The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-06-29
An Unusual
Welcome
T. t4% IA. =.
By r ST. JOHNS.

town IN the SUBWAY. lie nad Deen un-
employed for nearly two months and
vas fast approaching the end of his
resources when he answered the prom
Using advertisement In the newspaper.
An invitation to call was the response
and Collins was almost certain that
his application would he turned
down."
The reason for this pessimistic con-
clusion was that both the advertise
ment and the letter especially stated
that the advertiser wanted a "clean-
cut" man. Decidedly Collins was not
"clean-cut" in the fashion plate sense.
The car was crowded and Collins
was hanging to a strap. He fell to
watching the face of a girl who was
seated opposite. Her hair vas light
brown, and her eyes. Collins per-
ceived, when she lifted them for a
moment in his direction, were his
favorite color-at least, at that mo-
ment-blue-gray.
On n side of her sat a swarthy,
m~ean-visaged individual, a common
ouo"oy ISpS. vi lAlC oIllCI sat u
puffy-faced gentleman, reading his
newspaper. Collins had totally for
gotten the girl by the time the train
stopped at Brooklyn bridge.
Suddenly his attention was drawn
to her by hearing her exclaim in a
low, well-modulated voice, but express
Sfve Of intense scorn:
"Will you kindly stop pressing my
arm, sirT'
His nerves were already tingling.
This slight incident completely upset
his equilibrium. He saw the puffy.
faced man, who had begun to look
exceedingly uncomfortable, apparent
ly attempting to conceal himself be-
hind his newspaper. Collins leapeL
forward and dragged the pufy-faced
a from his seat. Holding him by
the collar with one hand he delivered
a clean uppercut with the free fist,
and had the satisfaction Of landing
sQuarely upon the puffy-faced mans
optic.
Instantly the car was in an uproal.
Collins found himself the center of a
las of struggling humanity. A man
was clapping him on the shoulder and
shouting a~pprovingly. "Well done,
young fellow" he exclaimed. That's
the way we southerners would do.
Give him what he deserves"
Collins worked himself free and
tried to help the girl through the
throng. He reached her and offered
her his arm. She declined it indig-
nantly, and Collins, crestfallen, fol-
lowed her to the car door, where he
was at once seized by a g~ray-coated
subway guard.
Hold him" yelled the puffy-faced
man, who, hatless and coatless, now
appeared on the cene. That's the
fellow that assaulted and tried to rob
| me-"
Collins saw the girl stop suddenly,
hesitate, and her return impulsiyely
toward him. She laid her hand upon
his arm.
"No, it is a mistake" she said. "This
gentleman tried to protect me against
a despicable fellow who was insulting
me, only-only-'
Only he struck the wrong man.
she said. "This gentleman was per-
fectly innocent"
/ Innocent" snorted the puffy~faced
man. II should say that I am limo
cent. I am a family man, and I can't
60 home with a black eye. Besides.
I'm a c~hurchwarden, and there's moth
ing in my life I have to conceal. My
name is Robert B. Allison, president of
the Western Manufacturing company,
and the little influence that 1 have 1
| shall use to see that this young black
guard gets the punishment he de-
serves"
Collins was thunderstorm at this
piece Of information. Surely fate had
dealt very hardly with him. The puffy
faced man, who had now adjusted his
coat and hat, did not look much like
a prospective employer.
"Mr. Allison" he said impulsively.
II don't care for myself, but if you are
a gentleman you will let me get this
lady out of this crowd. Won't you &C
cept my humble apologies? My name
is Collins-Frank Collins, and was
on my way downtown to apply to you
for a position. l lose the position ;
let us call the account even"
"You are Mr.. Allison |" exclaimed
the girl. "Why I am Grace LOOMS,
and I was on my way to your Office in
answer to your letter to call concern
ing a private secretaryship." y
There was an awful silence. Col
Inns dared not look up. The crowd
was melting away; the three stood
there together, for even the guard, see
ing the turn matters were taking, had
wisely gone about his business. Sud-
denly a roar burst from A1lison's lips.
"Good Lord, that's one ON me !" he
said. Il can't afford to have it get
about that I was mauled by one of
my employees to punish me for in
sulting my secretary. Besides, I need
you both to give evidence to my wife
about my eye. Come on down to my
Office and wen adjust matters Mr..
Collins, your first official act will be
to buy me an eye-plaster. You're a
clean-cut man, sir, and a clean upper
cut man, too. You're both engaged"
But somehow there was a lurking
double meaning in that last word that
made Miss LOOMS blush.
Thn oa%nA,x x<>I.