The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-12-05
A PERFECT PLOT.

''Yon're rather late. Stephen." said
Mrs. Mos,yn. ;.s her husband came
into the dining room one day just as
she llad finished brcaisfast. ..,nl l can
not stay with you, as l have 10 &C
but"
60 out! Why. you said last night
you wero going to finish that china
painting this morning, though l really
don't know why you should work SO
hard. We TIRE not in absolute pcnury."
mo; but it is pleasant making
money in way ono likes. Besides.
there will be somo to give away when
VIC find We have too much ourselves.
Aud how is your trade going on'"
"To tell the truth. not brilliantly.
In fact. am rather hung up for the
want Of IL plot"
"a plOt?"
''Yes; it is ridiculous l have Il
short story to write. and though
have rather q neat set OF characters
and small incidents ready, "a main idea
is wanting
"Dear me. that's unfortunate. Why
don't you 60 out for walk. or for
hall an hour in the underground. OF
To the city on ~ bus. and GAl onc?'
My dear Milliccnt. what nonsense
sou talk. As if were the least likely
to find my ideal plot that way! No
must try and worry it out myself
somehow"
'Wcll. must bo OF. Good-by
Stephen; take my nlvicc--go ant
look for your ideal in the real OF life
l am sure you can find it there"
After his wife had gone Stcphcr
Mostyn ate his breakfast and then sa
nusing little. after which. springins
out Of his chair, he said:
II never feft less inclined to write
in my life! Really. have IL goo.
mind to follow Milliccnt's advice ant
60 out"
"ln few minutes he was standing
on the doorstep. deciding upon hi.
next move.
| What IL beastly fog! certainly
shan't loose much under ground, Sc
here goes for tho Metropolitan rail
way"
"Where for'" SAID the clerk. sharp
ly. as Stephen stood vaguely in from,
OF tho ticket Office.
"Oh. Whitechapcl. should think
that leaves room for discovery" h,
thought TO himself.
"What class?"
''Ihird better do it thoroughly
Now. then. for IL trial trip bclwee,
kensinetop and the Mile End road, /,
test Milltcencs theory.
A small boy with u large, heav,
parcel got into the carriage with him
and spent some moments In vainly try
ing TO secure his burden more tirml,
by means OF Il knotty bit of string tha
crossed it here and there in purpose
less festoons. Mr.. Mostyn lcndin,
his help. between them they mad
rather neat thing of it
adventure the first; ended, 1 fear,
said Stephen to himsclf. IL reall,
can't ask him how old he is and whcr,
he lives. and II he thinks ii healthy"
"Temple"'
Out tumbled the parcel and the bov
nnd In walked an elderly young woman
with fringe aud nn American clo,l
handbag. She sat down opposite t,
Mr. Mostyn. put both her hands to hcl
head us IL to make certain IL WIS still
in its place. opened her bag and, rea..
izing that she had not lost her ticket
looked ut the window and sighed.
mot exactly ideul. but scarcel,
real." thought Stephen. "Do you fee
tho draught from tho window?" he
asked.
mo, l don't, thank you," with {.
woll-arranged look OF spi,cful tmid.
ity, and changing her scat to one a,
the other end Of tho carriage.
"ls this beginning?" thought
Stephen. ''Now should like to ask
her If she thinks my life for thirty-tive
years has been working up to the eli.
max OF meeting her, vcilcd in golden
fog, in u third-class Metropolitan rail.
way carriage. l wonder if it's any
good going on with this incidenty''
MADAM
"Sir. I think this is Blackfriars
station'" she said. wi,isking her head
round us she spoke, the end of her
nose depriving the glass OF worry fine
smut ut the same time.
''lt is not my business to tell her
that shc Is now still more attractive
than when she got ill.," thought
Stephen. ''Shc would probably give
me into custody il ! did" "Back-
friar.! yes. it is. DO you get out hcre??"
"Ycs." plunging at the door US she
spoke.
"Ah," he said, turning the handle
for her. III don't"
There entered before he shut tho
door. u small woman. holding in one
arm tiny bundle OF baby, and
pushing before her little boy. She
sat down, the baby keeping its posi-
ton in the sling formed by its moth
er's arm. the boy holding close to her,
pulling at her shawl. and continually
asking her in IN unintelligiblc mutter
for something that she either had not
or didn't mean TO part with. Her
bonnet was slipping off her dull. un-
tidy hair; her face w.s white, with
tired. lusterless eyes. pink. pinchcd
little nose. and disconnected mouth.
The poor little apology for baby
might have hung around her neck for
q ribbon, and the other child was
small and sickly. A shrunkcn, de-
pressing little group.
Just as Stephen Mostyn was begin
ming to weave round in his mind a
pathetic. tender fancy. the small boy
becoming moro than usually importun-
ute. his mother said. with no flicker OF
change in the expression OF her face.
but with voice whose rough grating
easily overpowcred the noise OF tho
train:
jest you stop worritin'. Tommy,
else I'll tell yer bloomin' dad whom we
git 'ome-see if don't"
Stephen shut his eyes and only OPEN
ened them US the little family bundled