The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-10-13
PARADISE FLATS
BY OLIVE GRAY.

heI zap, anu over all SpiSau hN' "a"
brella like a hugh snuffer, pouring riv-
ulets of water down her neck.
The man with whom she had collided
at the windswept corner ~apologized.
Disposing of his own umbrella he
seized hers, lifted 1t away from the
wreck and assisted Peggy to her feet
Are you hurt?" he asked.
NO" she answered, shaking the
soup out of her skirt. But poor Mrs.
Mally will have to do without her sup
per, Pm afraid"
That's too bad. I'm terribly sorry.
1t was all my fault. Is there anything
| can do to make it up?"
Peggy hesitated, which gave the man
a chance to see just what kind of per
son it was he had encountered so forci'
bly,. In the half light, with the street
lamp giving an uncertain, CHASTITY glim-
mer, Peggy looked so ethereal that
the young man had a feeling that she
was going to disappear into the mist
and float away. But with all her pale
ness she was almost too beautiful to be
real.
YES" she answered, all unconscious
of what was going on in the others
mind, there is something. Mrs. Mally
is very sick and she can't have any
thing but broth. There is a restaurant
about half a block away. I've just
come from there, but I've got to hurry
on to Mrs. Mally's right away. The
baby might fall downstairs and Patsy
is probably making a meal off the
matches while I'm here talking. So If
you don't mind, you might bring the
SOU and I'll run along to look after
the family"
"Sure, I'll get the soup. Is there
anything else?"
Nothing. thank you. It's the Para
tlise tenement across the street there
fifth floor.
Paradise tenement" He looked at
the high, gloomy building with broken
windows and rickety steps. 1T doesn't
look it,"
A few minutes later he knocked at a
door at the head of the fourth flight
of stairs, stairs hat creaked and
swayed with his weight.
Peggy opened the door. 1T didn't
take you long," she greeted him.
Wont you come in?"
I'm dripping wet" he protested,
waiting to be coaxed.
"Oh, that doesn't matter. The roof
leaks in forty places anyway. Come
in."
Say, this is the darndest place |
was ever in. 1t isn't safe for you to be
here, is it-with all the dampness and
everything?"
Just as safe for me as for these kid
dies and that poor sick soul in there!'
nodding toward the nex room. "And
I'm only here evenings, while they're
here all the time. l live on the other
side of town. Mrs. Mally does my
Westinghouse how l discovered
her,
who the-who owns this place? II
ought to be reported to the department
of public safety"
1.-The Everett Real Estate company"
Are you sure?'
Eyes. AT least that's where l paid
last months rent"
He looked around. Plaster and pa
per were falling from the walls. papers
and old rags were stuffed into broken
windows, and, as Peggy said, it rained
almost as hard inside as out.
The baby crept over and pulled itself
up to his knee. He lifted it to his lap
and opened u sticky little hand. Dig
ging down into his pocket he produced
IA bill. Here, little chap. This might
help generally. Give it to the lady,"
You mustn't do that! |" cried Peggy,
when she had eXtricated the donation
and noted the amount.
"Oh, yes, | must It's to get a nurse
TO relieve you and some proper food
and all the rest of that Samaritan
stuff. And I'm going to see about fix
ing up this death trap. l stand in with
the Everett Real Estate company, you
see Now | must be going. Good
night" he said, rising.
Goodnight !" said Peggy, holding
out her hand. "And thank you, oh, so
very, very much"
And he turned toward the stairs,
feeling that he had left something very
valuable behind.
The next day Peggy looked up from
her desk. One of the stenographers
vas talking.
did you know the boss was back?''
"Who?"
"Oh, | forgot you didn't know him.
Why, Mr.. Everett. He's been to Japan.
Came home yesterday. There he is
now."
The door of an adjoining office
opened and a man came out. Peggy
started. 1t was her Samaritan. Then
she understood. Paradise flats be-
longed to him.
II would like to see you a moment.
please" he said, recovering instantly
from his surprise.
Peggy went in.