Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-05-19
Mr.. Wrong and
Mr.. Right
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

into greater tiredness by the constant
dragging and pushing Of that surging
mob of returning business people as
the train jerked Its way toward up
per Broadway.
John Conrad, straight from the
Middle West, made the most of the
situation by watching the faces so
close to his own. His keen eyes,
fresh from the vastness of the plain
and prairie, saw much that the
tired New Yorker failed to see.
His keen ears, too, caught much
from the fragments of conversation
that the roar Of the train failed to
stifie. His We're the only ears, save
those addressed, which heard soft
voice behind him saying a strange
thing to strange ears.
Il wonder If you and the lady with
you would mind very much getting
on the train at Seventy-ninth street
and walking as far as my boarding
house with me. j have a most valua-
able package and have a silly feel
ing Of nervousness tonight--it is SO
dark on West End avenue. Would
Ii be asking too muchp
John Conrad then heard the mans
voice
1.-THE lady Is not with me, but i
Will gladly take you to your door.
There are SO many hold-ups-I do
not blame you for being afraid"
Conrad felt that the girl of the soft
voice would have withdrawn her
strange, request had she known the
talking to the woman beside him and
quite naturally supposed them
friends.
Thank you so much" she said,
trifie reluctantly, Conrad thought.
He did not like the smooth quality
of the mans voice. II was not an
easy matter to turn, but Conrad
turned. One look at the smooth face
with its good-looking crookedness
was enough for Conrad. He, too,
would get off at Seventy-ninth, street,
and he, too, would escort the girl
but at a slight distance behind her.
So they three, together with the
other Seventy ninth-streeters, fought
their way to the street and cast the
air of the subway from their lungs.
The trusting girl and the wrong
man started down toward West End
avenue-the girl being piloted by the
man. She would have walked down
Broadway and then turned OFF the
safe highway only at her own corner,
but the man willed II otherwise.
Conrad followed close behind. but
not SO near as to let the couple know
of his proximity.
West End avenue is secluded
enough at best, but where there are
buildings torn down and others being
erected il takes on dreariness quite
foreign to Broadway's neighbor.
1t was when well within that
naked darkness that the wrong man
snatched at the package In the trust
ing girls arm, gave her nasty fling
backward and darted off.
Conrad's fist struck him just as his
nimble legs were fast carrying him
into safety. He fell with crash and
Conrad sprang to the spot where he
supposed the girl would have crumpled
into an inert heap.
She was standing straight up, but
clinging to stone coping until she
should have sufficiently regained her
composure. Conrad had time to con-
slider hef brave little sport.
"Wait there a second" he blurted
hurriedly, until ! fix him up with a
policeman. Please" he added, as If
his tone had been too abrupt.
And having dispatched the gentle
manly crook to his proper habitation
after giving swift details to the Off
Ger, Conrad returned to the girl.
There was an unexpected little
smile In her eyes when he put the
package back into her hands. He
hoped she wasn't going to overdo the
thank business. Conrad was not over
fond Of emotional scenes.
II thank you" the girl said simply.
Il happened TO 0verhear you ask
ing that man to walk home with you,
and followed. / didn't like his looks"
said Conrad.
at was absolutely silly of me-" the
girl confessed, but l have been so
sickened by the great headlines in all
the papers telling Of brutal crimes
in all parts of the city that my nerves
got the better Of me tonight. / have
not felt so before. MY sister in Long
Island asked me to bring In her very
valuable diamond necklace and put It
In her vault. ] have II here" she
said and drew forth tiny package
that she had carried within the folds
Of her paper.
Conrad grinned.
"Then ! am not a hero at all.
suppose there Is pair Of old shoes
In this one" he suggested indicating
the package the wrong man had taken.
"Not old ones" laughed Jean Ven.
ner, but brand-new pair for which
/ paid nineteen dollars. They are