The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1919-02-03

AID OF WAITRESS
BY IRA {. ROGERS.
Copyright, 1918 by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)

While Barbara waited for her order
she glanced shyly at the young man
in khaki sitting opposite her at the
table, and her blue eyes beamed ap-
| prOval. She had never seen a more
kindly or intelligent face she told her
! self, and she knew he would be brave
| too, when the occasion should arise.
| She began to wish she knew him.
The waitress had been bustling
about the table, and Barbara, looking
down suddenly, noted to her surprise
| that q plate containing two orders of
rolls had been set directly between her
place and that Of the young man.
When the full significance of this
struck her she became Mortified. 1t
was evident that the waitress thought
that they had come in together. Oh,
If she could only catch her eye! But
the busy little waitress seemed to
look at everyone but her. Why hadn't
she gone to the place where she usu-
ally went at night and not ventured
into this restaurant? The young man
was absorbed in a paper and appar-
emily had not noticed the waitress
mistake.
When hours had passed, according
to Barbara's feelings, the two orders
were brought in and placed before the
young man. He looked up with a
start; but it was only fraction of a
minute that surprise mastered him.
Then he started in to serve Barbara
''It's best to pretend we came to-
| gether," he said in a low voice, after
the waitress had hurried away to
other patrons.
Barbara acquiesced shyly. After a
! few moments her diffidence wore
away and she suddenly found herself
chatting with the young soldier in the
most unconventional way. She felt
twinge of regret when the dinner
was over and they had to go their
separate ways. He had taken no ad-
vantage of their strange meeting, and
they parted as they had met, strangers.
In the days that followed Barbara
thought much about the young man
in khaki. His kindly dark eyes seemed
to follow her wherever she went, and
she often caught herself scrutinizing
crowd with a hope that she might
see him again. She had not entered
the restaurant where they had met
since that night. Although she had
passed it many times she did not have
the courage to enter.
One evening, about month later
Barbara decided to go to see Grace
Lincoln, girl acquaintance, who lived
out of town. In the course of the eve
ming she related her strange expert.
ence, and when she had finished Grace
laughed immOderately, a great deal
more than the occasion would seem
to warrant.
Before Barbara took her leave her
friend said, with twinkle in her eye
II want you to come out next Tues
day night. My cousin from Wilton is
coming to visit us for two or three
days, and I would like to have you
meet him. I'm sure you'll like him.
You'll come, won't you?"
Barbara promised that she would
come. Ordinarily she would have gone
home delighted, but now she did not
feel pleased at the prospect of meet
ing Grace's cousin. What did she care
about seeing him?
When Tuesday evening came she
took train for her friends house, and
1t was little before eight when she
arrived there. Grace came to the door
in answer to her ring, meeting her
with burst of delight. Hes come,
Barbara; and I know you'll like him"
Barbara smiled unconcernedly. AS
they entered the living room a tall
figure in khaki who had been sitting
before the open fire rose and came for
ward. The girl could hardly believe
her own eyes. She was ashamed of
herself, for she was blushing furiously
as Grace introduced her to her cousin !;
but Richard Young soon put her at her
ease and it was not long before she
was chatting with him as she had at
the restaurant. He did not once allude
to their former meeting, and for this
she was very grateful. Just before
she left Grace drew her aside a mo-
ment.
Richard has been trying to find you
ever since that night" she said. "He
told me all about 1.-THE and I have
always been like brother and sister. /
never had an idea that you were the
girl until last week when you were
out. / said you would like him." she
added, with roguish glance, sand by
the way things look I guess"
"He's very pleasant" broke in Bar
bara, her face burning with bushes.
Grace said nothing more but smiled
knowingly.
Barbara was pleased when Richard
Young offered to see her to the train,
and as they walked along together she
felt as if she had always known him.
"Pm going to call on you tomorrow
evening" he announced boldly as the
train rumbled into the station. "Pro-
vided, of course, that you want HE to
come"