New Britain herald., 1922-03-08
The Way M~lge F.vndel the Stranger

The Way M~lge Evnded the Stranger
 If there is anything on earth to equal the aplomb and quick rising to all emergency of the colored atten- siants in railroad stations and on trains I'd ne glad, in DiclSy's rarlance, to be led to it.
 Tie buxom cciored mntron In the waiting room changed no muscle in her face as shNhela out her hand for the five dollar" bill l proffcred her, exhibiting no surprise whatever at my announcement that 1t was given to help me away, and forget that she had done so.
 "Ya's honey. Ah understands" she said soothingy "Try standin' up I'll help yoh."
 She bent over me. assisted me to my feet, and held me firmly which l rougM vim rne dizziness and weak ness which for minute or two threatened ot vanquish my determina- tion 10 get away from the waiting room before the return Of the myster- ious foreigner who claimed to be a friend of my father, and who had
 
 But will power triumphcd over the pain in the ridge on my forehead where the swinging door had struck me, and l soon found myself able to stand alone and to smile encouraging ly at the sympathetic matron.
 I'm perfectly all right now. Which way can l go so that he won't see me?"
 Her answer was ready. She evil dently had been considering the prob lem ever since l first had broached it..
 '.The best way will be foh you to turn to the lef-Oh. Seliny, you's jest in time Look aftah my work foh a minute. I'se got an errand. Come long. honey"
 "Wherc to, Ma'am?"
 She picked up my bag and whisked me through swinging door into the main waiting room, then out again through another door into a corridor which l never had traversed before. and hurried me to a flight of stairs.
 'I'll carry yoh bag to the top Of the stairs" she said, breathlessly. for she was stout, "an' there yohll find a taxi, An you can count on me, honey I'll neIah peach. But as soon as yoh get where yoh're goin' yoh must take care of that bump. Yoh're sure goin to have one awful-loQkin' black eye. Goodby."
 We had reached the top of the stairs and, handing me my bag. she scuttled back down with never a Sl rylo preciated the delicacy and the shrewd- ness of the action. She would be able to say truthfully that she had not the slightest idea of my destina- tion.
 As I signaled d taxicab, l realized that I had not the slightest idea my self of where l was going.
 "Where to, ma'am?" The driver touched his cap in the most approved fashion.
 I named nearby department store desperately, and set my mind to work to decide what l must do.,
 .NIadgc Finds Hotel.
 I had two objects, one to elude the mysterious foreigner the other to gain shelter where l could rest and follow my kindly old mentors advice to take care of my hurt That l must stay at some hotel for the night, knew, for the delay of the train had made it impractical for me to start upon my hunt for Katie until the next morning. But which hotel? One not too near the station, l de- cided, despairingly wishing that my head would stop aching so that could tackle the other half of my problem.
 An old axiom of Iillian's which she used in her government secret work flashed into my mind.
 Never use the same taxi from your start to your destination" and as the car pulled up to the entrance of the department store, I had the fare ready, tipped the man to a small coin in order that he might remember me neither for my generosity nor for my niggardliness and walked into the big store as if were the ordinary out-of- town shopper.
 It would be a simple proposition now, l told myself, I would walk through the store, go out at another entrance upon another street, get second taxi. and go to my small, quiet, first class hotel-I had a horror of a