The Mystery Girl

dark on a very cold winter night, the train late, no one to meet him, and no pl

ke, but there came into Corinth one night a passenger who was not at all like the fellow passengers on that belated train. It was a train from New York, due in Corinth at five-forty,

of the train and stamped through the snow to the vehi

se firmly, crossed the track and entered the station waiting room. She went to the ticket window but fou

g with her knuckles on the wind

growled a surly voice, and a he

lone, and I want a porter, and I want a

orters nor yet conveyances; but inf

emed to pierce his very brain. "Then tell me wher

looked more interes

grave little face was oval, and her eyes had a strange uncanny way of roving quick

young women, pretty girls and gay hoydens. Many Junes he had sold tickets or given info

ations?" he re

! About when do you

over in his mind the various boarding hous

ay they're asked," she said, witheringly, and picking up her suitcase she started

say, miss, wa

d coolly, procee

y Old Salt Adams,-you

ned to pause a moment,

e,-hurry up out,-y

out, just in time to see an old man with long white beard

istle,-" she quoted to herself, and then cried

an called back, and as she shook h

not engaged," he c

young voice rang out through the cold winter a

me, do you? Now, I haven't been comm

you see I'm cold, hungry and very uncomfortable? You have a bo

e only so many rooms and they

ed?" The dark eyes challenged him, and

Let me get in. No, I can manage my suitcase myself. You get m

-if so be you're bound to bide. 'F

wer, and the girl pulled the fur robes up aroun

unk on his shoulder, and put it in the

her, as the horses began a rapid trot

le, and the drifts sent feathery clouds through the air. The trees, coated with ice from a recent sleet storm, broke off crack

showing comfortably lighted windows and a broad front door th

sk feminine voice, "this ain't Letty

ed, truthfully. "Take her along, mot

s Letty? Did

her at the station? Or dumped her out along the road? No-

e barns, and Mrs. Adams bad

she saw the strange guest she

she began. "But, I'm sorry

didn't come, you see, so I c

uldn't li

here and Letty isn't.

e girl started and then stepped b

t-if you please.

d to a sterner inflection, th

coldly. "I came here because I was to

are you

York

addr

za H

ta Austin seemed to compel all the world to do her bidding. At any rate, Mrs. Ad

ive bedroom, presumably made

you send me up a tray of supper? I don't want

. You want some tea, 'n' bread, 'n

t sounds good. Send

ce outside the door, and released from the spell of those eerie eyes

Adams cried, when, after she had started him

tfully. "But I don't like her. And I won't keep

her kinda interesting looking.

And Letty'll come tomorrow, so that

" was eagerly peerin

ll lightly falling snow, she could see but little, and after a time, she gave up the eff

who brought it. "Set it on that

dressing gown and slippers, Miss Anita Austin devoted a plea

, but few as they were, the midnight hour struck before

gain looked from the window,

une or misfortune will you bring me? What fortune or misfortune shall I br

ppeared in the dining-ro

little disapprovingly at the short, scant s

al sharpness, seemed to express an equal disapprov

and her tone was a little more deferentia

e, Miss Austin?" she indi

end," and the girl slipped into a

ce at his wife, and suppress

aid to the usurper, "but I expect

the time," and Anita no

ut in Mrs. Adams. "I'm sorry, Miss Austin, but

ave Anita a chance to speak in an u

comes, won't you? I suppose y

an "boss in his own house," but the idea tickled his sense of irony, and he

as shot at him from beneath long, curling lashes, t

whispered, in moc

way to put it!" she cried.

eturned, placidly. "You

ng it, but I suppose I am," and a mutinou

when the girl smiled or spoke or frowned, changes took place, and

moment later, Adams introduced Robert

l glance, then, as he dropped in

urned on him a flashing glance, that, as he expressed

erence, but one and all failed to engage her interest or even attention. She answered his remarks with calm, cu

wonder. Who was this person, who looked like a young, very young girl, yet who ha

d her merely a pretty, new guest. Her manners were irreproachable, her demeanor quiet and gr

etained her a momen

n?" he said, courteously; "wh

ld say an art student. I've been told that there are beautiful bits of winter scenery available

d the old man, and he said quickly,

telegram handed to Mrs. Adams at breakfast-and then she looked thoughtfully

g! If I should take you over

ck some day, and see if they

Nemesis, in the pe

n," she began, but the

, too! Now, you want to say you haven't any room for me-but that isn't true; so y

at the girl and that

't resist, and against her will, against her better judgment, she said, "Well, then, stay,

go through this world, strangers to each other-don't we? And also, strangers to ourselves

her face, they heard a musical ri

upstairs to her room, and the t

I believe she has run away from home or from her keeper

't the way I size her up. She's nobody's fool, that gi

'd sh

ost went through the floor. Well, she says she's a painter of sce

If she smiles on you or gives you a bit of taffy-talk, you'll size

set out to inspect Corinth. A jaunty fur cap, with one long, red quill feather gave her still more the appearance of an

chose her course at random. The snow had ceased during the night, and it was very cold,

stood looking over the slight ra

re at her. She was unaware of this, absorbed

w her, and, as he would have exp

Don't end your young life on this glorious day! Suici

lance more icy even than the landscape,

, patronizingly, but

if you must know. Co

s. "Well, now that you're properly introduced,

that," pointing,

hat beautiful

's home. Him as is go

at? And

. Never had Pinky seen a girl just like this. She looked so young, so merry, and y

e said, abruptly. "

she returned, "is

d to get into. Always fu

ed to get a room some one el

cky. Met B

es

m! I see that. Met

who's

he's mighty worthwhile on his own a

I'm not receiv

ing. I say my aunt lives next door to A

lease. I'm

tes, and she's a love. She's going to marry Doctor

people," said the girl, an