The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-10-27

the pcrpIeAihS question: III" was sHo
to "detain him."
''You are mistaken. SIR" she said, in
answer to his questions. There arc no
porters here. There is no hotel nearer
than the Pine Barrens, four miles away.
The agent is detained at home by sick
ness, and am the telegraph operator,
on duty in his absence"
"Can you tell me, pleaded the soil
tary passenger, "where / can get a
nights lodging and something to eatl
1t is six hours since We left the supper
station, and | am just recovering from
a siege of malarial fever. Surely there
must be some one around here who
could act as my guide"
"There is no one here but me-" said
Miss Barlow, locking the cash draw and
preparing to extinsuish the one reflector
lamp that glowed above the new ar
rivals head. But if you choose to go
home with me l dare say my mother
will give you some supper and bed.
| Our house Is the nearest to this place.
And tomorrow'-witha somewhat sig
nificant pause" you cau begia new
career"
Pm awfully obliged to you," said
the gentleman, jumping up with
alacrlty. But how many careers per
week do these Westerncrs count upon?
I've no objection, for my part, to the
cd one continued"
Miss Barlow's face remained inexora-
bly, grave. She considered it no part of
her duty TO coVatenauce flippancy like
this. She locked the station, and hung
the key on its hooked nail close within
the latticad easement outside, where
winds could not hurl it away nor
storms disturb it, before she sail,
quietly: "This way, please. The lam
tern will light you sufficiently if you
are little careful; otherwise you will
find the way rather steep and narrow
down the hill. You are perhaps una
ware that a telegram describing your
personal appearance has just come in
from the White Peak officer
az telegram! BY jovc the Who'll.
thing il out, them"
lie spoke quickly; there was gcnu-
ire disgust ard dissatisfaction cx-
pressed in every feature of his face.
Eyes" responded the tcle graph OPP
orator, "thc whole thing is out. Your
conjecture Is quite correct.
'DOes-I beg your pardon, but this
is matter OF some Importance to me
does any one know it besiies yourselfE
mo"
Il may depend on your with i'm
ploring emphasis.
"Yes, you my depend on me-"
"Thanks, aw!uily" declared the
stranger, with fervor. you sec, it
makes it very unpleasant to have those
things talked about"
$50 should imagine"
A brief silenc, ensued. Eunice was
WOE dering how her strange companion
could speak so coolly OF 'these things"
''Was he utterly dead to all shamel'
she thought. Tn, strange companion,
In tn; meantime, was secretly marvel
lin; at the case and lightness with |
which this extraordinary girl stepped |
out through III, snowlrifts.
"A perfect Amazon," he sail to him.
SELF, "and rre.ty one, too. Why |
doesn't she keep taliing9 l like the
timbre OF her voice; it S a regular con-
tralto."
ut seems to me-" observed the young
man, after another interval OF silence,
during which the crunching of their feet
in the snow and the persistent bowling
Of the win | was all that broke the spell.
"ihat they put great deal of response
billy on young women in this part OF
the world"
"A good deal Of it i, forced upon
them, and good deal they assume
themselves" said Eunicc Barlow, CON-
poscdly. 81 am wiling to admit that
l have taken a heavy responsibility on |
myself tonight Understand" added
Miss Barlow, THAT if take you home
tonight and shelter you, l must have
your promises-"
"The new career question again! I'm
blessed if know what all this means"