The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-02-04
aside she said "Marmaduke Buffers
your name"

anu lIlen ON realized tlldC tne man
who had been talking to the girl on
the opposite side of the street had
crossed and had caught up with them.
Say, who are your said the young
man, well dressed but with his hat
drawn far down over his eyes.
"Why, I'm Marmaduke Butler-I
think" stammcred Tom.
"Wen, you can stop annoying this
lady" said the stranger. shes a
friend of mine and | won't stand
for any strangers talking to her"
The man pushed his way trying to
walk between the girl and Tom. You
never saw her before in your life,
did you? You don't know her name,
do you?"
The girl had crossed in front of
Tom and was hanging on his arm.
Tel him you are an old friend"
she was saving.
Tn IN old friend" said Tom with
out conviction.
Il don't believe it," snared the
stranger 1--WE don't neither of us
know her well. And | came along
first. You"
Tom did not wait to know what
was coming next. He shook off the
girls hold, his fists clenChed and
his muscles frightened without voli-
ton. The next minute he had struck
out toward the annoying stranger, and
with the third blow the stranger was
prone on the path Then he and the
girl walked quickly on. They walked a
block In silence. Then the man picked
himself up, brushed off his coat and
followed, apparently not much the
worse for wear
Take me home" whispered the
girl, hoarsely. Its 20 Bedford street.
Can you find it," Tom knew the
way perfectly, though the house In
question lay half hour beyond, with
no chance Of trolley or bus to convey
them thither The man was following
them. Just what part he was play
ing in the little triangle Tom didn't
know. But he and the girl went on,
walking all the time faster to keep
ahead of the undesirable one, who was
following them swiftly In the gloam-
ing.
He stood with her on the porch
of the house marked 20 until ser
want came to the door. MAY | see
you again?" He was reluctant to
let the door separate them.
"Oh, no." said the girl. 1T would
seem as if | had been very inn
pertinent If we ever met again. /
could never consent to know a man
whom I had met that way. But l
shall always be SO grateful" Then
the door closed and Tom in much con-
fusion traced his steps homeward. 1t
was quarter of seven when he
reached home.
tom, you have broken one Of your
resolutions the first thing" chirped
Peggy, when they met at dinner.
1--WE broken more than one" said
Tom dismally. 1--WE flirted with a
girl, knocked a man over. I've felt as
if l wanted something all to myself,
and If l get half chance I'll be en-
gagged before 1924. Say, Peggy, Sally
lives somewhere in Bedford street,
doesn't she?"
"Twenty-six," said Peggy. "And l
member that, because you'll have to
see Sally's cousin home. You see,
she's the extra girl tonight. And
Sally and Burton James are so struck
with each other that they won't want
that cousin butting in-yOu won't
mind, will your"
Then the telephone bell rang and
Peggy was absorbed for many min
utes. She burst in upon Tom in the
dining room, where he was finish
ing dinner alone. "Tom, hurry.
am afraid you'll have to 60 get Sally
and her cousin Burton James was
going to meet them here and they were
coming alone, but the cousin-Madge
is her name-had the most awful ex-
perience, perfectly awful. First
man sitting beside her In the street
car said he remembered her, that he
had met her at dance, was an old
friend of her brothers. Madge never
suspected that he was just picking
her up. When she found out she got
off the car and he followed her. They
walked along and then he took her
arm, wanted to make date with her
and everything. Madge didn't know
what to do, 1t was so dark and lonely.
But she says the incest man came
along and saw her difficulty and
knocked the man down and took her
home, then left without letting her
know who he was. Wasn't that
splendid? Now the girls are afraid to
come alone for fear that other man
will meet them"
OF course Tom FASTENED to 26 Bed
ford street, and of course the affair
ripened into romance, and long be-
fore the year was out announcements
were made Of the engagement Of
Madge and Tom. Peggy didn't find
1t hard to forgive Tom for breaking
his New Years resolutions, but she
always insisted that 1t would have
been so much more romantic il Madge
had married the hero who knocked
her annOyer down, on New Years