The All-Story, March 1914 — page 149: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

622 THE grow more and more intense every day. But she was careful not to tell any one at Mrs. Telfer’s anything about it, though, of course, every one knew that she had *“‘ landed a swell beau ’’; and she bore the mild chaff that came her way with a superior sort of equanimity that, if she had been a little taller, would have been supercilious. Once or twice, as she was dressing to go out with Fairleigh, Miss Gray- son, her top-floor neighbor, came into her room and sat upon the edge of the bed and talked or Jent a hand with refractory hooks and eyes. Peggy was sorry for her, more so than ever before, and wondered, in those halcyon days when all the world lay at her feet, what had made Miss Grayson so queer. But Miss Grayson did not say. She looked at Peggy sometimes rather sor- rowfully, and then, one evening, with- out a second’s warning, kissed her most violently and ran from the room, Then Peggy thought she understood, and the little inéielent made her very quiet; so quiet that Fairleigh noticed it and asked her about it. She said it was “nothing,” but when, as usual, he suggested a taxicab for the home- ward journey, Peggy, to his great sur- prise, did not object. They trundled up Broadway, leaving the glare and the glamour behind, and passed into Central Park. where Peggy seemed to lean toward Fairleigh quite . naturally, and her tired head, just as she had dreamed it would, found rest on his shoulder without any effort. His arms crept round about her and held her very close, and his lips burned upon her lips and eves and cheeks and throat. There was no word spoken—scarcely a sound. Peggy was happy, breathlessly, al- most hysterically happy; happier than she had ever thought she could be, and she clung to him, panting, with the memory of Miss Grayson’s kiss and Jook making her fearful that his arms ALL-STORY MAGAZINE. | night relax or his lips become s ardent. They didn't; and the things he pres’ ently w hispered into her willing eats would look foolish in print. She heard him gay that he Loved her and would take her away from the drudgery of her employment. They would live—Live! and she would his forever and ever. They would go away to-morrow, any time, anywhere, Nothing mattered but her lips and her love and her: and to think that he had found her, so beautiful and gentle and good—in a subway train! Peggy could hardly believe that, either, but it only proved all the more conclusively that destiny was not a fae tor to be trifled with, or true love 4 thing to be denied. As she climbed to her little room at the top of the stairs she was tingling and warm with joy. Her hair wasa ‘ sight,’’ her cheeks and lips were bur ing. and her head felt a little light; but love and life—real life—were hers; hers to enjoy—hers to cherish and play with—hers forever and ever! A light in Miss Grayson’s room startled and quieted her a little. She slipped into her own cubby-hole of a place, lit the gas, and, true to form, sought the mirror. ce Gee! 72 It was quite involuntary and justi fied, but a few deft touches put her hair in order and a powder-puff helped reduce the exhilaration in her cheeks. There came a low knock upon the door. Peggy started guiltily, but managed to call almost at once: “ Come in.” Miss Grayson entered. “Oh, hello!” Peggy ‘Been working? ” “No. Just wasting time,” the Vis- itor answered in her. ustial quiet, in- different way, and with a smile that greeted her, haunted her lips peculiarly. “ You had a good time, hadn’t you? ” Peggy's glance shifted. Yes—quite nice.tharkwepsc earn