an.
money"
The man searched unsteadily through
all his pockets. He finally discovered
half dollar and dime.
.Never mind" broke in the soft voic
of Mrs. Willard as she saw tears in tn
eyes of Mrs. Grogg.
Mrs. Willard, who had come to know
life in many sordid phases. took Jun
away.
Have you an evening gown, June
dear?" asked Mrs, Willard in matte
Of fact sort of way and eying Jun
solicitously as she made this abrup
cnange IN their subject OF thought
Yes" drawled June III get it to
morrow"
I'VE are to have guests this evening.
And Mrs. Willard studied June's heigh
and figure with calculating eye. "
have new little dinner dress which
am sure you can wear charmingly. Yol
are to be my family. my dear" she rat
tied on to cover June's embarrasse,
half protests. II want you everywher
with me. We shall have to DO som
shopping, yoii and !. one of these days
You like pretty things, don't your
Why, of course" laughed June, an
she colored under Mrs. Wizards oh
Vious admira ton.
Then you shall have them. M
what a pleasure it viii be to make
49, 1nnn~-. --~A. ---1z1zn