The Ordway new era., 1918-12-06

Struck lntereSt-ner lovely, sympatnet-
ic face, as she talked earnestly to the
little worker in blue, apparently un-
conscious that her sudden impulse had
first astounded and then knit together
In kindly sympathy an entire car of
strangers.
"By Jove! that was a great thing to
do" said Tom enthusiastically, when
the tension of an absorbing interest
had subsidized a little.
"Yes. 1 never saw Its equal" replied
John. After moments hesitation he
girl. Do you suppose we could find
out who she is?'
"We can try" his friend replied;
"but why do you want to known
"Well, l do" John answered curtly.
Tom glanced quizzically at him and
smiled to himself. This was another
phase of John he was just getting ac-
quainted with. When the car reached
the railway station where John and
Tom were going to take a train for
Toms suburban home, the two women
also left the car. They went straight
to the ticket window. Tom took out
his commutation book and passed it
to John.
you follow them and l Will Join
you," he whispered, the spirit of mis-
chief and adventure now possessing
him. Having bought their tickets. the
women turned from the window and
hurried to the train. There In the
same car Tom found them all.
"Well, If this isn't luck" he ex-
claimed, as soon as he was seated.
And then, with the air of boy burst
ing with news, he said: 'They are
going to D."
"Yes, know It," Harding replied.
But as he vouched no Information and
did not seem inclined to talk, Tom
ly forgot the whole affair. until he
was abruptly called back by:
TON, cannot tell you when a
thing so impressed me as that did,
as If there could be but one that"
''That?" asked Tom, little puzzled.
Then, "Oh. thought you did not be-
lieve in that kind of charity-sympa-
thetic and sentimental. / think you
called it," he teasingly reminded him,
remembering the crisp bill John had
dropped in the tambourine.
"Oh, that is altogether different"
John answered, half defiantly.
"Yes, different because a pretty girl
made this appeal, an old man the
other" laughed Tom. But, tell me,
how do you adjust your acts to the
ories?"
"Oh, theories, the dickensl What
are they ever compared to acts? And
| that act this afternoon was spOn-
| taneous expression of the true Christ
mas spirit, from which springs the de-
sire to hsdp, to bring some JOY to n
lot of poor unfortunates. because its
Christmas, you know" he quoted
softly. at was the real thing, and
everybody in the car felt it."
And having. as it were, justified his
position and interest, he looked across
| at the unconscious subject of their re-
marks. Truly she was good to look at,
though at present all he could see was
the well-cut profile and the glorious
copperish-brown hair turning to dull
| gold where the western sun struck 1t.
and eyes, that with her mood. he knew,
| varied from hazel to brown. A verit-
able gem of girl, he thought, as she
began adjusting her furs. With an
| intuitive feeling of understanding her,
he turned to Tom.
"Don't mention the affair to anyone.
not even Mary. for it would not please
her, I am sure" he added, as the train
pulled up at D.
The station was small and John had
just finished greeting Mrs. Danvers.
when Billy Grants deep voice broke
in: "Hello, Harding; glad to see you,"
as they shook hands.
Grant, an old friend Of both Harding
and Danvers, also lived In D.
"Now, I want you to meet our
friends, for Its cold and want to get
home"
While Tom and John were bowling
in acknowledgment to Mrs. North
and Miss North" their host chntted on
about Its being too bad they couldn't
have met at the other end of the line,
as long as they happened to be on the
same train"
Nancy North threw n quick glance
at Harding. but otherwise no outward
sign was given. as he walked with her
to the car. that they had ever seen one
another before or thnt the same
thought was In the minds of both. but
John was SO strangely elated that Miss
North's color deepened each time she
looked up and met his smiling eyes.
"Now, don't you fellows keep our
bridge waiting tonight" called Grant,
as he gave the signal to start.
"Pll guarantee our arrival on time.
Grant" answered John, well satisfied
with the arrangement, whether 1t was
chance or fate, for somewhere within
him something was thrillingly alert,
fanfnlizinp1y aynactnnt rOnffGpntly