The herald., 1917-12-06
THY NEIGHBOR
BY LOIS WOOD.

apartments on the 18th OF the month.
He had had q suite down at the excld-
sive Waltermere, on Washington
square, when Aston & Co. gave him
the order for book. 1t was to deal
with New York life on the group sys-
tenn, showing how the city was divided
into little neighbOrhood villages, es-
pecially among the poor.
Young Aston had suggested that he
move over to the East side and study
conditions among the submerged tenth
at first hand. 1t had not appealed to
Linnelle. He was not of the tramp
poet variety. Even while he liked to
be a denizen of the old Greenwich viii
lage, still his quarters were on the
north side Of the square. But it
came to pass that he became an in
mate-he would not call 1t resident
Of the Diggs apartments.
At some time Mr.. Diggs had felt the
weight of millions preying upon his
mind and had placed model apart
ments for the deserving poor In their
mlQst on the East SIDE.
After the third day in his new lodg-
ings the monOtOny palled on him. He
had prowled around the neighborhoOd
and made the alarming discovery that
instead of being in the midst of thugs
and night hawks he was in the midst
Of highly respectable old settlers. In
stead Of their being peculiar to their
kind, they regarded him as a rara avis.
He was buying green peppers and
fresh tomatoes from the little Greek
Mario at the corner and answering his
questions idly, when he became aware
Of another customer who seemed high
ly amused at his inQuis1tion.
"You stay very longf' asked Mario.
"For awhile"
"What do you do for a livingl
Writer Play the mc-ic7 Paint
Sculp2 No? Just professor, huh?"
Linnelle felt his face redden as the
girl snAed.
Must one give an excuse for living
here?" he asked.
= And Mario let 1t pass. Hearing the
girl give her address for the delivery
Of goods, Linnelle realized that he had
q neighbor. He caught one swift
glance from big gray eyes that smiled
at him as he passed on. When his
own goods were delivered via the dumb.
waiter there was another basket there
on. Just as he was starting to write
down a new idea, his telephone bell
started to ring. 1t was his neighbor.
Mario had told her he had left her
goods with Mr.. Linnelle, apartment II.
Would he be kind enough to let her
have them?
Linnelle smoked savagely on his re.
turn. She had been smiling at him
again in that cool, appraising, amused
way. He plunged at his work with
avidity, trying to Danish the memory
Of a slim young person in rose linen
smock with curly, dark hair.
He made the discovery the next
morning that from his windows on the
inner court he could look over at her
windows. Quite against his instinct
Of good taste he found himself doing
SO constantly. She had window boxes
where spring bulbs bloome3 profusely.
She came twice a day to water her
plants. Then she would stand for q
long while looking steadfastly up at
the square patch Of sky i've stories
above. He used to wonder If she could
be sunworshiper. The shaft Of sun
light just struck her windows as Il
shOne aslant down the court, and she
drank 1t in even as her flowers did.
So passed the weeks and their &C.
Quaintance ripened.
His book was nearing completion to.
ward the middle Of the summer. he
had dinner at little Turkish restau-
rant on Twenty-sixth street. 1t was
nearly nine when he put his passkey
In the lock of his own door.
"OhI Mr.. Linnelle." 1t was Mar
jorie Fraser, her face pale and anxious.
II wonder IL I could ask you to come
and look at my window. I Just got
home myself, and 1t looks as II some
one had entered the apartment" Lin
nellie followed her down the hall.
In her little living room the scrim
curtains and daffodil valance lay In Q
crumpled heap on the floor, the upper
window pane had round hole through
its center.
do you think anyone Is hereT she
asked, standing in the doorway. For
answer Linnelle glanced around quick.
ly and picked up a baseball that hoo
rolled under the steam heater.
"There's your burglar" he laughed
and laid 1t on the table.
"I1l be so glad when this Is over"
she said. 1--WE soaked In local atmos-
phere until I'm sick and tired Of 1t, and
! want to 60 home. You see, Mr.. Lin
nellie, I'm an actress ana I have q per.
fectly dandy part in Carruthers' new
production, Children of Clay / only
came down here to live and catch the
spirit of the East side. II II hadn't
been for you living 80 near to me I'd
have been scared to DEATH"
IF 1t hadn't been for you living 20