The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-26
stems to the subWaVs.


steps to the subways.
Especially down the steps to the
su5ways. In swirls and tunnels
and waves. 1t poured its human
drops down the steps and into
the subways trains that bore them
off north underground to the
Bronx, south to the Battery and
Brooklyn. east to Queens and Cor
ona. west to New Jersey. and
countless outlying places nm be-
yond. n
A girl with spiderwort-biue eyes
and a fresh, pretty, sensitive fac".
In which the color came and went
easily. An excellently well dressed
girl In very simple SUIT of finely
corded crepe, fiower-petal dull, soft
and supple, cut with the new
downward siantlEs shoulders land
elbow length sleeves that were
touched off with crisp white cuffs
But. what is mere important for
your interest she carried her long
white gloves in her f1ands and on
the other hand she " ore diamond
ring. 1t wasn't an lordinafy dia-
mond ring. but a beautiful one
large with deep brilliant swiftly
cha nging lights at the heart of 1t
The stone was a valuable one.
Having flowed down thu steps
with the rest of her side-channel
of the great river. the girl with the
diamond on her finger poured. with
such others as could get there. into
a subway train. The mechanism cf
the train signed and sroared
somehow the doors slid shut and
the train went hurting on its way
under the earth.
The girl as 1T happened was just
behind young man who had also
done himself vel when 1t came TO
clothes: A tailor made gray suit
with widely spaced stripes of blue
and white, blue striped collar and
shir. and derby hat. But he didn't
look her sort at all in any other
respect. se4 s
Steadying herself with a hand on
the strap above her she brought
the diamond close to the young
mans eyes. Perhaps he knew
something OF diamonds. Certainly
this one lit a definite light within
his eyes. From it. they Travelled
down her arm to her face, and his
own irradiated delight and rscog-
milton. AS the girl dropped into
one Of the two seats left, he took
the other one beside her.
"HELLO. FLOSsIE,"
HE SAID EASILY
"Hello, Flossfe," he said easily.
Jesse, but I'm glad to see yer, kid.
How's the girl. hun ?"
She turned and looked at him
quickly. Drew quick nervous
breath, looked him straight in the
eyes, and then away again. 81 don't
know you" she said. "You-you've
taken me for somebody else"
The young mans lids went mar
row.
"Say, where'd you get that stuff
you not KNOWN me? What's the
big idea?"
An elderly man across the aisle
raised his eyes from his paper. The
girl looked at the young man. and
away again, opened her lips, and
closed them, sale, rInally. In a good
deal of distress. II never saw
you before" and was about to get
up and change her seat. when the
older man leaned forward.
"Is that fellow annoying your"
he said, in q pleasant, firm BARI
tone that cut its way through the
noises of the train.
Relief swept the girls face. She
turned toward the older man Gag
erly. IL don't know him.
really don't.
The elderly man folded his paper
and rose to his feet. He was a
kindly looking person, with care
fully trimmed. gray vandyke, per-
fectly tailored clothes and gen.
eral air of well-being and conf
dence. Looking, not at the girl, but
the man he said, In voice that all
the people nearby could hear:
"He knows you don't
whats that?" said the young
man. and there was the clink of
steel in his tone.
"I said you know she doesn't
know you. Is that plain. or shall
call a cop to explain it? Ia
rather like to. And appear tomor-
row morning against you in court.
There are too many of your kind
in this town. and too many people
who are afraid of you."
The other came to his feet in one
easy, 1.-THE, menacing motion, his
jaw a little forward. his tone cold
and gritty. Listen, you! This
dolls a friend of mine. I've known
her since"
But the older man stopped him
with the stiff, authoritative tapping