Smyrna times., 1917-07-25
UNUSUAL INTRODUCTION.
BY izoLA FORESTER.

worked IN lower Manhattan. AT night |
he walked down to the Battery, unless
1t was stormy, and took a ferry across
the lower bay. And while others home
ward bound might hunt the seclusiOn
that the cabin granted, Dick used to
turn up his coat collar and take con-
stitutiOnal trot around the deck. It
was generally so cool and brisk that
he had little company until the girl
appeared as a regular trotter, too.
She was about twenty, he judged,
and wore a heavy, mannish-lOOking
coat, with a turned-up storm collar,
too, and a rakish dark blue "tam'
pulled close over her fair curly hair.
Never once did she appear to notice
Dick, although they passed and re-
passed each other night after night on
the half-hOur trip.
"And how am 1 to get acquainted
with herr" he asked Bernie. 81 can't
speak to her Offhand, and I can't flirt
with her. She isn't that kind, Bernie.
She's a thoroughbred. 1 wish she'd
trip and tumble so could hold her up,
or something like that"
"Where does she go at the end?"
asked Bernie. Maybe it would be
easy to trail her there"
Dick favored him with a smile Of
full appreciation. This hadn't occurred
to him.
I'll get out at seven tomorrow, and
watch the trains" he said. "Tell the
old man 1 wasn't well when 1 left to-
day. l may not get in till nOon."
He haunted the train terminus until
S:15 the following morning. 1t was
clear and frosty, and in his buttOnhOle
Dick had tucked last lone pink aster
from the home garden over at st.
George. Then he saw her coming. By
daylight she looked even younger, and
her hair was surely the curliest blond
hair he had ever seen. He hid behind
q newspaper until the ferry swung into
the slip, and then followed her aboard.
She did not pace the deck now, but
read book all the way up. He could
not even tell whether she had noticed
him at all. At the New York end she
took a subway express uptown, and
Dick was on the same car.
1t happened at about Thirty-fourth
street just before the express swung
up toward the new tunnel cut. There
came a heavy jolt and grinding of
brakes, then darkness. And all at once
he felt someone jostle him, and tug
at his pocket. Just as the lights went
up. the man behind him had seized him
by the shoulder, but Dick already had
a grip on the wrist that was half out of
his pocket.
mo, you DON'T" he said curtly. "Not
this time"
They were working In pairs, he knew
at once. The pal of the one he had
hold of was calling for the guard and
accusing Didk of being the thief. But
Dick knew the game thoroughly. Not
once in the tussling did he let go his
grip, and when the train pulled into
the Grand Central station he was smil-
ing as the guard hurried them all off
on to the platform and someone blew
a police whistle. At the first sound the
man who had accused him fed. but
was hustled back before he reached
the first stairs. And all at once Dick,
standing nonchalantly with a neat
knuckle grip on his prisoners wrist,
saw the girl near him in the crowd,
her eyes wide and friendly.
And just how 1t all happened Dick
never could quite tell, but when the
police came it was she who vOuched
for him. She gave her name as wit
ness, too, and Dick stood a tri1e more
erect as he heard she was a librarian.
His own business references suficed,
and presently the crowd had melted
J and they stood together on the plat
form with the ice broken at last.
- SIT was dandy Of you to say all
that" he burst out, bOyishly. "And
you didn't even know my name."
"Yes 1 did, too. 1 saw 1t one day on
= your suitcase-Richard COnley."
"T don't know yours"
l. 'Tt's MOllie," she smiled up at him
shyly. "Mollie NewcOmb. It's funny
- sort of Introduction, isn't it? But we've
seen each other every day for months
l. and 1 don't think it was wrong to say
1 know you, do you?"
" 81 think 1t was great" said Dick fer
K vently. "Did-did you know I came
Ie up on purpose to see where yoJ
l., worked? I've wondered how on eartf
" I was ever going to get acquainted
with you, both Of us doing that dali!
marathon around the deck and nevel
daring to speak"
r 'It's getting late.". said Mollie, ir
relevantly. 'T have to be at the llbrar!
by ten. Remember, we have to be il
court In the morning. I've never beel
before, but don't mind If you're ther
too. I think you were awfully brav
TO hold on to that mans hand after he,
I tried to pick your pocket. You didn'
Il know what he might do"
4 "NO, and he didn't know what
n might do, either" said Dick, grimly.
u The next morning he met her in tn
n anteroOm of the court. The case wa
Al the first called and was soon dispOse
n of. Both men were already well-knowl
to the police. 1t was only one NOR