The Little River news., 1920-07-31

tention. Fate had accorded him signal opportunity for kSighty combat in the service of this extraordinary woman, and in the absence. of formal intro- duction, what man could desire a finer opportunity for getting acquainted! If only their meeting had but been de layed two weeks, ten days, a week ! Once free of his ugly cocoon of rags and wEiskers, the butterfly Webster would not have hesitated one brief in- stant to inform himself of that young lady's address following his summary disposal of her torme1tor.
 But in all things there Is limit, and John Stuart Webster's right eye constituted a headline beyond winch, as gentleman, he dared not venture; so with heavy heart Ee bowed to the inevitable Brilliant and mysteri- ous as a meteor1te she had flashed once across his horizon and was gone.
 In the privacy of his stateroom Web ster had ham and eggs for breakfast. He was lighting his second cigar when the porter knocked and entered with an envelope.
 Lady In the observation-car asked me to deliver this to you, sah," he an- nounced importantly.
 It was note, freshly written on the train stationery. Webster read:
 "The distressed lady desires to thank the gentleman in stateroom A for his chivalry of yesterday. She is profoundly sorry that In her service the gentleman In staterOom A was so unfortunate as to acquire a red eye with blue trimmings"
 Jokn Stuart Webster swore his mightiest oath, By the twelve apos- ties, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John. Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Jude and Simon, and not emitting Judas Iscariot, the scaly scoundrel who betrayed his Lord and Master!" He searched through an old wallet until he discovered fairly clean professional card, across the bot tom of which he wrote, "Thank you. J. s. w." and sent it to the no-longer- distressed lady.
 "The most signal adventure of my life Is now over," he soliloQuized and turned to his cigar. "For the sake of my self-respect, I had to let her know I'm not a hobo! And now to the task of framing up a scheme for future acquaintance. I must learn her name and destination; so as preliminary I'll interview the train conductor"
 He did and under the ameliorating influence of a five-dollar bill the con- Websterian message.
 "In Car Seven,' he began, "ttere is young lady. I do not know what sec tion she occupies neither do know her name and destination. I only know what she looks like"
 The conductor nodded And you want to ascertain her name and des- tination?"
 q do"
 "All right. I have the unused DOT ton of her transportation to return to her before we hit Salt Lake; her name is on the ticket aad tEe ticket indicates her destination. I'll make a mental note of both as soon as I've identified her ticket"
 A few hours later the conductor came to Webster's staterOom and handed him a card upon which was written:
 "Dolores Ruey. From Los Angeles via San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake, to Salt Lake City. Denver X Rio Grande to Denver, Burlington to St. louis, Illinois Central to New Orleans. Stop-over at Denver"
 John Stuart Webster studied the name after the conductor withdrew "TEat's a Spanish name," he solilo- quized, "but for all tkat, she's not a parakeet All things considered, I guess I'll take chance and investi- gate.
 TO BE CONTINUED