Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 4, 1922 — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

456 ing view of the room. She settled herself comfortably, with the idea of passing as much of the two hours and twenty minutes as possible. The bill of fare received her undivided attention for the next five minutes. At last she gave the order for a hearty break- fast. The restaurant was filling rapidly. Idly Jacqueline watched the people coming and going. Then suddenly her heart al- most stopped beating. She held to the edge of the table to keep from slipping out of sight underneath. Some people she knew—a man and his wife, neighbors—had entered and were com- ing toward her, nearer and nearer. She glanced frantically around. Picking up the menu, she tried to hide behind it. “Tf they come one step nearer, it’s all up,” she muttered grimly. When she finally gained courage to glance over the top of the card a deep sigh of relief escaped her. The woman had se- lected a table at quite the other end of the room. She was hurrying toward it, fol- lowed by her husband and the resigned waiter. ‘“* Now ’—at last Jacqueline was able to turn her undivided attention to the break- fast the waiter was placing before her— “I am going to enjoy a long-drawn-out feast.” : II. SHE glanced up and frowned. The head waiter was waving a young man into the empty chair opposite her. There was ab- solutely nothing the matter with the young man. Ordinarily Jacqueline would have eaten her breakfast regardless of whether the place opposite was occupied or not. But to-day was different. She much pre- ferred being alone. | Having poured her coffee, she took a hasty swallow. As she lowered the cup her eyes met those of the young man. - “JT wish he’d mind his own business,” fidgeted Jacqueline, knowing all the time it was unfair, as she was the central object of his vision and not easy to avoid. She . turned her attention resolutely to her melon. It was not very ripe, so she gave it up and tackled her bacon and eggs. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘“T wish he wouldn’t watch me as if—if— I—” She glanced at the man with a ques- tioning frown. Could it be possible that he was trying to identify her as Jacqueline Garfield? Her family might have discovered by this © time that she was gone—they might have phoned to some detective agency. She supposed that was what was done when daughters of rich families ran away, and the families had a motive for getting them back again. Then common sense came to her rescue. It was absurd to think that they could be looking for her yet. Even if they had: dis- covered her escape, how would they know where to begin looking? Having settled this firmly in her mind, she attacked her bacon and eggs again. But after a couple of mouthfuls she put down her fork and fell into a brown study. Perhaps some one had seen her and rec- ognized her on the road or at her home station. She supposed the New York sta- tions would be the first places the agency would send detectives. They would know she couldn’t have gone very far in so short a time. The thought choked her. She was un- able to swallow another mouthful. She must get away somewhere—by herself. She paid her bill; then she sat, undecided. Much as she wanted to leave the table, she dreaded making the first move. It would be a test. . If the young man let her go without a protest—well and good. If not— She got up. The waiter handed her her traveling- bag. She was turning away, when— ‘“‘T beg your pardon—” The young man pushed back his chair, rose quickly, and leaned across the table toward her. Jacque- line stood still, unable to move. ‘“ Are these your, gloves?” As Jacqueline took them a sudden irre- pressible chuckle escaped her. The relief was so sudden she felt hysterical. ‘‘ I sup- pose if I had ever run away before,” she thought as she hurried from the room, “I wouldn’t be so panicky.” Going to the news-stand, she picked out three magazines and several newspapers. With these she retired to a remote corner of COMmMiCLMooks.GoOm