Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-19

than Josephine Joy was at that no
ment-in her lovely negliee. with ~
hair mussed and her eyes shining
She was excited. but not nervous as
Eve was. Miss joys excitement was
simply a form Of stimulation. and
suggested that If space had permitted
she would have pranced about little
on her slim feet from mere delight.
Eve could not help admiring this
courage. Aren't YOU a. bit afraid
she asked-she could not bring the
tone of her voice up to normal.
Miss JOY shook her Curls. NO,
she answered. I'm not afraid. l like
being in on anything that's going"
Then her face grew serious as she
laid her shell-like ear against the
door. That shout sounded like 1t
was your husband out there she
said.
"Oh. let me 60 to him." cried Eve
all minor fears swallowed MP in the
larger one that Tom was out there
alone. But Miss Joy held her place
at the door.
"A lot of good you'd do him" she
said You keep perfectly still. and I'll
have a shot at them myself" She
clicked out the lights of the compart-
ment and very softly opened the door
IN the dim light of the outer car the
women could see that Tom was
engaged in a fight--in what had been
a ficht-but was now 81 slow. crue;
triumph over q small writhing figure
which was gradually being forced
backward down the aisle. Tom had
come in from writing his letters and
found an intruder going through his
things. and all his primitive instincts
had been aroused.
Eve was thinking how absurd ever
to worry about Tom--TOm was always
secure. always tiinmpha her
eyes fell on a sinister eXcreScence
from the side of the door which the
two struggling figures were approach
ing-such a small thing to he so SIMS
ter. just the upper half of q. masked
face and the barrel of a revolver. This
third figure must have been there A
long time--from the beginning, wait
ing a favorable opportunity to shoot
when his friends body should not he
acting as screen to the victim. Eve
never realized that the queer. shrill
scream like wounded kitten came
from her own lips. for everything hap.
pened in a second Miss JOY did not
waste her emotion in screaming. She
simply fired at the eXcrescence, there
was a veil of pain. Tom turned at the
shot. releasing his opponent. who
Sprang Ia the assistance of the wound
ed man, and must have dragged him
off the train. for the bandits disap-
peared to return no more.
Tom rushed to the compartment and
seized his wife in his arms. not so
much in a caress as in an imperative
necessity to know by the sense of
touch that she was actually there safe
and sound. II couldn't find you'll
didn't know where YOU were" he kept
repeating. and his tone told her that
this was the most horrible thing that
could happen to him. Then over his
shoulder he added. II believe you
saved my life. joey"
"Of course she did" murmured Eve,
a little shocked at his casual tone
and may live to regret it," an
swered Miss JOY, patting her hack
curls. with good deal Of elbow mo-
ton in the gesture.
How did you happen to have a
gun with you?" he asked, and there
was a shade of patronage in his tone
Eve broke in. "Oh. she has been so
wonderful, Tom. so brave and calm. y
She thought 1t extremely noble of Miss
JOH UOI to tuGH IfIS SITUATION 10 nef
own advantage emOtionally. But 1t
was not until after she had gone to
bed that she reflected that Tom had
not made any set speech Of gratitude
to his rescuer. Some people, She
thought. some of those stupid people
who did not understand Toms nature,
might even have thought him a little
bit ungrateful.
She fell asleep perfectly happy, for
not only had the crisis shown her that
she and Tom were perfectly one, but
all the bitterness of her feeling toward
Miss JOY had gone. Wicked the WON.
an might be, but she was generous
and brave: There must always now
be bond between her husband and
this woman; whatever one felt iowa I'd
person who had saved ones life.
Tom must feel henceforward. and il
something wilder and warmer than
gratitude came of so romantic a sit,la
ton, Eve felt that she could bear even
that. for there would be nothing
trivial about it.
CHE woke early the next morning.
and by the time she was dressed
the train had stopped at the first town
since the holdup. The platform was
alive with sheriffs, officers and report
ers. As Eve stepped down into the
sunlight and the crisp, dry air, mea n
ing to get a postal card at the adobe
station and write a brief account of
the holdup for her sister, she found
herself surrounded. Every one seemed
to know that she was the wife Of the
man whose life had been saved by
the splendid courage of Miss Joey
JOY. Eve. who had been brought up
to an immense reserve toward the
press, was relieved when the whole
group about her disappeared like
leaves swept by a wind. Miss Joy
herself had appeared.
She was standing on the top step,
bare-headed. looking like a Fra Angel.
leo angel who had suddenly put on u
smart coat and skirt. She was hang
ing on the bar outside the steps, ana
one foot. in the thinnest Of fesh.col-
ored stocking and a bright-buckled
shoe. swung frankly out.
Standing humbly In the crowd, Eve
listened to her story 1t was, from
the reporters point Of view, splendid
story-from every point of view but