Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-12-15
beopyriqht 1921 by the Bell Syndicate. Inc

expression of his condition it is neces-
sary to borrow culinary symbol ne
was Telling. The state Of shock was
slowly dispensing while a perception
of anguish as slowly increased He
was beginning to swallow nothing at
intervals. and the intervals were grow
ing shorter.
Dusk was misting down. outdoors.
when with dragging steps he came out
of the station. He looked hazily up
and down the street. where the corner
lamps and shop-windows now were
! lighted. and, after dreary hesitation.
| he went in search of pawn-Sh0p, and
found one. The old man who operated
| it must have been a philanthropist, for
Noble was so fortunate as to secure
| loan of nine dollars upon his watch.
| Surprised at this, ne returned to the
station, and went back to the same old
bench.
| and connection in the train-shed out
! side, attending the arrival of
| Through express" stirred him from
his torpor He walked heavily across
| the room TO the same ticket-window
he had blocked before, but there was
no queue attached to it now. He
rested his elbow on the apron and his
chin upon his hand. and for some mo-
ments the clerk waited until he should
state his wishes. This was new
clerk, who had just relieved the other.
"Well! Well!" he said at last
'I1l take it now" Noble responded,
gently.
"What'll You take now?"
"That ticket!"
"What ticket?"
"The same one wanted before"
Noble sighed.
| The clerk gave him piercing look,
| glanced out of the window and saw
| that there We're no other clients, then
| went to desk at the farther end of
his compartment. and took up some
clerical work he had in hand
Noble leaned upon the apron of the
window, waiting; and if he thought
anything, he thought the man was
serving him.
The high, resonant room became
| clamorous with voices 'and with the
mingling echoes of footsteps on the
| tiled floor as passengers from the ex-
press hurried to the street, or more
gaily struggled through. shouting TO
| friends who came to greet them; and
among these moving groups there
walked youthful fine lady noticeably
enlivening to the dulest eye. She was
preceded by brisk porter who car
ried two travelling bags of rich sort,
as well as sack of implements for
the game of golf and she was warm
in dark furs. against which the Vastly
clump of violets she wore showed
/, dewy gleamings of blue.
At sight of Noble Dill, more than
pensive at the ticket-window, she hest
| tated, then stopped anu observed him.
Here was coincidence, in mild
way, for. as it happened she was her.
self the most observed person in all
| that place She was yelled in two
wells. but she had been seen in the
fellow-travelers, though strangers to
her, were walking near her in a hypO-
critical way. hoping still not to lose
sight of her, even yelled. And although
the Surroundings permitted the most
meager information of her features,
what they did revea was harmfully
piquant moreover, there was sweet
ness to the figure, a disturbing grace;
and nothing DISCUSSES such an air of
wearing that many viOlets as daily
perquisite and matter of course.
1t was Julia's fortune Though her
father had other ideas concerning the
matter) to be the possessor Of per-
sonality distinctly pleasing TO the
masculine eye, and of this the fair
Julia was probably aware. In any
event she was quite conscious of the
stir which her passage through the
! throng created.
SO the coincidence came about that
this observed lady stopped and OBJ
served Noble, who in return observed
her not at all being but semiconsciOus.
| mobile !" she said
He stared at her. His elbow sagged
away from the window; the whole
person OF Noble Dill seemed near col
lapse. He shook, and had no voice.
81 just this minute got off The
train," Julia said. Are you going
away somewhereT
"No," he whispered; then obtained
command of huskiness somewhat
greater In volume. "I'm just standing
here"
IL told the porter to get me taxi
cab" she said. "If you're going home
for dinner I'll drop you at your house"
q I'm l." His articulation
encountered unsurmountable difficult
ties, but Julia had been with him
through many such trials aforetime.
She said briskly. I'm awfully hungry
and I want TO get home. Come on--if
you like"