Middletown transcript., 1916-11-18
a thrilling mystery story about q
man lOho lost his courage and the
girl loho helped him to find it again

i Sidney in his arms fade into an indefi
mite futurity.
"Im not going to give you up he
said doggedly. ''When you come back
lPll be waiting"
The shock being over, and things
Ionly postponed, he dramatized his grief
a .trifle, thrust his hands saVagely into
his pockets and sc0wIed down the
street. Sidney smiled up at him.
Good night, joe"
"Good night. 1 say, Sidney, it's
more than half an engagement. Won't
/ You kiss me gOod-night?"
She hesitated, flushed and palpitat-
ing. Perhaps, after all, her first kiss
would have gone without her heart
gone out of sheer pity, But tall fig
ure loomed out of the shadows and
approached with quick strides.
''The roomerH' cried Sidney, and
Backed away.
| Oh the rOOmerw ~
The roomer advanced steadily.
When he reached the doorstep, Sidney
was demurely seated and quite alone.
The rOomer looked very warm. He
carried a suitcase, which was as it
should be. The men of the Street al
ways carried their own luggage, except
the younger Wilson across the way.
His tastes were known to be luxurious.
slot, isn't it?" Sidney inquired,
after a formal greeting. She indicated
the place on the step just vacated by
Joe. you'd better cool off out here.
The house is like an oven. 1 think l
Should have warned you of that before
you took the room. These little houses
with low roofs are fearfulIy hot"
The new rOOmer hesitated. He did
not care to establish any relations with
the people in the house. Long eve
nings in which to read, quiet nights in
which to sleep and forget-these We're
the things he had come for.
But Sidney had moved over and was
smiling up at him. He folded up awk-
wardly on the low step. He seemed
much too big for the house. Sidney
had a panicky thought of the little
room upstairs.
II don't mind heat. II suppose 1
don't think about it," said the roomer,
rather surprised at himself.
"Pm afraid you'll be sorry you took
the ROOM"
The roomer smiled in the shadow.
"Tm beginning to think that you are
sorry"
His quick mind grasped the fact that
it was the girls bedroom he had taken.
Other things he had gathered that aft
ernoon from the hu1hming of a sewing
machine, from Sidney's businesslike
way Of renting the little room, from
the glimpse of a woman in a sunny
window, bent over needle. Genteel
poverty was what it meant, and more
the constant drain of disheartened
middle-aged women on the youth and
courage of the girl beside him.
X. LIE MOyne, who was living his
own tragedy those days, what with
poverty and other things, swore a quiet
oath to be no further weight on the
girls buoyant spirit. He had no in-
tentiOn of letting the Street encroach
on him. He had built up wall be-
tween himself and the rest of the
world, and he would. not scale it. But
he held no grudge against it. Let 9TH
ers get what they could out of living.
Sidney. suddenly practical, broke in
on his thoughts:
where are you going to get your
meals?
81 hadn't thought about it. I can
stop in somewhere on my way down
town. work in the gas office-I don't
believe l told you.
'It's very bad for you" said Sidney,
with decision. F'It leads to slovenly
habits, such as going without when
you're in a hurry, and that sort of
thing. The only thing is to have some
one expecting you ut a certain time"
at sounds like marriage He was
lazily amused.
ut sounds like Mrs. McKee'S board
ing house at the corner. Twenty-one
meals for five dollars, and your ticket
is good until it is punched. But Mrs.
Mckee doesn't like it if you miss"
''Mrs. Mckee for me" said lie Moyne.
Il dare say. III be fairly regular to my
meals
II was growing late. The Street,
which mistrusted night air, even on
hot summer evening, was closing its
windows. BY shifting his position, the
man was able to see the girFs face.
Very lovely it was, he thought. Very
pure, almost radiant-and yOnng
From the middle age Of his almost
thirty years, she was q child. The
had been boy in the shadows wiiy
he came up the Street. OF course there
would be boy-a NICE, elear-eyed'
chap Il
Sidney was looking at the 1lecli.
With that dreamer's part Of her that
she had inherited from her deaE ln1
gone father, she was quietly wors. ~
ing the night. But her busy b.asn
was working, too-the practical brain
that she had got from her mother
side.
what about your washing2" shs in
quired Unexpectedly. Il suppose you've
been sending things to the laundry,
and what do you DO about your. stock
ings?"
Buy cheap ones and throw 'em away
when they've worn out" There seemed
to be no reserves with this surprising
young person.
Sand buttonS?"
"Use safety pins. When they're
closed one can button over them as
well as =