, 1890-01-05

Inc Dawn was AT mana, ana L lppeQ out
OF the train and walked briskly up and
down to warm myself, and by the time
the wants of the engine were satisfied the
sun was rising, and l began to recover
my spirits.
At last a short, bluff whistle from the
engine, like the bark of some giant dog,
a movement among the passengers, and
a Earring sensation beneath my feet.
The goal of my desire was not far off.
Now the door of the car was opened
wide, and the conductor, who had kept
away from me all the journey, came in
from the baggage a to take tickets.
Mine was the last. He examined it with
unnecessary elaboration, and Their de-
ivered himself of the following ominous
remark:
Nov. say, why didn't ye write the
colonel that yew were oomin'?"
The familiarity of this address would
have disguised me at any ordinary time,
but nov l began to feel miserably
anxious.
81 l write" 1 replied breathlessly.
HE will be at the station t meet me-"
HE ain'tl'
h rejoinder came as sharply as the
ping of an arrow. 1 jumped up with a
lump in my throat, and looked out of
the window.
The train had stopped and most of
the passengers were leaving it. There
was no station or depot here, only a
rough platform on one side of the line,
with Santana" painted in tipsy black
letters on the rail, and o solitary log
house Il few yards away with POST
| nfHOau IN uyhfEa In%ro-z -. Al. L. W
this was undoubtedly my destination,
and the conductor was right-Addison
had not come. There wero several rough,
red faced creatures lounging on the plat
form, wearing broad brimmed hats,
great riding boots and prominent spurs;
there were our passengers disappearing
n by one into the log house in search
Of breakfast, but there was no Col.
Wynne. What could nave happened? 1
turned from h window with a gasp,
and met the eyes of the conductor look
ing down upon me with the grimmest
expression l had ever seen.
"WellT he said, with an e~xasperating
i~nterrogatory infection on that express
sive word.
II cannot have received my letter"
/ observed, hurriedly, trying to keep my
voice clear and steady, while the lump
in my throat grew and grew, and 1
wanted to cry very badly indeed. To
avert this catastrophe, l suggested that
my belongings should be removed from
the train. The conductor instantly be-
came brisk and helpful, and we were
soon passing by the red faced men, who
drew back to give us room, and stared
with great round, stupid eyes, as if they
had never seen n girl in a gray ulster be-
fore. We went straight to the postoffice,
and were met by the postmaster before
we cached the door. He was a tall,
dark man, with only one eye; a dread
fully ugly man, with q very dirty face
and still dirtier hands--a wicked looking
man, 1 Thought. The conductor greeted
him as If they were old a~cquaintances.
Seen Col. Wynne lately, HankY'
"a week ago-came for his mail"
This is his sister"
MI. Hank nodded rs if he were aware
of the fact, and stared very hard at me
with his n eye.
"Is--is my brother here?" l ventured
to ask. just for something to say.
He's at the fort, miss"
"And how far off is that2'
Thirty mile-bee line"
My heart began to beat at a very I'M
comfortable rate. A horrible state of
thingsl
"Would you kindly advise me what
to dor"
breakfast" struck in the conductor
decidedly. You've eat nothing for ten
hours"
THANK you" 1 answered politely. 81
am hungry; but 1 want to know how I
am to get to Fort Lincoln"
This question was not to be answered
at once. Neither Of the men seemed to
hear 1t, and without further
ushered me into the house, through one
long DON full of men with a stove in
the middle of it, q liquor bar, and sew
eral small tables, to a small room behind,
where there were heaps of blankets scat
tered about a rough bedstead one chair
and a table.
'Sit down." said the postmaster, point
ing to the chair. l obeyed, feeling very
forlorn and helpless. 1t was a dreadful
position to be in. There did not seem to
be a woman anywhere. l was thirty
miles from my brother, with no visible
means of reaching him; and this dread.
full one eyed man was master of the sit:
uation. A whispered colloquy, lasting
several minutes, now took place between
the postmaster and the conductor, after
which the former, whose name / subse,
quently discovered to be Mr.. Hank Wy
brow, turned to me and cleared his throat
as though he were about to address a
camp meeting.
There's but two things to be done,
miss, as far as we kin see, and you must
fix on which road suits We best. Kunnel
Wynne don't expect you 1 reckon, so
you'll nave to hunt him, or send and git
him to come for yew. can't poke up
much accommodation here, and there
amt a woman nearer than the fort Just
now; but if you lect to stay I'll fix what
may tonight and send a boy to the
kunneL. If this amt good enough I'll
see if any one is bound Fort Lincoln way
with a wagon to take ye there. Think it
out, will We? while 1 dish breakfast, and
let me know your mind in an hour"
This was very fairly said. l thanked
Mr.. Wybrow for his offers and was able
to bid farewell to the conductor, who
had another ten miles to travel, with a
stout heart.
1t lie not take me long to make up my
mind. i cannot saw that I relishad tha