The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-10-14
When Fate
DEGREES
tcOpyright.l
By c. E. MCCORMACK

Powers looked at his friend very
seriously for a moment before speak
ing. We'll" he said, until yesterday
afternoon | was the most skepticai Of
mortals concerning predestination and
all that sort OF thing, but now the
whole world has changed"
Let's hear all about it. l know 1t
is something unusual to make such an
Impression on YOU"
THE other day had busy day and
when closing time came | started out
from the office feeling greatly ia
tigued. ! went. as is my custom, to
buy an evening paper, and there at the
stand stood woman buying paper
She paid for it and turned abruptly
to go In the opposite direction to
which | was going. AS ! said. was
mighty tired and perhaps that is the
reason i acted as ! did. Whatever II
was the fact remains | collided with
her and almost knocked her down.
She staggered and would have fallen
had she not put out her hand quickly
to keep her balance And l, stupid
blunderer that / was, caught 1t and
held 1t fast saying, How do you do?'
She let it rest in mine for a moment
then Withdrew it quickly. saying
haughtily, You have made mistake,
sir, | do not know you.
THAT was mighty awkward stu
ation," laughed Reynolds.
Eyes. Then l woke up and stared
at her hard Her eyes blazed danger
ously. Pardon me, madam | said
see that l have. She brushed by me
like an outraged queen. never felt
so cheap in my life. But awkward as
my position was it was not what i'm
pressed me. 1t was
Powers paused and glanced at his
friend, saying solemnly, "You won't
divulge my secret?"
II swear by all that's"
"That will do. / know your IA
vorite oath. No, it was not my blum
der and the indignation of the lady
that made SO profound an impression
on me, 1t was the thrill got when
clasped her hand. / never expert
enced anything like it. And then and
there l vowed | would get acquainted
with her, come what may"
what did you do?"
II seized the newsdealer by the
lapel of his coat and asked. Does that
lady stop at your stand often7'
Every night, SIR.
AT the same hourT
Eyes, as a rule. Sometimes she's
i've Or ten minutes later
20 you know who she isy
"'No. sir, but | judge she is EN-
ployed somewhere about here
ThanksI said /, slipping him
something for the information, If she
gets here tomorrow night before me.
try and detain her, will your
Leave it to me, sir laughed the
newsdealer.
Il went home, had dinner went
out, and, by jove, / couldn't get the
thought Of the lady out of my mind.
The following night / hurried to the
news stand. Has she been herer /
asked excitedly.
mot yet said the dealer, but
she'll be along any minute now
'Whereupon took up my stand a
few feet away at the curb and waited.
In few moments she came along,
walking slowly as though in deep
meditation. She went to the stand,
bought her paper and moved on. The
dealer exchanged glances with me.
turned, and followed"
did you find out who she WASP
'FYes. / followed her to her house
and gave little boy who came out
of it just as she entered dime to
tell me who she was. Reynolds, then
1 did what you will consider a mad
act, sent her flowers, with a little
note. telling her who was and asking
If could call that evening"
what answer did the lady giveY'
ut nearly bowIed me over when /
read it. It said, My mother and l
shall be pleased to have you CALL l
went, met the lady and her mother and
was entertained by them in as charm.
ing way as though they had known
ME all my life. When left / had sac
rified my dearest possession-my free
dom. Given it over in keeping to a
woman, who, Twenty-Five hours pre-
viously, did not know was In exist
ence. If that wasn't Fate. what was
it?"
ut looks as though you are right.
What did the lady think about it?"
THAT'S the strangest part, of it.
She said her mother told her she
would become engaged to the man she
was to marry the day after she met
him. For added this charming old
lady, that is what l did, my dear,
and pray that your happiness may
be as complete as mine And so, aft
er hearing Of our encounter at the
news stand, she said, Mark my words.
you will see him again shortly"
$50 that chance meeting explains
the cause of your happiness"
Yes. Whereas previous to that l
was a seIf-centered, rather selfish In
dividual, with a greed for the acqui-
sition of knowledge that would help