The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1916-08-26
A Novel
Introduction
By WILLARD BRAKEMAN

struck me faVOraDly ana forclDly. l
was standing on the porch when she
came up the steps, and. though she did
not notice me. | had a very good oppor-
tunity to observe her. IF she is so
attractive in appearance" | remarked
to myself. 'begrimed with engine dust.
what must she be in evening dressT
The next morning | went down to
breakfast. forgetting TO lock the door
of my room. On returning to get a
cigar. what was my surprise to see the
young lady whose appearance | had
admired coming out of the apartment.
| DOTTED my hat and stood looking at
her inquiringly. She had taken the
key. which | had left inside, from the
lock and was putting it on the outside.
Having locked the door. she turned and
faced me. Noticing by my expression
that something vas wrong. she looked
at me inquiringly.
Il fancy you have made a mistake"
| said.
How SOP"
You have evidently mistaken my
room for yours"
Not ut all; this is my room"
| beckoned to a chambermaid who
was passing and asked her to call for
the clerk of the house. He came up
and. after telling him of the situation.
| asked him what was the number Of
ry room. He said he would have to
, go back to the office to find out. where
upon | said:
You needn't do that. Go into the
room with the lady and learn whose
baggage is there"
He opened the door and entered the
room, the lady following him, follow
ing the lady. | had put my trunk In
a closet. removing what | especially
needed to the bureau drawers. The
was that the room ap-
peared to be empty. The girl locke
about her. and | saw by her expression
that she was puzzled. The clerk open
ed the closet and displayed my trunk
with mems garments hanging above
it. The girl looked astonished. He
then opened a bureau drawer, and there
lay a number of Numbered shirts. The
girl was aStoniShed.
II returned to my room after break
fast" she said. remembering that l
had left my portmonnaie In this little
place on the bureau. | took 1t without
looking about me-"
That's exactly where | left my mon
ey," | said. and. lifting the lid of the
place referred to. l displayed-empti-
ness.
Great h%eavens..' exclaimed the girl.
Can | have taken your property
She produced a roll of bills n with
trembling hands counted them. "Oh. my
good gracious. | didn't have but 81;
there are thirty here"
Had | acquiesced in her statement. as
| should have done, the episode would
have beer ended. and my acquaintance
with the lady would have remained
~undeveloped. But | especially desired
that the acquaintance should continue.
| did not attempt to soothe her feel
ings. | did not say that | believed her
story or that I disbelieved 1t.
81 wish you both to come to my
ROOM" she said. evidently much trou-
bled. that | may show you there Is
81 in the same place relatively as this
please excuse me-" said coldly.
1T would not be the part Of a gentle
man to ask for proof in such a matter
from a lady"
She cast a half troubled. half in
dignant glance at me; then, turning on
her heel. she said to the clerk impera-
lively. Come with me-"
He seemed much surprised that did
not at once warmly eXonerate the
lady and followed her as she had COM
manded.
| knew very well that the episode
had not ended. and | was not mis-
taken. Later in the day the landlord
came to me and said that the lady who
had mistaken my room for hers de-
sired to see me. that she might con-
vince me of her innocence of any
wrong intention and that she had
taken my money by mistake. h was
waiting for me in the parlor. | went
there at once and approached her with
serious mien.
| permitted her to labor through a
defense that no lawyer would give a
fig for. | wearing an expression OF
doubt. and when she could go no
further from sheer worry l broke into
a smile.
"Do You suppose" | said, that !
would suspect that what you did this
morning was intentional?"
''Then why have you acted as if you
have?" she exclaimed. both relieved
and irritated.
There was a pause | couldn't give
the true reason, yet ! must get out of
the hole somehow.
81 have a reason" | saba very
important one. But | cannot at pres
ent give 1t to you. Should you care to
know it. say. six months hence l will
tell it. Possibly the time may be
shorter. 1t may be a few weeks. a few
days. We shall See"
did not doubt that she would keep
in touch with me till she got that rea-
SON u.aC formally introduced m har