Picture-Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

12 PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY though breathless, set up a faster pace along the hard macadam, without pausing to look back. She figured roughly that she had run a mile, when she saw scattering houses and various signs of a village, off to the left of the road, and about half a mile distant. Houses and people were what she most desired in the world at that moment, so she left the road instantly and plunged once more into canebrakes and morasses. Her shoes were already heavy with water, and she was tiring rapidly. Looking about for her pur suers, Lili saw them walking in the opposite direction far down the road. Evidently they did not relish the trouble that might await should they follow her into the town. At last, she came to a village street, and made straightway for a crowd of people that was gathered in front of a public garage. Their voices were raised in heated argument, it seemed, and there was some excitement in the air, but she paid no heed to those conditions. She ran to a little group of men and singled out the most elderly and kindly looking one. "Je vous demande pardon, monsieur !" she cried, gasping for breath. "Je suis Mademoiselle Lili Breval, et mon Oncle Henri, mon Cousin Etienne " "Hold on !" exclaimed the elderly villager, putting up a restraining hand. "Land o' Goshen ! Don't talk so blamed fast, an' talk United States. What's the matter with ye, anyhow, miss?'' His face was still kindly, but from his manner, Lili conjectured that he was reproving her, and her eyes grew troubled and despairing. She realized, with a shock, that these strange people made no intelligent response to appeals in the tongue that had always served her wants so well, and she fell to wringing her hands and uttering soft, little, choking sobs. Some of the men laughed unfeelingly, and the elderly man looked at her with frank perplexity. "Speak up, little girl !" he urged. "Tell us what ye want, only let's have it so's we'll understand it." The interest of the crowd now turned toward Lili, and there was a general movement in her direction. A tall, clean-cut young man elbowed his way through the group, and Lili saw that he was the one who had been the center of the altercation upon which she had intruded. Then, to her amaze ment and unutterable delight, he ad J dressed her courteously in French. "I think I heard you say something I just now in French, mademoiselle?" I he said gently in her native tongue. "A I thousand pardons! But if there is any I thing I can do for you, I shall be I charmed. My French is merely school I French, but I hope I make myselt I understood." "I thank you with all my heart, mon I sieur!" she exclaimed earnestly. "But I surely you speak admirable French, and I what should I have done if you had not I come to my rescue?" Then, in her fascinating little way. I she told him, with many shrugs and I gestures, of her harrowing adventures. I and that she must go to Boston at once I to find her uncle and aunt and cousin, I but she had no money, and was a stran I ger in a very strange land. The young man politely introduced I himself as Mr. James Pemberton, and I he drew her away from the curious by <\ standers, and walked with her down the elm-shaded village street. He, too, was in difficulties, he told her, and hoped the knowledge might serve to ease her own distress. Although a college man, of good family, he was trying to make his way in the world, starting at the bottom of the ladder. He had been working at the garage as a chauffeur and mechanician, but an ill-mannered, unreasonable customer had entered a complaint against and a fight followed. Just before she arrived on the scene, the furious customer had entered a complaint against him to the proprietor of the garage, and he had been discharged from his position. His ill-tempered employer had refused even to give him the wages due him, and now he was cast adrift, with scarcely a cent in his pocket. "So you see, mademoiselle," he finished, "you and I are very nearly in the i same plight. I have the advantage of being able to express myself in language — if that is an advantage — but until you are out of your trouble I shall stay by your side, and do all your talking for you." The girt was buoyed up by the excitement 6f the day and the fortunate turn events had taken, but Jim Pemberton could see that she was near to physical exhaustion, and, after some deliberation, be took her to the house of an elderly woman, whom he knew to be generous and kind, and suggested that There was indignation and suspicion when Jim Pemberton appeared in company with Lili.