The Iola register., 1883-06-22
CHAPTER vIu.-CoSrrSuEp.

ciless Foe ETC., etc.
CHAPTER yIII.-CoNTINUED.
The ice between the fellow-travelers
was broken. The rickety vehicle rolled
on with mud-clogged wheels, and the
sorry span labored over the heavy road,
but there was no lack of conversation
between the couple inside. Miss Brax-
ton speedily learned that Harmon Quest
had began life as boot-black, and had
ambitions toward ending it a quarter
millionaire.
"Not that I've advanced very far
toward that point said he. "but
have firm faith that Twill strike my
predestined occupation yet, and make a
fortuneput of it.p
And in turn Mi. Guest was informed
regarding Miss Braxton's past. present
and future, as fully as that very out
spoken young lady chose to tell.
Instead of waiting for good fortune
to come TO me, am going to it" she
said, with flash of her white teeth and
bright eyes. There was certain CLEAN
and glitter about this young lady at all
times. She had thrown aside her outer
wrappings and sat revealed, q stylish
looking girl, even in her cheap travel
ing dress, her head crowned with a
mass of feathery, blue-black hair: her
eyes of deepest blue. her complexion of
pure milk-and-rose.
Il am going to it." she repeated, a
saucy look dimpling hervery cookbook
ing face. I'm tell YOU all about il.
since you have been SO very candid with
me, Mr.. Quest. have rich un-
Gle who is Just back from Southern Eu-
rope. and am going to throw myself
on his tender compassion for the sort of
home | was born to grace. He can't
very well turn me out of doors when |
get there, and then-well, and then, |
viii follow up my chances when / have
got in the opening wedge"
"In trust you to do it, muttered
Mr.. Guest. These two people, strangers
to each other and never expecting to
meet again, were in perfect accord, and
talked as familiarly as if they had
known each other half their lives.
ANY chance of being made the rich
uncle's heiress?" he asked. because
I've a Te7lchdnt for rich heiresses, and
upon my word. it would not take much
TO persuade me that | could have pen
chant for YOU
mot the slightest chance" and
cloud dimmed the Splendor of Miss
Braxton's countenance "No, not the
slightest, since he is inconsiderate
enough to have daughter and
heiress of his own. What on earth has
happened now, do you SUPPOSED"
The coach gave a violent lurch, top
pied sideways, and then stood still.
s'Axles' broke said the driver, APP
pearing al the door. .'Off horse has gone
lame and t'other's cast a shoe. You
'uns II hev to walk if YOU wants to get
to Junctionville to-day"
The distance was three miles. The
clouds still dropped in ceaselesS rain;
the yellow clay of the country road was
little less than a quagmire, but there
was no help for it. Leaving Miss BraN-
toms trunk to be sent after her. the two
sat out.
''And it will be mercy if something
else doesn't happen to make us miss
that train vet" declared AleXia, but
nothing did happen. They arrived, a
bedraggled, rain-beaten pair enough. at
the Julictipnyille station, full forty min
thCS bClVAS puliSu
''Such long time to wait, sighed the
young lady. whose spirits had suffered
from the experience of the morning.
Not to my thinking forty min
utes till we part forever. You go one
way, and l 90 the other; You to the
colour dc rose of fashionable life. l to
the dingy lecture room and unappre-
ciative audience-not saving that it
is altogether the fault of the audience to
be unappreciative, understand! Truly,
We only find our pleasures TO see them
fade
But fate had ordained that these two
Were not TO part in this way.
The Shrill whistle of the incoming
train cut the air. Miss Braxton fol-
lowed her cavalier for the occasion out
upon the sloppy platform. slipped, and
came down upon one ankle. with wild
clutch at his arm, and a shrin screech
of mingled modification and pain. He
extended helping hand, she was up
again on the instant. but pale TO the
lips, and leaning on him heavily as she
hobbled forward.
'.Hurt?" he asked. ..Oh. / see.
ankle sprained. Unfortunate, surely;
you can't undertake your journey
now" =
Il wiH," with fearful obstinacy.
t' But-but-they won't be expecting
me. and don't know what will do. y
..All aboard called the conductor.
-'Come, sir, are you going?'
"Yes. sir, 1 am" responded Mr..
Quest, emphatically. "I'll see YOU
through, Miss Braxton. A broken en-
gagement more or less in my life don't
matter"
In the one instant while he hesitated
Mr.. Quest had reviewed the case pro
and con. On the one hand, a adisappoint.
ed audience. but the utmost height of
his expectations on that score was
twenty-dollar house; on the other, a
grateful millionaire whose influence
might aid materially in his worldly ad-
yancement.
So Mr.. Quest had chosen, and Alexia
Braxton remembered, in the time which
came after, that she had been the one to
take him beneath her uncle's roof.
He mitigated the evils of the journey
so far as he could. He found hack at
the terminus, and he found help to lift |
Miss Braxton into it-for the sprained |
ankle grew worse for the want of treat |
ment-and they were whirled over the |
city streets to a massive old mansion, |
dingy and somker-looEpg, where he |