Evening star., 1933-01-29

Then he stiffened. He had never
- seen this girl before in his life.
His wonder -who-she-is expression
changed to hauteur. He did not like to have
strange women accost him on the street.
"No" he said. I'm not Sorry"
He touched his hat and hurried on to where
q bus had stopped. Then he jumped aboard,
climbed to the higher level, and promptly for
got her.
Low bridget" yelled the conductor, as the
huge machine glided under an archway.
Mark felt some one clutch his arm.
"Oh I forgot to duck! But then, one would
have to be a giraffe to get bumped II beg
your pardon"
1t was Mark saw. the girl who'd spoken to
him on the corner a moment ago. That's all
right he said. and turned his eyes away from
the eager young face, half smiling at him. to
the teeming city below.
"You see, was So intent looking for some
one" the young woman went on explaining.
''that it startled me the way it does when
body is jumped at from behind door,
Looking for some one?" echoed Mark.
"From the top of a New York bus!"
I IE was looking her with amaze
! ] ment that swil = changed to commisera-
tion. Poor child! How young she was! Not
over 81. and so little. Mark himself 80.
Aloud he said. This is unusual place to
hunt for any one, young lady. Did you begin
At Washington Square?"
"Yes" she nodded. Its my-my fiance, and
I've got to find him before 6 o'clock"
Automatically the man consulted his wrist
watch. Five minutes to g.
you'd be wiser to get down and telephone"
he suggested. only five minutes
"But 1 can't telephone. You see, he hasn't
Il don't know-welI, 1 had hoped to meet him
somewhere"
Don't tell me he agreed to meet you along
the route from the Washington Arch to Grants
Tomb"
mo. he didn't agree. exactly" Troubled
blue eyes met puzzled gray ones. "Oh, dear
you do resemble him SO much That's why
Il mistook YOU But don't suppose-you
don't suppose"
HCAY, what is this-a game?" Plainly the
- girl was not herself Ought he hand
her over to policeman, find out where she
lived and take her home himself? That he
decided, vgHA be the kinder way but he must
be very careful about it.
Suppose you tell me where you want to go
and I'll see that you get there" he offered.
"Oh, would you? You look awfuIly kind. To
tell you the truth don't know my way about
very well Perhaps you guessed it. was
scared to death when touched your arm down
there"
"But if you thought was your fance-?"
Don't look so queerly at me. know must
sound all mixed up and am. I've q good no
ton to confide in you if-if you're sure you
don't mind
II don't mind. Go ahead" What was this
going to be. he wondered. A lost pocketbook
story and the bid for the fare home? Well
anyway, she sounded saner. Go right ahead
The girl took long breath. "You1l Gh1nk
I'm terrible, but there isn't any fance-that is
not real one. But I've got to have one for
see?"
mo" he confessed "I don't"
"\A/EL. you will in minute. And If
w you'll really go home with me and play
you are he, you'll help me out Of a whole lot
You won't have to marry me or anything; just
pretend. Just for tonight"
"Say. what is this, game?" he asked again.
startled.
Kind Of It's what get for playing game
in the first place"
There a quickly smothered sob, before
she continued less bitterly
please reserve Judgment till you hear the
whole business I'm not idiot really. I'm
kindergarten teacher. out IN Suburbia. My
name is Lee, Betty Lee And I'm desperately
in need of a man.
You see, 1 come from New Hampshire, ana
I don't know many people in Suburbia. To be
perfectly frank-oh, dear It's awfully hard to
tell you this-a stranger like your
Play I'm the man you took me for"
Betty gave him dsarming smile. I'm glad
you're you. You're aWfully kind. You can't
Imagine what it is to teach among a lot OF
teachers and not have any beau," she burted
out.