The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-04-30

BY HAROLD CARTER.
Ss&De a. ~aa0 o dsas> sls $>e1se ssS'


she had two dozen girls under her.
She was cchsidsr4d an eminently re-
spectahla yaung woman. She hau
been in Cannon's department store ior
nine years
She had Known Tom Varcoe for TWO
years. He had D position az $Sb N the
buyers department, and looked iol-
ward with confidence to setting me
assistant buyers position, soon % ~
yacant at iifty. His wife was in the
asylum. an almost hopeless imbeelle
And Tom, who Was Jeans best fnenu
whose loyalty to her had never iai'
tered. had asked her to accept nis
protection through life wttnout 'he
impossible ceremony.
you see, JEAN DEAR he had salu
the night before, 1T is the law OF tne
state that is to blame. You VIII DC
lust che same as my wife to me for-
ever. And I'll take You to Europe
when 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 were hke
that. There was Dodsleigh, for m
stance. the foorwalker 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 q good lei
low" He was the type that would ap-
peal, in its cheap fiashiness, to a glll
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 ne zero
point. -
It was only the day before that Jean
had seen Maggie talking eagerly 10
DodsIeigh during her luncheon tlme'
she had taken the opportunity 40
sneak a few words to her seriously
afterward.
IT guess | know what I'm about an
ewered 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 loycu
IT,, An ter irnnulses were to go 70
him. And yet
She walked homeward, considering
"Why not?" she asked herself den
antly. =,
And suddenly she saw, reflected II
q mirror at the entrance to one OF the
Aashier but less fashionable restau
rants, the faces 0f'j1odsleiGh and little
Maggie Pryce.
The girrs face was flushed, there
was wine upon the table, and Maggie
was leaning with both elbows on th'
table and listening to Dodsleigh
words.
; Suddenly she walked straight int'
the restaurant and up to the little "a
bic at which they sat she 'hardi'
: knew that she was going there; SOM
J mower seemed to have taken posses
] sion Of her and to be leading ne
against her viii.
She saw Maggie start violently am
Dodsleigh look up with an ngly sneei
nSit down, Miss Rae. The moro IN
, merrier, you know" he said with
g grin, !.
! Maggie, want you to come wit
2 me-" said Jean.
, jealous. eh. Miss Rae?" asked DodI
+ leigh. "say! Some day III take yo
:. out, if you're real nice to me, maybe
= maggie, do you know that thi
q man has wife and children| aske
s Jean.
Maggie was looking up at her und'
6 cidedly. Her weak little will was ea
. ily overcome; lust now she was nor
- In terro. AT having been discoyere
a than at anything else.
+ Come Maggie, dear said Jean.
, She took the girl by the arm, Ma
, gle began crying conyulsiyely
=. =. "see herei-" began Dodsleigh.
= "I'n sec ycu tomorrow Mr.. Dod
/ leigh" answered Jean. "Maggi
4 dear!"
She led her through the restauran
among the staring faces Dodsleie
followed them. and then, at the e
trance, seeing that he had faile
- turned away with a curse.
: Jean called taxicab and put Ma
- - gle inside. She followed. I'm goii
to take YOU home, dear" she sal
"And that man won't trouble Y
- again. after I've spoken to Mr. Ca
s.. non. don't think he'll show up
+, the store any more"
- Maggie was crying when the Ct
q reached her door "Oh, Miss Jear
=. she sobbed. 81 know why you did IL
y for me. But ART worth it. You So
- if I'd ever had a real home, if Id n
~ !, you to take care Of me-
:. You're going to in future, Maggi'
- answered Jean. kissing her good-nigl
- "But why did you do this for n
Nc Miss Jean?"
- - T don't know answered Je
in ,houghtfully
- Ard she did not know. That W
:. that she wrote to Tom that night
"Tom dear. III wait until you 3
tree. and maybe, If what the doci
esfd ia .rur IL won't be many yea