Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-07-18
The Mistake.

The express train had come and gone
through the rainy December dusk, with
its eyes of scarlet fire, and its whiz o.
escaping steam, and there was only one
passenger for Peterbank-a tall, aristo
cratic looking old gentleman, with a fur
trimmed overcoat, gold eyeglasses and 6
fringe of snowy whiskers under his chin
Rolf Otherbrae, the young Scotch
ticket agent, looked at him with thai
half-curious, half-inditferent expression
where with ticket agents grow in time
to regard the whole world.
"You are in charge here, SUPPOSE
said the tall, furry stranger.
perhaps, then, you can tell me al
what time the train from Carrowdale il
duef"
"At $50, sir"
The old gentleman then sat down by
the FIRE, as if resigning himself to wait
ing. And Rolf went out into the twilight
to make sure that the switchtender, loo
yards or 80 up the snow-covered track
had not fallen asleep and that the sigma
lights burned clear and steady for the
southern train.
The Carrowdale train came in about
six minutes or SC behind time, for the
snow was falling fast and the rails were
slippery-the hurrying passengers dis
persed themselves in various directions
except one young girl, dressed in pink.
ish gray, with a black boa around hel
throat, and single long willow plume
dropping over her pale face, who entered
the waiting-room slightly shivering with
the cold.
Mr.. Otherbrae advanced toward her
"Can get carriage?" he asked; Tor be
of any other service to your
Thanks" she answered shyly, 81
expect friend to meet me here"
Click! The sharp, sudden summons
of the little telegraph behind the rallied
compartment at the farther end of the
room-and Mr. Otherbrae, who was tele'
graph operator as we'll as station agent
hurried to his post.
"R. Otherbrae, Peterbank station" the
tongue of the telegraph whispered, with
its why, clinking sound: "From police
headquarters. Stop an old man and a
young girl-well dressed and plausible.
Forgery. II. G. Deko, General Office
New York"
Rolf started at the quivering wires as
ifexpecting to giean further intelligence
from their metallic surfaces; then he
looked across the room to where the
slender, dark-eyed young lady sat, her
hands clasped on her knee, and her eyes
fixed intently on the fire.
"a young girl, we'll dressed and plaus-
ible!" The description Tailed well
enough--but then she was alone! And
as for her being connected with forger's
gang-pshaw! Rolf Otherbrae knew bet.
ter!
At the same instant she rose and came
hesitatingly half across the floor. 81
beg your pardon, sir-but has the ex.
press train come in YETI"
"Two hours ago." Mr.. Otherbrae an.
swered, wondering if it were possible
that so fair an outward exterior could
conceal the hideous inner life of crime!
And then, all of sudden, it occurred to
him that the tall gentleman in the fur
trimmed overcoat in the other room,
might possibly be the "friend" she had
spoken of, and the "old man" alluded to
in the dispatch.
At the same instant, advancing pace
or two farther, she caught sight of the
tall, erect figure by the fire in the other
room-the figure wrapped In furs, with
the silvery, aristocratic hair, and the
cLin cropping on the breast, as if in
slumber.
"Papa," broke unvoluntarily from her
lips. "He has been waiting for me, and
never knew itp' She hurried past the
ticket agent into the other room. Rolf
Otherbrae looked after her in dismay.
SIN to stop here, am II" thought Rolf.
"And how the deuce am to do it, I'd
like to know"
As these disjointed reflections passed
through his mind sudden shrek rose
up in the silence, and Mr.. Otherbrae,
hurrying into the waitingroom, saw the
young girl kneeling on the floor beside
the old gentleman. And in an instant
he preceived the secret of her cry. The
stately old man, with fur-trimmed gar
ments and the snowy beard, was quite
dead. AS Rolf advanced she looked
wildly up into his face.
"Can't you help him?" she gasped.
"Can't you do something? Oh don't you
see he has tainted? Tell me where to 60
for q doctor. Where can l find one?
have smelling bottle, but"
at is of no use." Rolf answered, gent
". entirely forgetting the dispatch, OF
rather resolved to ignore it. "My moth.
er's cottage is close by. "Let me take
you there" ;,
"And papa? Papa, who has came all
the way from India to meet me, and
take me home to England p
81 will send some one to him at once,
said Rolf, swallowing big lump in hif
n u 81
all human aid, and adding to himself. Il
don't care if she has committed fifty for:
geries, aye, and murder besides. ]
wont make brute of myself by laying
80 much as an additional straw OF the bur-
den of her troubles. It's the sweetest
face lever saw-yes, and the best"
And go old Mrs. Otherbrae Was strick-
en- dumb as she sat by her cosy hearth
den apparition of q beautiful young lady
dr0wnod in faarQ