The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-03-02

tapping on the glass and looked I'D
to End a note poked under the window
ledge.
"I've feeling that you are homesick
again." II ran. AT any rate. 1t is too
good an afternoon to waste indoors, so
yonr doctor orders you to take brisk
walk In Riverside park in good COM
pany. Be ready ut the corner in fifteen
minutes. No wry faces or rebelling.
and the doctor will beg the good fairy
to bring you the very thing you want
most"
There was nobody to know or care.
and she did love the sunset on the
river. She hurried into her coat. stop
ped and ruffied her hair lEcomingly
about her face. donning hH hat and
veil. She could hear the man humping
about In the next fat She looked at
her watch. 1t was just ten minutes. 1t
would be fun to get there first and slip
away. giving him chase. When she
had gone some distance she heard some
one running and looked around. to see
| man coming up at her side. THAT
wasn't playing fair" he said.
He was tall and 1.-the. with good.
clear features and frank eyes that
were dancing with fun as they looked
| down at the girl. She felt suddenly
small and childish. She laughed up at
him.
They turned into Riverside park and
made their way along the path nearest
the river. High up in the park near
the big gray tomb they sought bench.
The sun had just sunk, a fiery golden
ball behind the misty green bank
across the river. and the whole scene
was wrapped in soft cloak Of glow
ing orange. They sat In silence few
moments. the girl leaning forward, her
chin in her two hands, elbows resting
on the rail In front Of her. She had
had a hard day, drifting about in
search of editors that were intrenched
behind impregnable battlements of Of
fee boys and tightly closed doors. The
only one she had succeeded In seeing
had been disagreeable about her story
and had dilated to her on the over
crowded condition Of the literary mar
ket. Her companion resorted to lit
tie probing and finally succeeded In
getting his patient to tell him the story
of her days ills.
1T must be glorious" she said when
she had finished. Ito be a great, sue
cessful author. so as to be able to die
tate terms to these pulled up editors
that love to crush budding genius"
ut must be-" said the man with a
quiet smile. "And now tell me what
your story is about"
The girl drifted easily into the little
romance she had woven. quoting whole
paragraphs now and then from mem.
DRY. When she came to the end the
man looked up quickly. THAT seems
to me good story. The editor turped
1t down. you say?"
Eyes, without finching." she said
with laugh that tried to be uncon-
cerned.
"Will you meet me here tomorrow
afternoon and let me read the manu-
script?"
The girl agreed. The little stroke Of
appreciation smoothed her ruf1led van
ity considerably.
The next afternoon the walk was re-
peated. and the man read her manu-
script-read 1t aloud to her. 1t seemed
really good to her as she listened to
his Interpretation. For the first time
she got perspective on it. AS he fold
ed 1t and slipped the manuscript into
his pocket the man turned to the girl
and looked at her closely a moment.
That's way above the average story
he said.
The girl blushed with pleasure at the
sincerity of the compliment and looked
away. Somehow his judgment seemed
to count.
IL have friend who Is one of your
ogre editors, and lam going to send
this to him If you will let me-" he said.
The girls heart beat high with hope.
This man had way of smoothing out
the wrinkles in ones way and inspir-
ing one with courage and faith.
The walks became almost daily events
in the lives Of the two next door neigh
bors. They sought out new routes.
though Riverside always remained the
favorite, and sometimes they would
wind up their strolls with dinner at
some quiet. unfrequcnted little cafe.
Once there was visit to the theater
another evening q concert and other
pleasures that no longer left room for
inconsistencies in the life of the girl
BY mutual agreement they continued
to make the fire escape their medium
of communication. and neither learned
the others name. They were just
"ncighbor' to each other. which was
the mans suggestion. 1t was an easy.
odd sort of friendship they slipped into
unquestioningly. accepting it as natu
rally as children do good gifts.
Three weeks passed before the man
said anything more about the manu-
script of her story. One evening as
they sat at dinner almost hidden IN one
corner Of a cafe behind tall shrubbery
he handed her note. which read:
Dear Bob-Where did you come across
that story and who is the mysterious. un-
-