Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-01-26
PART IlI-Continued.

FAX Ilt-COnIinuSO.
~
Dusk was misting down, outdoors,
wra2 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 a pawn-sh0p, and
fOuI-d one The old man who operated
il must have been philanthropist, for
Noble was so fortunate as to secure
loan of nine dollars upon his watch.
Surprised at this, he returned to the
station, and went back to the same old
bench.
4 little after six o'clock a changing
and commotiOn 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! Wenr' he said at last.
''I'll take it now," Noble responded,
gently.
"What'I you take now"
'That ticket!"
"What ticket?"
"The same one 1 wanted before"
Noble sighed.
The clerk gave him a piercing look
/ glanced out of the window and saw
that there were no other clients, then
went to a 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 a youthful fine lady noticeably
enlivening to the dullest eye. She was
preceded by a brisk porter who car
ried two travelling bags of rich sort
as we'll as a sack of implements fol
the game of golf; and she was warm
in dark furs, against which the vastI
clump of violets she wore showed
dewy gleamings of blue.
At sight of Noble Dill, more thar
pensive at the ticket-window, she hesi
tated, then stopped and observed him
Here was a coincidence, in a milC
way, for, as it happened, she was her
! self the most observed person in al
that place. She was veiled in tw'
wells, but she had been seen in tn
train without these, and some of he
fellow-travelers,N though strangers t,
her, were walking near her in hypo
critical way, hoping still not to los
sight of her, even veiled. And although
the shroudings permitted the mos
meager information of her features
what they did reveal was harmful,
piuuant; moreover, there was sweet
ness to the figure, disturbing grace
and nothing DISCUSSES such an air o
wearing that many violets as a dali
perquisite and matter of course.
1t was Julia's fortune (though he
father had other ideas concerning tn
matter) to be the possessor of a per
sonality distinctly pleasing to tn
masculine eye, and of this the fai
Julia was probably aware. In an
event she was quite conscious of tn
stir which her passage through tn
throng created.
So the coincidence came about tia
this observed lady stopped and oh
served Noble, who in return observe
her not at all, being but semiconscious
"NObler" she said.
He stared at her. His elbow sagge
away from the window; the Who'll
person of Noble Dill seemed near col
lapse. He shook, and had no voice.
81 just this minute got off III
train" Julia said. Are you goin
away somewhere"
'No," he whispered; then obtaine
command of huskiness sOmewha
greater in volume. I'm just standin
here"
81 told the porter to get me taxi
cab" she said. "If you're going hom
for dinner I'll drop you at your house.
81 Pm L" His articulation
encountered unsurmOuntable difticul
ties, but Julia had been with hin
through many such trials afOretime
She said briskly. Pm awfully hungr
and want to get home. Come on
you like
He walked waveringly at her sid
through the station, and followed he
into the dim interior of the cab, whicl
became fragrant of viOlets-an ema
nation at once ineffable and poisonous
Pm so glad l happened to rul
across you," she said, as they begal
to vibrate tremulously in unison wit
the fierce little engine that drove them
~ want to hear all the news. Nobod
knows I'm home l didn't write o
telegraph to a soul; and I'll be
complete surprise to father and every
body don't know how pleasant
onel You didn't seem so frightfull
glad to see me, NOble!'
"Am II" he whispered. 81 mean
mean-I mean: Didn't II"
GENO ~ She laOphpd "YOu loOLod-