The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21
RECORD NO. 80, By Ida Clyde Clark

he said, "but the reward-what of that?"
Miss Warren told him. emitting, of course,
the part that was responsible for their pres
ence at the Waldorf-Astoria, though the
professor probably guessed that.
Seeing that Amelie was embarrassed over
the situation, which she did not understand,
the professor kindly turned the conversa-
ton and talked to her of Louisiana and of
his short, happy life down there; of the war
and of his recent experiences in England.
and a very eventful one it had been for
every member of the company.
At the door it was Carriers turn to be en-
barrassed.
"Your number, sir" requested the door
man. Carter fumbled in his pocket for the
check 1t was not there. He tried in vain
to identify the car and to remember what
the chauffeur looked like.
"Where do you go, Miss Trent?" asked the
professor courteously.
And when she named her hotel, he
smiled.
"Why that is only very short distance
from here" he said. "You would hardly
need the carr And then to Carter he said.
"Never mind about the car. will see that
Miss Trent gets to her hotel safely and l am
sure that you will see Miss Warren home"
Carter was relieved, and after whispered
conversation with Miss Warren he thanked
the professor and accepted his suggestion.
Finding herself alone with her French
professor, Amelie felt all of the burdens, the
worries, the perplexities, the mysteries and
the misunderstanding of the day suddenly
melt away, and she was strangely, deli
ciously happy. They walked the few blocks
together, and talked Of the south and
especially Louisiana. And with gentle
courtesy and expressions Of real pleasure at
having met her, the professor said goodbye
to her as she stepped into the elevator to go
to her room. '=.
When she reached her room strange
loneliness began to steal over her.
If she had been deliciously happy for
brief moments that evening when she was
looking into the professors quiet gray eyes,
that sympathetic personal way he had, at
the end he had seemed exceedingly formal,
and he had left her with no hint, not the
slightest suggestion that he was to see her
again, or that he was interested beyond
the curiosity of the moment. She had now
sickening sense that it was all over, and
she was tempted to take the early morning
train back to Merryville.
The next morning she walked up Broad
way, aimless and uncertain. Before she
realized where she was she found herself in
Thirty-fourth street, near the entrance of
the big building on the tenth floor of which
she had had the awful experiences of the day
before. And almost simultaneously with
this realization the sound of q familiar voice
fell on her ears.
"Why, good morning, Miss Trent. Miss
Warren was just trying to get you by
phone" and she looked up in a half startled
way into the smiling face of Carter Raines
~ was just going out to get some matinee
tickets" he said, proudly displaying "a bill
miss Warren wanted to know what you'd
rather see, but as she couldn't. get you,
was Just going to take chance. .
,Amelie. wished to decline, to extricate her
self from: the network Of circumstances in
which she was entangled, but She had not
the slightest idea how to do sol Carter
insisted that she go up and talk 1T over with
Miss: Warren, and seeming unable to resist,
she reluctantly followed HIM .baeksinto that
hateful office which she had kaped never to
enter again. =. T.: t44faAaEzys, 81
She was trifle surprised and distinctly
pleased to be greeted so cordially and SO
pleasantly by Miss Warren, and even Mr..
Lawrence seemed actually glad to see her.
And while she chatted with them she felt
no surprise whatever to see Professor Mar
vile come in. She couldn't have told just
why, but it seemed only the natural and ex-
pected thing for her to see him there and
then. He, too, was pleasant but quite as
reserved as he had been when he had left
the night before. He did not seem inclined
to join in the conversation: but was pre-
occupied and silent.
"Help us out, professor" Miss Warren
pleaded. "Miss Trent and are going to the
matinee and we can't decide what to see."