Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-05-28
I'M THE RAIN
BY S. GODFREY.

vine JNucllOn- A HetiNy ram hlbfS anu
/ spattered viciously on the platform; he
/ buttoned his macintosh closely around
| him and stepped under the projecting
/ roof of tie little station. The village
| was mile distant and the prospect
: of laundering through the downpour
/ afoOt was not agreeable. He muttered
! some adjectiyes relative TO the wealth
er, and was surprised to hear a femi-
| nine voice close to him ask:
II beg your pardon; can you tell me
| the means of getting 10 the village at
| once? OF course. l mean carriage"
Ralph threw his cigar, freshly light
! ed, across the track, then wondered
why. He was not in the habit of dis
carding cigars upon being addressed by
persons with whom he was not ac-
| quainted. He answered:
Don't know, I'm sure. hope, er,
a carriage can be secured. l had de-
cided TO wait inside for a time"
He opened the door and bowed as
| she passed through, observing that her
| attire was faultless, and tried TO imag-
inc what brought her to this deserted
country station. Ralph inquired of the
ticket agent if he could get a carriage
| to drive to town at once, and being in
| formed i'm the negative, seated himself
| beside his new acquaintance.
'There doesn't seem to be any way
| out of it," he said, ''unless we walk"
''Then / suppose l must wait for the
rain" she said.
, "'We' if you do not object" he cor
| rected. 81 should be honored to act as
porter" glancing at her valise, "and es-
cort."
THANK you indeed, if you will be so
| good, though I fear it would be presum-
| ing too much upon your Kindness"
1.-THE kindness will lie entirely In
your allowing me to assist" he said.
| Through the hazy transparency of the
veil he could distinguish handsome out.
| lines, and eyes that shown and laughed.
| There could be no necessity for wear
| ing it indoors. Her voice sounded as
the voice of one he had heard often,
| somewhere. A suggestion of a soft,
modulated drawl was pleasing. Who
among his feminine acquaintance pos
seSsed that popularity of accent. Sud-
denly he turned toward her and scruti.
niZed her intently.
1t was in London, three years before,
| he recalled, that he had met her
and after meeting her he had post.
| pOned his return to New York. Her
| party travelled to Paris and over the
| continent, and Singularly, his plans
| took him to the same places. When
they parted he had promised to write.
| But he omitted to include his street adj.
dress IN his miSsive, and she had no
/ means of learning the location of his
| office. A mustache adorned the lip
which had been smooth when she knew
! him in Europe.
'Ive run out here on some live stock
| business, and as Pm not expected,
there's no one here to meet me. Other
wise my transportation facilities would
| be entirely at your service"
'If it comes to that, ii is / who
| should excuse myself for being here"
she replied. 81 have been invited to
| the wedding of a college friend, and
| thinking l could not come sent regrets.
| Then at the eleventh hour / managed
to get away" smiling. land So"
"And so we're here"
She looked at him queStioningly. He
| wished he had an invitation to that
| wedding. He only said:
'The rain has ceased. Shall we
Start?"
Certainly. if you wish"
81 ought to introduce myself. My
name is Ralph Allen. My home is in
| New York" The statement did not
sound very smooth, but he had opened
a subject.
81 am very glad to have met you, Mr..
| Allen. I can't thank you enough for
! bothering to help me tonight"
81 should like you, please, not to
| speak of that again. Once for all, it is
a privilege. But it is so pleasant now.
And / was thinking of girl l knew
once. She was very much like you.
That's why speak of her. You--you
don't mind?"
''No: should like to hear" she said
slowly, looking away from him. Then
he continued:
''She was in England several years
ago. and we met" He spoke as though
recalling memories to his own mind,
and did not look at the woman at his
side. Il only knew her a month, and
perhaps l shouldn't have taken the lib
erty. But 1 couldn't help thlnking-so
! much Of her"
"And you?"
81 had to return to New York. II
would not have been fair to tell her so
soon"
You think so? Selfish"
81 wrote to her. ana she would have
answered, l thought. but never heard
from her"
Tell me, do you make a practice OF
leaving your correspondents to guess at
your address? She-she may not have
known where TO write?"
Il don't understand. She knew ]
lived in New York
''You might have been thoughtful
enough TO mention your residence or
your Office number"
''That was like her, that remark.
That's why told you. Do you think
she cared? Do you think she cares
now?"
''Why-why don't you ask herr"
The satehel fell to the walk. He
sought both her hands and held them
I in his.
] on.