Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-12-11
By Horace HdxelfOn

travel, novels OF adventure. myster,
stories and detective tales. Much Of
hls reading had been Of America, with
American girls and women ..
heroines. But until this incident, he
had never n1st an American. girl who
answered to what he regarded rs the
true typewthe type formed from his
romance-g1samed impressions.
There were American girls in Homo.
and occasional young women tourists
from the United StRtes-but none had
ever quite come within the radius Of
his ideal.
And now he tore his heartstring.
with vain regrets. For, when oppOr-
tunity had offered, ne had failed t.
make the most Of it. While she had
yoiced her gratitude he had sat halt
dazed by her beauty and her charm,
silent and anresponsive. He saw II
al over, again now in his dream--the
little Kitchen Of the humble farm
house, the glowing cook stove, the
rocking chair In which she sat with
the fire light on her face; the farm
er's wife kneeling and sewing up a
long tear in her skirt; q group OF
young girls-the farmers daughters
probably-standing awed but watch
full inI the shadows, and NE, himself,
awed. too, gazing. listening, but say
ing nothing.
! Brooke had worked hard. After
depositing his burden at the farm
house he had gone back to the wreck
and labored energeticaliy and tireless-
ly for hours, returning at length,
when nothing remained to be done, to
inquire after the well-being OF the
young woman whon4-fate had yeritab-
~ thrown into his %snccoring arms.
He had found her then, as he saw
her now again in his dream picture,
safe and unframed by SO much. as a
scratch, and with only that one long
rent in her skirt. How he had gazed
his admiration. while he drank in
! thirstily every word Inc gesture OF
the girl n she poured forth her graft
tude! ~
He had, silently too, madc mental
ing them, as it were, on his memory.
And in the midst of this engaging oc-
cupation there had come that abrupt
interruptionSthe eastbound relief
train was about to pull out, and there
was barely time to catch 1t.
+ HurriedlM he had got to- his feet,
and as hurriedly had he hidden her
soodbye-confusedly, too, with tell
tale bushes and stan1naering' phrases.
She was returning to Chicago, she had
said, and the westbound train was not
Yet ready, SO the farmhouse had wit
messed their hasty and, on his side,
embarrassed parting.
He had gone away dreaming, just
as he was dreaming now, and not un-
til his train was well or its way to-
IVA Pd Ra1ffo In ho1 1ro - ny l-on aS -
the fact that he did not. even know
this extraordinary young woman's
name. All he had of her was his
mental inventory and his memory,
photograph-poor enough. indeed,
and most unsatisfying. though. all the
way to, New York he had been max
ing use OF them, working them over
time, 80 to speak, to tho effect at least
Of quite forgetting his own personal
self ana bedraggled appearances.
And so,s hisadream scircling$round,
brought him, baclsssto. self .SncA4nAore.
and aad,, his y. nn las sdiars ssa 81 re-
He glanced nov at his watch, and
eleven. Well, he would have a bath
and a shave and turn in, and tomor-
row his trunks would be here and he
could put on another suit of clothes,
and the hotel barber should cut his
hair, and he would buy himself a new
hat. Then, maybe, New York would
have more respect for him, and he, in
turn would like New York better.
Thinking thus, he stepped into his
bathroom, and turned on the water,
stopping to regulate the hot and cold
faucets to the temperature he desired.
Then he returned to the bedroom.
threw off his coat and remoyed his
neck-scarf and collar. determined TO
shave while his bath ran. His shaw
ing implements were in his traveline
bag. which the bell-boy had placed On
a table near the bureau. nnder an
electric bracket
He turned to this now. and With
accustomed thumb pressed the spring.
But the bag did not open. He preSsed
again, harder this time. ana puiied
~viciously at the frame. but still. fl re-
NAMED close fastened.
"I,m sure 4 didn,t lock It." NO told
himself. az haven't ahy kew Won
der il the joltinE Of the train could
have sprung it."
once more he tried. usin~ all II.
strength; but still the lock held, rheu
he got gu his pocket-knifa. WITH Il
he pried determinedly. until between
the bending frames he N5forced the
!. blade. Now all that was required was
strong pressure on the improyised
lever, and-snap!. the lock gaye way
and the bag yawned open.
Brooke plunged . hand in after hi.
razors. But the hand came out NOR
suddenly than It went in. for instead
Of encounterinE Cloth, linen an1 such
solid articles as brushes. soap boxes
and razor cages, 1t had gone founder.
Ing ABOUT IN a .nrn ma nf YNnRn nv lore