The Ordway new era., 1920-11-12
ONE ROMANCE
TO ORDER
BY EvERALD J. APPLETON
tcopyright.)

Mary Eleanor Edith waited: we1rily.
yawningly. shifting from one foot to
the other. watching the busy electric
fans-in preference to the uninterest-
ing human beings that filled the room.
Ahead of her We're numerous other
| noon lunchers; behind her wc-e more.
Presently she reached the counter
on which were piled black and bat
tered tin trays.
Her small. perspiring palm held an
unpunched lunch-check. and Mary
Eleanor Edith's eyes scanned automat
ically the familiar bill of fare print
ed on the wall.
Day after day she wait,1 for "A tray,
named the food she could afford, but
did not want.
Automatically she ate; automatical-
ly she would return to- the factory.
Her whole life was as methodical and
automatic as folding machine, Moth
ing ever really happened. Mary Flea
nor Edith longed for unreal adven-
lures. and she expressed 1t thus:
Gee. don't this job give girl the
willies?''
Suddenly the man in front of her
lurched forward. Mary Eleanor Edith
caught at his arm. He regained his
balance, looked accusingly at the bit
of potato on which he had slipped, and
turned reddening but smiling face
upon her.
Thanks" said he. though she had
merely pinched his arm when she
grabbed at him.
''How's the veal today, BELIEF"
"Tough.r mumbled Belle glancing
covertly in the cashiers direction.
Same old thing, then" Mary Flea
nor Edith sighed; "but gimme piece
of coconut pie for vacationi'
Not until she had ilcked napkin
OF the pile in the center of the table
and on 1t wiped The knife fork and
spoon, did she look up--nnd into the
frank blue eyes of the man who had
slipped.
"Kinder drift together, don't we?"
ne commented easily, stirring his cor-
fee industriously. Come here reg
lar?"
Mary Eleanor sawed at her sand
wich Don't get new" she advised
crisply
| He bristled You should worry !
| I'm no chicken-thief. Can't / thank
| you for saving me from busting my
head, thought" Mary Eleanor Edith
frowned
maybe it ought to a been busted y
\ she offered.
They ate in strained silence for five
minutes. Then putting both hands on
the edge of the table, he pushed back
and spoke.
"Say"-and there was honesty in
his tones as well as in his eyes-'you
look tired. bet you are tired. Sick
to death OF your job, whatever 1t is
Would give Il weeks wages for a
sure-'nough adventure. Sod l. There
wasn't any run for me at the car-barr
today-Pm sub-conductor-so I go,
my day on without pay. I'm goin' to
n movie show. and maybe TO the White
City afterward. / gotter report again
at seven o'clock this evening. What
do you sayf"
"You don't have to report IL
mev' retorted Mary Eleanor Edith
"whatve gotta do with it?"
II wondered" he returned, "if yor
wouldn't go with me?"
"On the level?'
"Surel Come on and pretend W,
know each other. anyway. It'll be ;
change
an CO." said she. Then the three
of them-Nary Eleanor Edith, Ro
nance. and the frank-faced youn.
man-passed out into the crowded
street and the smoke-impregnated sun
shine and heat of the city.
Mary Eleanor Edith cilnging des
perately to the hand OF Romance, mur
INJURED: "Wonder what III bunch n
the bindery'll think"
"win they fire you?" he asked. Sh,
nodded.
81 guess so. hut ! don't care"
81 know how you feel" he com
forted her. "And there's other jobs
They had reached the picture thea
ter. and he caught her elbow respect
fully. Here's where we start" h,
whispered. laying down his money 70
the tickets. "Two!"
Two of the three reels-all "frs
runs" and "real thrillers"-had flick
cred their way through, when com
motion down the aisle drew their al
tentiOn away.
"Fire" sbrilled a voice. and Mar!
Eleanor Edith stood up. The sui
pulled her down again. "Sit still
IT'S only n fight" he ordered. ''I
they rush, 1t is safer here than in til,
aisle.
They rushed. and when Mary Flea
nor Edith could see again she wn'
looking mp into the homely face OF th'
sub, whose body had unwittingly pro
tected her from the senseless panic
Her hand was cut and bleeding, bu
that was all.
"The rummy that stepped on YOU