The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-28


For long time Jane sat without NOV
ing, her eyes turned out of the win
dow.
Keep myself the way 1 am today"
she repeated under her breath. why,
how could I keep myself any other
way? 1 wonder what Mr.. Mortimer
meant?"
And then, as she still watched the un-
even line of the city roofs the explain
alton came of itself and she understood
He was afraid the city would beckon
with a smirk and a promise of golden
tinsel He was afraid she would answer
that call, throwing everything to one
side, only intent on the luxuries and
pleasures to be MIXED from the byways
of New York.
OH she gasped AZ wish 1 could
tell him.
And rising from her chair she walked
to the window and stood looking down
cLriously at the eddying crowds in the
street below
Her first impulse had been to rush into
the other office and tell Mr.. Montague
Mortimer that. she was far from being
the kind of girl who answered that call
: of the city, but then, upon second
II ought, she decided that it was much
wiser to wait and prove to him beyond
the shadow of a doubt that his sus-
picions-no, suspicion was not the word
she wanted, fears-that was il, yes,
fears were ungrounded.
At last, with little shrug, she walked
back to her desk and tried to forget
the stirring events of the morning in
close attention to her typewriter. The
minutes dragged and try as she would,
her fingers were never so clumsy on the
keys. Thine and again her attention
wandered and she caught herself won
dering what Mrs. Van Blocker wanted
of her that evening. What Dick Holla-
day was doing What the boarding house
he had recommended would be like, and,
with a little touch of fear. her mind went
back to the unspeakable Mrs. Selden.
Jane knew now that she had had a
very narrow escape IN that boarding
house, and all at once she offered up
little prayer to her guardian spirit for
her happy and timely escape.
The opening of the door interrupted her
musings and looking around Jane dscov-
cred the bookkeeper, Marshall, watching
her with a smile.
Aren't you going to lunch?" he asked.
cts Y o'clock"
rs it?" Jane exclaimed why / had
no idea it was so late! Catching up
her hat she put it on, adjusting a few
strands of hair that peeiled rogushly
from under the brim and turned toward
the door, where the man was standing,
still watching her euriously.
"Wait a minute, Miss Brown" the old
fellow said, entering the room and clos
ing the door behind. him. UNLESS YOU
are in a hurry I'd like to have few
words with you Mr.. Mortimer's gone
out, and I thought this would be a good
chance. Nv been trying to tell you this,
ok tod
Jane, slipping her fingers into her
gloves, stood back against the desk, Won
dering what Mr.. Marshall was coming to-
1t was unbelievable that this man could
be like that other, Pedro Cabannello, a
confirmed, lady killer" but the others
next words put her at her ease.
This may not ever do you any good,
Miss Brown" Marshall went on, taking
leather bill fold from his pocket ana
bringing to light small square of paste
board. "And then again it might. Liv-
ing in New York, meeting all kinds of
people, one never knows what may turn
up It's all very we'll to trust to luck,
but it's whole lot better to be pre-
pared. I'm going to give you this card,
and if you re ever in trouble-don't make
any difference what it is-try to get this
number on the telephone. When they
answer. simply say, Thieves highway
And they'll say, Do you come from
there! ana you say, l. S. After ina.
all you have to do is to tell them all
about it, remember, nc matter what 1t
is and they'll take care of you"
Really" Jane exclaimed aloud. To
herself she was thinking that old Mar
shall had been reading dime novel liter
allure, and that it had gone to his head.
ITS very simple" she went on. rs
that all I have to do?"
That's ALL" the man nodded, passing
her the card You think I'm off my
trolley, eh?' He chuckled to himself as
he watched the girls face. But you
won't when you hear the voice on the
other end of the wire. Because. if you