Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

O82 She had taken a studied look at his con- fusion. ‘“‘In here? Why, to eat! you a plain-clothes man?” ‘‘ Good God!” exclaimed Hildreth. “TI think so. But, really, I haven’t done anything—yet. Just going to, you know.” ‘“‘What are you driving at? I’m not a policeman of any sort,” he muttered a trifle sulkily. ‘ You ought to know. But, first— why did you turn in here?” She shrugged coldly; then, with com- posure, as if it really couldn’t make any difference, she retorted, with a clear-eyed glance at him: “Tf it’s of any interest, I came in here deliberately to beat these people out of\a supper. I didn’t know just how to do it— I thought it might be done—slipping out with the crowd, or—” She looked about at the heavy-jowled eaters.in the armchairs. ‘You see, I am sure I could do it—some way. And if they caught me I don’t sup- pose it would be very bad. But as I'd never done it before, and you interfered, I thought you must be a—detective who’d rather read my guilty mind!” She laughed again, and with a sort of wild relief, and then added: ‘“‘ Of course I’m hungry—and, of course, I’ve no money —not a cent.” He was staring at her in some stupefac- tion. “ T never was in Chicago in my life be- fore,” she went on evenly. ‘“ And haven’t a friend within hundreds of miles. I suppose there are other ways of getting on except Tell me—are being silly, but ’—she looked at him with quick arch dignity—‘ but this is all, isn’t it?” And she was turning away rather icily. “ Bluffing it out,” thought Hildreth, “she lost the money, all right! It’s queer, but she’s riding it through on her nerve. She’s been too scattered to think what to do yet! But coming in this joint—and not a cent of change—that doesn’t ring right.” The girl had gone to the serving tables, taken a heavy plate and stood watching the white-aproned men, as if again rather un- certain of procedure, and Hildreth was filled with another sense of anger and in- justice — in some way or other she had ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE, laughed at him, rebuffed him.. She hadn’t even appealed to him as a gentleman to assist her. He saw her carrying a dish to a chair in the further end of the blue-and-yellow porcelain-lined room and sit down quite alone. And suddenly Hildreth himself laughed shortly. His hand went down in his ‘trouser- pocket. He had been broke to-day—quite flat. With a sense of coming back to earth, to his own dismal fortunes this week, he remembered that, apart from the thousands of new crisp bills in the black packet, he had not a cent. He hadn’t thought of it since he left the street-car “ Her money,” he -nuttered; “or, at least, some one’s in her charge. I wonder what the little lady will do? Faint—weep over her corned-beef’hash? Embrace. me? Anyhow, I’m broke to-night, and she’ll have to pay the bill for the two of us.” The girl was so intent on her hunger that she did not see Hildreth again until he had deposited his own plate and coffee cup at the chair just to her left. Then she looked up to discover him placing a paper napkin carefully on his knees. He did not need to look to know that she had stiffened with a sharp intake of her breath. When _his glance did go to her, her eyes were averted, her pale face stony. And he suddenly found the matter in- tolerable. Turning with an air of decision, he took the black packet from his pocket, tapped her chair-table with it, and blustered out: “See here! I’ve been rather fooling you —you didn’t give me a chance to explain! You upset me by laughing. When I men- tioned the street-car I thought you’d under- stand.” He tapped the board again with the black packet. ‘“ I picked this up under your feet en the car and then madly chased you blocks to— to get — laughed at, you see! ”) She regarded him and the case quite curiously. ce Yes?” He stared at her again and bit his lip. Then he flung the leather innergflap wide open. The thick press of bill-edges with the - rubber band across the middle of the first COMICMOO© C)) S Co mM