The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-10-04
ALL BY CHANCE
81 ALoHzo THOMAS.

She composed g poem now and then.
She wrote a story now and then for
the magazines
She read a good many books
That was the sum and substance Of
what Miss Gertrude Whitney did. and
there were good reasons Why she didn't
do more or less. she Tas al alone IN
the world. She had an apartment in
the city and q maid She had just
enough Of an income TO maintain her
/ comfortably.
She attended the theater now and
then, made brief trips here and there,
did her shopping Ike any other young
woman, and sat on a park bench with
her book. Scores and scores OF times
men had come that way and seeing her
alone on the long bench had halted and
were about to sit down when a look re-
strained them.
II was inevitable that a morning
would come, however. and come IL did.
Miss Gertrude sat at o end Of her
fayorfte bench with a morning paper in
her hand when a young nan Of about
~ ElLy%AFE LdA4E 0AgAS anu NRVh AT
other end, and also opened a newspa-
per. He didn't bow and he didn't ask
her permission
It seemed to Miss Gertrude that she
had been snubbed, ignored and on
t~emptuously treated. and she hoped
the newcomer would try to open a con-
yersation with her so that she might
snub him. But he didn't try it. On the
contrary, he turned partly away from
her, sat very stin and read very intent
ly. She sat there for ten minutes.
When she got up to 60 she expected he
would look up, but he didn't On the
contrary, he seemed to look down.
The next two mornings were lowry.
and Miss Gertrude did not 90 10 the
park. II was better weather on the
third morning, and as she left home
she hoped that the young man had
spent the two days prowling through
the park In hopes 10 find her. As she
entered the grounds she walked and
walked and walked, until she vas a
mile away from where she had last sat.
She hadn't been seated five minutes
when a loaferishIooking fellow came
along and pumped down and said:
"They say that squirrels are mighty
good eatin', but 1 never had a chanst
10 try EN-"
No reply.
I've ct rabbits, and they are purity
good"
No reply.
"Is that air book you're readin' about
Buffalo BilT'
"Sir !" demanded the girl.
"Oh, come on-let's go to a matinee
this ar"
Miss Gertrude rose up to look for a
policeman, but sat down again almost
instantly. A hundred feet away, and
headed for her bench was the young
man and his newspaper. His eyes were
on the loafer, but he did not increase
his pace any nor did he make any
preparations. He arrived at the bench
in due time and reached for the loaf
er's neck and lifted him to his feet.
Then he got a body hold and flung him
into the shrubbery as If he had been a
doll. He stood for a moment to watch
the Ioafer stink off, and then sat down
on the other end Of the bench and be-
gan TO read.
There was a human being sitting
within a few feet Of him, but he seemed
oblivious Of the fact.
What should she do-walk away
again in a hun or return thanks TO
him of the strong arm7 She did not
know that she had decided yet when
she found herself saying:
"Sir, IL you could see a loafer II
seems that you ought to be able to see
a young lady at the same distance"
1T does look that way" he smilingly
replied as he laid aside his paper. II
hope the fellow wasn't too rude"
"He deserved what you gave him.
Why did you hunt me down this morn
mgr
"Please don't use that term. Our
meetings have been by chance"
"But 1 changed to this place. and
here you are again"
"Chance, chance. I met that loafer
many rods from here and / thought he
looked i%mpudent. 1 should have taken
another path but for following him.
Have / won or lost my casef"
You have stated 1t pretty fairly. l
guess, but what / can't understand is
is
us why / didn't take advantage OF
some Of the incidents TO address you"
he finished for her, as a furtive glance
at her showed that she was blusl.ing
and probably mad at herself for saying
al much as she had said.
She was looking OF into the bushes
as he continued.
at was because l fell In love with
you at first sight"
Miss Gertrude rose and hurried
away, and II cost Mr.. Fred Fayram,
civil engineer and a mighty nice young
man. a full three months to find her
again and secure her forgiveness. And