The Crimson Thread: An Adventure Story for Girls

s something I s

ed at Lucile for a moment, then with a toss of her p

rowds of buyers had grown denser, more insistent in their demands. Two perpendicular lines had appeared between Lucile's eyes. Cordie,

ell me?" she dem

it may fri

girl's eyes went

ould tell you. It may

at bolt

ou-when you fainted in the Art Muse

get that. Wasn'

think, or at least I bel

Cordie

up in his arms. He said you were his sister. He started to carry

o that was what the guard meant when he asked whe

o know. He may be keeping a watch on you. Men who are fascinated by a face often do. You ought not to go alone upon the streets. You should not have b

gan again. "Did you think-" then drawing her lips tight as if to

ealize the danger," she said slowly. "Truly I do. I will be careful, very, very careful.

wound her arm about Lucile and

ppreciation will reach down as deep as her pocketbook? That's a sordid thou

he girl's occupying it with her. A pay day had come and gone, yet h

saving up for her rent which is in arrears somewhere else. I do wonder, though, what she was about to tell me when she

y of us," she told herself, "and now look at the poor girl. She's all unnerved; grips her desk and stares in a frightened manner every time a man look

ld make this particular problem many times more perplexing. Sinc

lunch with Lucile that day. "You're letting this work get on your nerves. Look at those puckers between your eye

Ren

it's stagnation. Did you ever see a tiny bird balancing himself on a twig over a rushing waterfall and singing his little heart away? That's repose. You can have poise and repose in the midst of the

ce! You believe

as she looked at her frail body, thought to herself: "She's m

, "I suppose selling juvenile

reat, a wonderful service. There are books and books. You have read many of them. You know the

nes I love,

ste, good taste, and having had that taste impro

they are poison. Then there are those blessed others which are like the cool, pure, refreshing water that comes bubbling up from a mountain spring. Reading has an untold and lasting influ

-ye

ourself: 'See all those people. Some of these are to go away from here this afternoon richer because I have been here to serve them, to advise them, to select for the

our place beside teachers, nurses, librarians, and all those whose names will be written hig

"I didn't mean to preach, but r

caught a vision of what real life work meant to this frail woman. Once more she was

Cordie at the northeast door, hurried down the stairs to the firs

but once and would never forget. The long, slim, muscular fingers and the ring of the dragon's head were there. She could not be mistaken. Somewhere in that jostlin

laimed a floor man. "There isn't any

y broad-shouldered, bear-skin coated man from the cou

"I'll follow her out. Can't fail to catch her in the st

e what was to be done when the tim

ring the fact that this was an obstacle race of an exceedingly unusual type, the Mystery Lady made wonderful progress. As for Lucile, she was not to be outdone; indeed, s

" she panted. "Suppose there'll be

efore them. Grazed by the wheel of a gray sedan, drawing an angry hoot from a huge touring car, she crossed the channe

do? Tryin' to commit suicide? Autos has their right as

ing until he chose to release her. And as she stood there, with time to think, a startling question came to he

led, but as the grip on he

s happened back there. I'll get

e was lost from sight of the officer;

* *

ance. Cordie had been prompt in keeping her appointment; especially so since h

, she had moved back into a secluded alcove to

some old; but all were interesting. Each had his story to tell if only he could b

y individual, the girl could not tell. The instant she saw the man she felt he had been wa

er heart, "there is the hawk-like eye, the m

away from the door and into the crowd t

* *

stery Lady. When at last she succeeded it was to get a

he murmured. "Like some countrywo

uld not be the lady-yet, yes, there was her profile. There

was hard enough to overtake. Turning to the right, she crossed two streets to at last

as all but upon her when she turned

you!" Luci

t in time to see the mysterious one p

when a guard, touching her

a p

Lucile stood t

u can't go back of that

t lady gave

reply. He merely s

this one must be. She entered and left a great department store at two hours before midnight, and no one said to her "No.

these gaps, as Lucile stood staring at it, a hand was thrust. It was the hand of the mysterious lady. And upon it, beside the drag

nd has been set in it. A magnificent diamond, worth hundred

to sway. Expecting anything, the girl stood there breathless. A needle flashed twice th

le whispered. "And I may n