The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-28
The Ticket
II Led to Com.
plications
By AGNES G. BROCAN

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There was the girl again! Billy
Thornton frowned at her sudden en-
trance into the car-not that there was
anything about the fresh, interested
countenance to call forth q masculine
frown. Jane Wilder was exactly the
opposite kind Of girl. But Billy never
had met her and was more anxious tC
meet her than for anything else in the
world, and. though she was always ap
pearing in most unexpected places In
delightfully."- disturbing manner, still
she, the ideal, remained as far distan,
as some beautiful, wonderful star.
! How" mused Billy to himself
'how In the world could the proper
meeting be brought sbout?" Some
times he was pleased to fancy a re.
sponsive interest in the girls glance of
quickly yelled recognition in their sew.
! eral encounters. "How-oh, how?'
| $50 glad to see you, dcarie," muir
INJURED an old lady, bending over his
divinity from the seat behind. "You
are on your way to the child welfare
meeting, Of course. How busy you
| keep yourself with everything of an
uplifting nature! l don't see how you
do it."
The girl laughed as she turned around,
Biny's heart thumped In sympathy
with the clear joyousness Of the sound.
Never had he heard her voice or laugh
before, and in nothing was she disap.
pointing. Recklessly he allowed the
windows Of his Office, where Braydon
was waiting to see him upon an impor.
tant commission, to fade into distance.
He would sit here In this seat until the
girl left the car.
"Oh, l am not voluntarily busy" she
answered the old lady, "just drawn
int the work by my friends. Meetings
are all this week, you know-evenings
for the men. We must interest voters.
Lillis is one of the ushers, SO it was
she who solicited my aid, the dean of
our old college being tonight's speaker" 4"
Il would like to CO." the old lady re-
sponded. Eagerly the girl fumbled In
her purse $50 sorry" she said at
length. II have no more tickets, and
admission is all by ticket invitation"
She jumped to her feet. my cor
ner!' she cried. "Goodby, Mrs. West. {"
1t was then that Billy heard the GOV.
eted name.
"Goodby. Jane Wilder" said the old
lady.
Jane Wilder" Mentally he echoed
the name. 1T was like her somehow" f"
To him 1t sounded quaint and sweet
He was planning as he brushed through
the crowd In the streets to obtain tick
cts In some manner for that evenings
welfare" meeting. 1t would be In the
auditorium, Of course, and she had
said BY invitation only. He remem-
bered reading an account of the affair
In the papers. Former pupils Of the
college represented by the speaker
were to act as ushers. Surely one
might speak to an usher, and surely
one might select ones particular usher.
Billy began to whistle.
The low but merry tune seemed to
annoy rather than cheer the tall young
man who swung impatiently about in
Billy's pet Office chair
Great Scott" Braydon calculated in
greeting, "you come in more than thir-
ty minutes late and happy as a May
day! l went without my own lunch in
order to get over here on time, while
you
Say" remarked Billy absently.
"where can a fellow get tickets for to-
nights child welfare meetingT
Braydon's feet came to the floor with
a bang. whats the matter with you.
Thomton?" he asked.
Billy waved the question impatiently
aside. Where can get them ?" he In.
sisted.
How the dickens do l knowY' the
man replied. Suddenly he glanced at
Billy's eager face. why this unusual
interest in strange causeY he asked.
Deliberately Billy seated himself in
an opposite chair. There Is a girl"
he answered seriously, whom I am
very anxious TO meet. She viii be
there topight Among that old college
crowd We must have mutual acuuaint-
ances. If you can direct me to any one
who might possibly have a spare ticket
of invitation I'd be obliged. That's all"
His friend considered. "Why. there's
Jack Maynard" he said. His wife
was a student at that college. III
speak to him. Before we get down to
business, what's the name Of this girl.
Billy? Might know her myself"
Thornton's eyes took on their previ-
Gus reminiscent gleam. wilder" he
repeated softly-"Jane Wilder"
In the desperate hope of hearing from
Jack Maynard he fingered in the Of
fee long past closing time and at last
was rewarded by the appearance of a
messenger bearing an envelope marked.
with the date, Ticket to auditorium
meeting" Billy's sinking spirits scared
to their highest level. That very even-
ing he should see her again at least
that evening. There was not much
time for dinner. The auditorium would
be crowded.
For a moment as he waited In the
entrance Billy's eyes roved excitedly
among the white gowned tiers Of ush-
ers. Then at length he spied her. She