Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-11-23
The Ticket
1t Led TO Com
phcations
By AGNES C. BRoGAN


trance into the car-not that there was
countenance to call forth a masculine
frown. Jane Wilder was exactly the
opposite kind of girl. But Billy never
had met her and was more anxious to
meet her than for anything else in the
world, and, though she was always APP
pearing In most unexpected places in
a delightfully."- disturbing manner, still
she, the ideal, remained as far distant
as some beautiful. wonderful star.
"How," unused Billy to himself
show in the world could the proper
meeting be brought about?" Some
times he was pleased to fancy q re-
sponsiye interest In the girls glance of
quickly yelled recognition in their sew
eral encounters. "How-oh, how?"
$50 glad to see you, dearie," muir
INJURED In old lady, bending over his
divinity from the seat behind. You
are on your way &c the child welfare
meeting, of course. How busy you
keep yourself with everything of an
uplifting nature! l don't e how you
do it."
The girl laughed as she turned around.
Billy's heart thumped In sympathy
with the clear j~oyousness 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, ! am not voluntarily busy" she
answered the old lady, sjust drawn
into the work by my friends. Meetings
are all this week, you kn0w-evenings
for the men. We must interest voters.
Lillis Is one of the ushers, so 1t was
she who solicited my aid, the dean of
our old college being tonight's speaker"
81 would like to 60" the old lady re-
sponded. Eagerly the girl fumbled in
her purse. $50 sorry" she said at
length. Il 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 COW
eted name.
"Goodby, Jane Wilder" said the old
lady.
"'Jane wilder" Mentally he echoed
the name.+.It-W was like her somehow
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 emem-
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.
j 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! / 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 m~eeting?"
Braydon's feet came to the floor with
"a bang. whats the matter with yor,
Thornton?' he asked.
Billy waved the question impatiently
aside. where can I get them?" he In
sisted.
GLOW the dickens do I known" tho
man replied. Suddenly be glanced at
Billy's eager face. why this unusual
interest in a strange cause?" he asked
Deliberately Billy seated himself in
an opposite chair. There is a girl"
he answered seriously, whom l am
very anxious to meet. She will be
there tonight. Among that old college
crowd we must have mutual acquaint-
ances. If you car 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. I'll
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 CLEAN. wilder" he
repeated s~oftly-"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" Biily's sinking spirits scared
to their highest level. That very even
ing he should see her again at least
that evening. There al not much
time for dinner. The auditorium would
be crowded.
For a moment as be waited in the
onfrouoa RiIIv'c ovoo rovad Qx0ffQdly