Madge Morton's Victory

n to New York with Lillian, Phil, and Miss Jenny Ann instead of making that visit to Baltimore. It seems so funny that they have bee

sly in the chair of the Pullman coach, gaz

all mirror between her seat and Eleanor's. She had wrinkled her sma

forever if we were to be turned loose in New York by ourselves. Oh, dear me, isn't it too splendid that we ar

not look at yourself again in that mirror. You are very w

pink rose in your hat gives just the touch of color you need. I am sure I don't see why you are so sure we shall seem countrified," ended Madge. She had liked her reflection in the glass. She wore a light-weight blue serge traveli

ng a leap for her bag, which promptly tumbled out of the rack above and fell

eased. The girls had a brief glimpse of him. He had blue eyes and sandy hair and was exceedingly tall.

uthern voice, as she picked up the glasses and restored

ot the slightest att

ttle goose! You are actually trembling. Of course Tom or some one will meet us, and if they don't I shall not be in the least frigh

nfident since she had been graduated at Miss Tolliver's, but Nellie hoped devoutly that her cousin wou

desperately to their bags when a porter attempted to carry them. A man bumped violent

hly. "They behave as though they thought New York City were on fire and they we

the girls looked anxiously about

retended cheerfulness. "We shall have to wait here for only about

and there was still no sign of T

would not fail to have some one here on time to meet us for anything in the world. Perhaps Tom wrote

he had been half an hour before. "I know it was silly in me not to have brought Tom's letter with me, but I was so sure that

as a tall, fair-haired young man, accompanied by two girls, hurried upon the scene.

that met their ears? It sounded like an earthquake, with the noise of frightened people shrieking above it. After a horrified moment

utomobile on his way to the train to meet us. I am afraid we were foolish not to have stayed at the Jersey City station. I am sure Tom wrote he would meet us there. I have behaved

a cab. Her mother and father and Miss Jenny Ann had warned her never to trust herself in a cab in a strange city. New York

ed that when they came to the Third Avenue L they must get out of the car and take the elevated train uptown,

nsult the signs on the steps that lead up to the elevated road. The policeman supposed that the two young women would make this observation for themselves. Of course, under ordinary circumstances, Madge and Nellie would have been more sensible, but they were frig

s completely fascinated at the spectacle of a fat, frowsy woman holding a baby by its skirt on the sill of a six-story tenement house. Just as the car went by the baby made a leap toward the train. Madge smothered her scream as the woman jerked the child out of dang

the end of the car t

tation to Seventieth Street and Lexi

ention to her. Madge repeated her

conductor crossly. "You've got on a downtown 'L' 'stead of an up. Better change at the next station. You'll find an

pace, encircled by a group of idle men and women. Before the organ danced a little figure that Madge and Eleanor stopped to watch. They forgot their own bewilderment in gazing at the strange sight. The dancer was a little girl about twelve years old, as thin as a wraith. Her hair was black and hung in straight, short locks to her shoulders. Her eyes were so big and burned so brightly that it was difficult to noti

ain. The men and women spectators let the woman make her way through them as though they knew her and were afraid of her heavy fist. Only the child appeared to be unconscious of the woman's approach. Suddenly a big, red arm was thrust out. It cau

adge was not used to the indifference of the New York crowd. Like a flash of lightning she darted away f

red sharply. "How can you be so crue

did not seem even to have heard her, but l

"I don't know who she is, nor what she has done, but she is too little for you to

the strongest and most brutal characters in the slums of New York, and few da

" she sai

he blow almost stunned the girl. The East Side crowd closed in on the girl and the woman. If there was going to be a fight, the spectators did n

nger. Madge's face was very white. She held her

l do what I like with her. If you are one of them social settlers coming around into poor people's plac

she never forgot. It was whiter than it had been before. The scarlet color had gone out of the cheeks and the big, black eyes burne

"The ogress will be horrid to you. She can't

and full in the face without shrinking. It was Madge who winced. Tears ro

t the child's thin skirts. "Jest you come along home with me and y

ge doubtfully, gazing at the br

h her now, while I am under the enchantment. Some day, when the wicked spell is broken, I shall go away,

ou are, Miss Tania. I'll tan you," she jeered, a

ess of the entire scene, was a big New York policeman. "Officer," co

Tania now, she'll only be meaner to her when she gets her indoors. Best leave 'em alone, I think. I have int

as she pushed her along in front of h

oddly familiar in his appearance to Eleanor, but she failed to remember whe

though by magic; they also recognized the young man's authority. A moment later he was g