The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-30
FATE INTERVIEWS
BY JACK LAYTON.

Bess raised her magazine anC
peered covertly over Its edges at the
handsome masculine face across tbs
aisle. Not that Bess was an impress
sionable young creature; strange faces
rarely interested her, but there was
about this one some peculiar magnetic
charm which drew her own eyes un.
willingly.
Resolutely now she pursued her
reading as the miles few by. A sensa.
ton of being observed forced her to
look up again. The man vas regard
ing her wonderingly, as though trying
TO place her among past acquaint-
| ances.
mo self-respecting young woman
may pick up travelling companion"
she severely reminded herself. The
man across the aisle had sighed wear
lily; his dark eyes seemed to be plead
ing the question. Bess turned to the
car window impatiently. Back there in
town some mutual friend had but to
humble In introduction two names
and one is in duty bound to be pleas
ant to the one presented.
''Oh, well !'-Bess abruptly arose
and made her way to the diner. This
was really the last call to the dining
car" There was but one unoccupied
table. Seating herself, she studied the
menu. As she hesitated over its con-
tents the subservient waiter pushed
forth the remaining chair.
"Sit heah, subj" she heard him say
ing, and glanced up TO find her VISA |
Wis the man who had been sitting
across the ear aisle.
II beg your pardon" he began, as
though apology were necessary for his
intrusion.
Silently Bess nodded; then, at the
mans evident diffidence, she flashed a
smile.
'You have perfect right to the
only vacant chair" she said. After
that silence seemed a foolish formal
ity. The man was a journalist, she
learned, and his conversation proved
TO be as interesting as his appearance
had promised. After the meal. 1t
seemed but natural sequence that
he should transfer his suitcase to Bes-
sizes side of the car and continue the
there.
The hours now flew by as quickly as
the miles. Bess dimped and smiled,
glancing up, into the mans attentive
eyes, and wondered again at that
sense of familiar companionship.
ut is strange" he said. promptly
her thought, yet l could
lot have forgotten had I met you be-
ore"
She flushed at his implied meaning.
1--WE must meet again." he added.
Bess did not answer. He was leav-
ng the car at Buffalo, so he told her. i,
nd arose as though reluctant, draw /,
ng on his greatcoat. Her own desti-
alton, few miles farther on, had not
cen mentioned.
As the car slowed into the station
he realized, half-angrily, that she was :
9TH to let the stranger go, saddened I,
t the thought of losing forever, In the
nsh of life outside, this man whom
ssterday she had not seen.
Il cannot CO." he said tensely, "with- b,
ut hope of seeing you again. Your =,
anne, at least, you will tell me that, -"
nd some time"
But Bess was resolute. Tomorrow, :.
erhaps, he would laugh at the incl
INT. Tomorrow she would forget all
,out 1t.
"Good-by," she said, smiling. This IN
the end of short but pleasant ac-
iaintance."
The car was ernptying. The man i'm,
ached desperately for his valise. at
mot be the end" he answered firm
Fate will intervene"
Would it? Bess was very doubtful.
she caught a last glimpse of his
figure before the
lin whisked her on in the darkness.
Id II fate refused to be obliging,
,uld she forget the last few hours
easily as she had prophesied!
Long she sat before the fire in her
jan mat AA<ht- Eftl1 Alt LAtHcS n
ms dark eyes seemed TO be re-
oaching her, and the vision would
{ be banished. Where was he nowl
I'd would he try TO find her? But the
pc was not TO be entertained. This
s a prosaic world, where people
M sensibly about their duties. Day
er day she would so hack and forth
ching IN the schooIh0use on the hill
! nothing besufiful or unusual -