The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-07-26


Mr. Harper.
why, he came up by the early train
said Lefty slightly alarmed.
81 don't think he's been here. III ask
Mr. Wright If he has seen him, though"
said Mr. Harper,
He stepped to the cashiers desk and
presently returning, said "Mr. Wright
says he was here, very early, but said
he was going away on business, and
would not be in again to-day"
''Why, where can he have gomez"
cried Lefty cold thrill all over her.
"He did not speak Of it TO me-"
A clerk, passing by, stopped, that in
slant.
is it Mr.. Chambers you are asking
about?' he said
Yes Have you seen him, Mr.. Sew
ernP"
yes, sir. As came from dinner
met him walking very fast towards the
depot. He said he was trying to catch
the 1890 train
Then | just missed him, coming up
by the l.3O. How provokingw said
Lefty,
But her fears were relieved, and she
hurried through her shopping, so as to
get home herself by the four o'clock
train.
'I'm so sorry wasn't there when he
got home" she said. Never mind, I'll
make it up when | do get there
She had to wait few minutes at the
81 N hn f,.u, hA snI
and down the long platform, then ven
tured few steps O1 the narrow plank
laid across the long railroad bridge, for
the convenience Of foot passengers.
The conductor who ran down at four
was the same who ran down at 80.
Lefty knew him by sight, and stopped
10 speak to him.
MIR Chambers went down with you
at noon, did he not?' she said
MIR, Chambers has not gone to-day
yet"
"Oh, I'm sure he did" insisted Lefty.
The conductor shook his head.
mo, madam | know, because | had
a message for him to-day, and I've been
on the lookout for him, couldn't have
gone down without my seeing him.
but Mr. Severn, one of the clerks,
told me he saw my husband running 10
catch the train.
Saw him myself madam, on the
platform. But when looked into the
carriages. he was not there"
"And the last you saw of him was on
the platform?n asked Lefty, turning
pale.
"Yes'm. But don't be uneasy. | dare
say he went down by the 2l5.n
Perhaps he did y said Lefty,
But her heart chilled as she sat and
thought of Gerald, last seen on that
crowded bustling platform Was it
possible that he had met with an ac-
cident? Oh, Heaven forbid! He would
not so punish her for one angry word
He must have gone down at two clock,
and was waiting for her at home.
Half dead with anxiety, she left the
train, and flew home. He had not re-
turned. their little maid-servant told
her She few back to the station, and
asked the ticket collector if he had seen
Mr.. Chambers come down.
mo, ma am, be hasn't come down
yet" was the prompt answer
Lefty turned away, Her bitter punish
ment had come, then! Gerald was gone,
never TO return more, and her last words
to him had been angry ones--her last
words TO Gerald whom she loved far
better than she did her own life.
She could scarcely support her limbs
until she got into the street once more.
Then her tears fell, and without heed
ing that some one might be passing,
she walled out
Hell never come again Gerald will
never come again! My Gerald never will
come any morew
The dickens he WON'T sounded a
cherry voice just behind her Lefty
turned-caught Gerald's arm, then her
overstrained nerves gave way She
turned whittier, gasped, trembled, caught
her breath, andwould have fallen in the
street, but for Gerald's support.
Come. come, little woman, this
won't don' he cried. Il don't know
what the mischief is up, but we can't
have any of this sort of nonsense in the
public street, anyhow
"Oh, Geraldn' gasped Lefty. II
thought You were killedr
killed. Not if know it! Who told
you so, little woman, and scared YOU
half to death?'
MIR. Severn said he saw you on the
way to the depot, and the conductor
told me he saw you on the platform,
but you didn't get in the train"
mo wonder, wasn't in the train.
| was in another one Fact is, went
over to Brooklyn to look at little house
there, and | rot in just few minutes
ago, from that end of the town.
"Oh, Gerald If had only known it!
was nearly crazy to-day
"Oh, then you did care q little to have
me come back?'
Care? | think l did! Oh, Gerald, I'm
so sorry was so hateful this morning.
Please forgive me. I've been punished
enough to-day
"Well, yes, | think you have, so well
make it up. Now, pet, do you want to
hear my good newsPn
"Of course do"
"Well, then, as | wouldn't consent to
let you go to New York to visit Mrs.
Merriton. how would you like to 90 and
stay, in your own houseP"
"Oh, George" with a squeeze of his