The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-23
Eoening Story
Forgotten.
81 poRoTHY DOUGLAS.

I
an angry sea.
Bess Wilson had been standing
waiting for a seat on one of those
buses until she felt she could stand
not another moment.
Getting to and from business under
the horrible conditions of the city
streets was a most trying ordeal each
morning and evening. and Bess. to-
gether with two of her business
friends was getting weary of the
struggle.
1T is only under such conditions
and having to work for living,
! laughed Bess diseonsolately as they
vainiy hailed the tenth bus that pass
ed them on its uptown way.
1T wouldn't hurt some of these
wealthy people to give US lift
could so easily fill up their great cars
and help traffic a little
The words had scarcely fluttered
from her lips when a big motor,
driven by a well-poised young man,
stopped before the three tired girls.
Plenty of room in my back seat
if any of you wanv a lift" he in
vited. with a sharp military touching
of his cap.
obi" sighed Nesta, perhaps the
I L
wishing some one would be good
| enough TO take us uptown"
Young Vi2cent Drake laughed and
jumped out TO let the sirls in his great
car.
Bess Wilson hesitated.
u go to the west side" she sighed.
you two go ahead. I will just have
| to wait for a No. IS. bus"
Drake inveigled her into the car
while she was yet speaking.
Il can strike toward-the west side
at any angler he told her. When they
were all three comfortably and thank
fully tucked in he turned laughingly
and impersonal1y for orders.
/ AS they jolted and swerved along
the Battle-Ground, snow-encumbered
avenue the girls took complete and
most satisfactory inventory of the
you man who so kindly rescued
them from a more lengthy wait on
the street corner. Each pair of eyes
said, Il like him-don't your"
Even had Drake been chumily in
clined he could not have dared giving
his attention for so much as a mo-
ment to his three passengers. Driv-
| ing. was precarious and all his head
and energy were well occupied. How
| ever, when Nesta and Helen were
safely deposited amid the snowdrifts
adoring their own neighbornood, he
insisted on the third and lonely pas
senger changing from the back to the
you'll get jostled back and forth
across that big seat, and besides, l
will have to shout for directions to
your home.'
So Bess found herself beside Drake
minus the small fur piece she had un-
| fastened from her throat. It-had
dropped on the seat and now, rather
than trouble Drake, she let it remain
until she should get out.
mi ~, eli 10 {
! without any special incident. Drake
cast an occasional swift glance at his
tired little companion, but words be-
tween them were few Perhaps Bess
! was too tired to do more than lift g
| pair of heavy Iashes in acqui9scence
/ to some remark of brakes, or it might
4 have been a sense of deeorum thai
kent her from chatting freely with this
| strange young man.
Interpreting her silence as the lat
ter cause. Drake essayed to put MS
| charge more at her ease.
you are about the umpteenth pas
senger I have taken home during this
snow blockade. I've heen picking Ut
people all this week. Doctor orders
that I keep cut in the air as much as
possible; so took this means OF com
bining duty with pleasure"
During the remainder of the drive
to Bess's apartment door Drake was
conscious that the girls queer little
personality was making its way thru
the silence she maintained.
THANK you so much" she said
softly as she stepped from the car. =
was very tired tonight and appreciate
your kindness. Good night"
She was gone so swiftly that Drake
hardly realized her exit from his
horizon. It was not until he had
ploTed his precarious way few
blocks beyond that he cursed himself
for not having thought to get her ad-
dress. He had a feeling that he could
get to like Bess, but now he had lost
his chance. She was a needle in g
great haystack to him.
When Bess had climbed the three
/ flights of stairs to the small apartment
and removed her coat and hat, there
was a quaint little smile hoverins
about her lips. She had not taken of
her fur, because it was not on hel
neck to take off. It was in the bach
seat of young brakes car. So the lit
tie smile stayed in Bess's eyes with
persistent happiness while she pre-
pared nourishing dinner
Next morning she made a stop or
her way to business. It was at the
Lost and Found desk of the lead.
ing daily paper.
The. advertisement read: "Wil
young man who drove three girls home
from corner Fifth avenue and Fifty
fourth street please return fur neck.
piece left in car2''l
AS she turned away from the desh
and started to make her way swiftly
out lest she be late. she collided with g
young man apparently bent on the
same business as herself.
"Oh!" gasped Bess, breathless from
the impact. Then, looking up,
beautiful flush swept her cheeks.
SOP cried young Drake with quite
shameless elation, then 1t was your
fur?" He had jumped to speedy con
illusions seeing Bess near the LOS
and Found" desk. Il am not sure
would have recognized either of tbs
other two girls-had I bumped into
them here" he added
The implied compliment was re-
warded by a lovely slow glance from
the girls eyes.
You were going to advertise fol
= he nxEn ar =, she questioned