River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-07-12

when they are particularly obtuse.
shouted some incomprehensible COM
ment on the weather, helped to loosen
the brakes, and was an eighth of a
mile up the track before Eunice's Ian
tern light fell on a single black figure.
its hat pulled over its eyes, its form
closely buttOned up ina fur-trimmed
Oyercoat,
''Is this the station?" said a low,
well-modulated voice. which gave Miss
Barlow the idea that the unhappy
victim Of justice was a gentleman born
and bred. Where are the pOrters?
Upon my word" Cooking around after
a bewildered fashion,, I'm afraid
they've forgotten to put off my lug
gage. Isn't there a fire somewhere
hereabouts?"
Eunice Barlow looked solemnly at
him as she opened the door into the
bright, cheerfully-lighted little station.
Yes, the telegraphed description had
been correct. He was small and dark,
and, poor fellow! he looked as if he
was half frozen to death. But now
arose the perplexing question, how
was she to ''detain him?"
Il can lock him into the ticket
Office" she thought to herself. He
will be safe enough until Mr.. Petty
Glove comes in the morning. But,
poor fellow! l. do feel sorry for him."
The solitary passenger fell headlOng
into the trap laid for him by the tele-
graph operator. He walked directly
into the ticket office, and sat down,
with a weary sigh, on the tall wooden
stool which had lately served Miss
Barlow as a throne of office.
Only about as old as our Victor
would have been had he lived, :"
thought Eunice. "Oh, wonder what
sinister influence led him into this ter
rible mistake, | wonder You are
mistaken, sir, she said, aloud, in an
swer to his reiterated questions.
There are no porters here. There is
no hotel nearer than the Pine Barrens,
four miles away. The agent is de-
tanned at home by sickness, and | am
the telegraph operator, on duty in his
absence"
The stranger uttered long. low
whistle. Il think" said he, Il must
have managed to alight at the jump
ing-off place of all the world. What's
to be done. / wOnder?"
He looked so cold, so youthful, so
utterly desolate. that Eunice BarlOw's
heart bled for him in his solitude and
peril.
Even If he has gone wrong" she
pondered, with all a young girls
optimism, The may do better if he can
only get chance. After all, am not
the station agent. How can they ex-
pect me, a woman, to usurp the place
of the officers of the law? l could de-
tain him perfectly well, but"
''Can you tell me" pleaded the soii-
tary passenger, ''where i can get
nights lodging and something to eat?
II 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 drawer,
and preparing to extinguish the one
reflectOr-lamp that glowed above the
new arrivals head. ''But if you
choose to go home with me, dare say
my mother will give you some supper
and bed. Our house is the nearest
to this place. And tO-mOrrow''-with
a somewhat significant pause-'you
can begin a new career"
I'm awfully Obliged to yOu," said
the gentleman. jumping up with alac-
rity. but how many careers per
week do these Westerners count upon?
I've no objection, for my part, to the
old one continued"
Miss Barlow's face remained inexor-
ably grave. She considered it no pan {
of her duty to cOuntenance flippaneylike
/ this. She locked the station, and hung
the key on its hooked nail close within
the latticed easement outside. where
winds could not hurl it away nor
storms disturb it, before she said,
quietly: This way, please. The
lantern will light you sufficiently il
YOU are a little careful; otherwise you
will find the way rather steep and mar
row down the bill. You are. perhaps,
unaware that telegram describing
your personal appearance has Just
come in from the White Peak office?''
"A telegram! BY JOve, the whole
thing is out, them"
He spoke quickly; there was genuine
disgust and dissatisfaction expressed
in every feature of his face.
Yes. responded the telegraph Oper-
ator. 1.-The whole thing is out. Your
conjecture is quite correct"
.'DOes-I beg your pardon, but
really this is a matter of some impOr-
lance to me-does any one know it be-
sides yourself ?"
/ NO
Il may depend on you?"-with i'm
ploring emphasis.
Yes. you may depend on me-"
Thanks, awfullyr' declared the
stranger. with fervOr. ''You see, it
makes it very unpleasant to have these
things talked about"
II should think it might"-frigidly.
And l had counted on remaining
strictly incognito."
$50 | should imagine"
A brief silence ensued. Eunice was
wondering how her strange companion
could speak so coOlly of these things"
Was he utterly dead TO all shame?"
she thought. The strange companion,
in the meantime, was secretly marvel
ing N the case and lightness with
which this extraordinary girl stepped
| out through the snow-drifts.
a perfect Amazon" he said to him
self; land a pretty one too. Why
don't she keep talking? | like the
tiBl5re of her voice; it's a regular con-
traltO
At length he broke the silence.
Cant carry that bag for you?' said
he.
DO you know what is in this bag?''
she cOunter-questiOned.
Haven't the least idea" he respond
ed.
The money taken in over the ticket
desk to-day. and the keys of the cash
drawers. l am responsible for all of
| il.