Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-08-03

ana on TO q DrQaO pldtloTtH
almost deserted, they went. A guards
a helping hand under Jane Gerson's
arm to steady her in the sharp sprint
down along aisle between tracks to
where the Paris train stood. It began
to move before they had reached its
~mid-length. A guard threw open a
carriage door, in they hoped, and
with a rattle of chains and banging OF
buffers the Express du Nord vas off
cn its arrow fight from Calais to the
capital.
The carriage, which was of the Sec
ond class, was comfortably filed. Miss
Gerson stumbled over the feet Of a
puffy Fleming nearest the door, was
launched into the lap of a comfort
ably upholstered widow on the oppo-
site sent ricochetted back to jam 81 ell
bow into a French gentleman's spread
newspaper, and finally was catapulted
into a vacant space next to the win
dow on the CARRIAGES far side. She
giggled, tucked the skirts of her pearl
gray duster about her, righted the chic
sailor hat on her CHESTNUT brown head,
and patted a stray wisp Of hair back
into place. Her meteor flight into and
through the carriage disturbed her
not a whit.
AS for the Samaritan, he stood I'M
certainly in the narrow cross aisle,
swaying to the swing of the carriage
and accommodating seating possibili-
ties. There was a place, a very mar
row one. next to the fat Fleming; also
there was a vacant place next to Jane
Gerson. The Samaritan caught the
girls glance in his indecision, read in
1t something frankly comra6ely, and
chose the seat beside her.
Very good of you, I'm sure" he
murmured. Il did not wish to pre-
sume-'
You're not" the girl assured, and
there "a something SO fresh, SO in
genuous, in the tone and the level
glance of her brown eyes that the
Samaritan felt all at once distinctly
satisfied with the cast of fortune that
had thrown him in the way of a dis
tressed traveller. He sa.. down with a
lifting Of the checkered Alpine hat he
wore and a stiff little bow from the
waist.
"If I may, Miss Gerson-I am Cap
tain Woodhouse, of the signal serv-
ice."
"oh!" The girt~let slip a little gasp
the need of admiration the feminine
heart always pays to shoulder straps.
"Signal service; that means the ar
my?"
Ellis majesty's service; yes, Miss
Gerson."
you are, Of course. off auty?" she
suggested, with the faintest possible
tinge Of regret at the absence Of the
stripes and buttons that spell Soldier
with the woman.
you might say so. Miss Gerson.
Dsypt-the Nile country is my sta
ton. ! am on my way back there
after a bit of a vacation at home
London I mean, of course"
She stole a quick side glance at the
face of her companion. A soldiers
face 1T was. lean and schocl-ha, dened
and competent. Lines about the eyes
and mouth-the stamp of the sun and
the imprint Of the habit to command
had taken from Ca ,tain Wood
Ecuse's textures something Of fresh
ness and youth, though giving In re-
turn the index of inflexible will and
lust of achievement. Hhis smooth lips
were a bit thin. Jane Gerson thought,
and h outshooting chin, almost
squared at the angles. marked Cap
tain Woodhouse as anything but a trif-
Ter or a f1irt. She was satisfied that
nothing Of presumption or forward
ness on the part Of this hard-molded
chap from Egypt would give her cause
to regret her unconventional offer Of
friendship.
Captain W~oodhouse, in his turn, had
made a satisfying, though covert,
appraisal of his travelling companion
by means of a narrow mirror inset
above the baggage rack over the op-
posite seat. Trim and petite of figure,
which was just a shade under the
average for height and plumpness; a
small head set sturdy on a round
smooth neck; face the very embodi-
meHt Of independence and self-conf-
dence, with its brown eyes wide apart,