San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-30

tul." -
8 THE schedule oughtn't to say one
kthing and the road do another" re-
ansEsd Royal Its an imposition on
the public"
well, it don't look considerable" ac-
quieSced the conductor, then added, with
the esprit de corps Of all railway men.
1--WE do make it most in general. Some
times, like today, we gets bothered. II
don't happen more'n once a fortnight
we lose over fifteen or twenty minutes"
He walked away with uplifted
shoulders. which gave to the back of his
coat an expression of protest against in
temperate haste. And Royal, as though
that could expedite matters, established
himself on the platform.
He was vexed and tormented by a de-
lay which threatened shipwreck to his
scheme by depriving him of the time
necessary for explanations and readjust-
ments. His sympathy and interest had
become so involved that he had come to
feel a personal pride in carrying the af-
fair through to a successful issue-to
feel that ne had heralded himself to en-
ter the lists against caprice and injus-
tice, and was iii danger of failure, not
through lack of proves, but through
~extraneous and ex~asperating circum-
stances. So completely did the matter
absorb and possess him that obstacles,
instead of daunting his resolution and
causing him to reconsider the situation,
only aroused and concentrated his forces
as though they had been distinctions in
The path of his individual hopes and
fortune.
He was anxious also about the patient
he had been compelled to leave in the
cara Of an inexperienced young fellow,
doWuy with graduation honors and self
confidence, whom he had picked up in
the Office Of the hotel. The case was SO
serious that the least mismanagement
might p~recipitate the result.
Held aloof by preoccupation, Royal
failed to appreciate or even note the
grand uplifting of the country round
about, the exquisite tracery of the win
ter forest, the delicate hue of the sky,
or the wonderful harmony of tone given.
by the shading of earth aud rocks, tree.
stems and fading vegetation. Even the.
quick leap Of a brook escaped him, and
the grace of the curve with which, HE a
queens O6eisanCe to a rival power, it
turned aside from the embankpsnt of
the railway and pursued its loveH. muir
murous journey down the Mountain.
Higher up the road ran at The foot of
cliffs covered with laurel and scrub pne
and cedar, whose gray powders Suited
up through dark mold and tn lrown-
ness of fallen leaves, relieved anu '."' I t.
ened here AMI there by patches o. par
tridgeberry and teaberry vines, which
grew low, aul showed vivid scarlet
rabbits had left the fruit ungathered.
Against the locks, in sheltered hooks,
where the wl.d could not despoil them.
were long tr,iis Of bramble vines and
poison oak holding punches of dark pur-
pie berries anu tufts of crimson leaves.
Through a long cutting. whose sides
showed the presence of iron ore, the
train steamed out into a broad valley,
and drew up tC a small station with de-
ceitful bGIsk-.,ss and a self Mandatory
whistle Of Accomplished duty. Royal
lost no time In transferring himself and
his impatience TO the station platform.
"Anyboiy l. re for DR.. Royal?"
The question was impersona'lv I'D
dressed to "a Iig5le knot Of ~lounsols, auu
Royal paused for a reply, wondering
what the dickens he SHOULD dc /. yl-own
on his OWL res 1urces.F
4 thickSet man IN a gray overcoat
copiously patched Nth blue-a relic of
secession reconstt ucted-advanced to
meet him.
YOU'RE d. loyal yerse'f, l reckon.
Amt you? h questioned.
Royal nodded and the man extended
his hand with treat cordiality.
"Dou6 forge, me, l reckon, doctor, but
l AIM forgot YOU. We all used to hunt
an fish together back yonder befo' you
went to school. My names Jim Dodson;
fix you, l reckon. Hurry right
along. You amt got time to talk now,
I know, an we'll hitch up them SIX
arter a while. Come this Away.
Brandon syA5 the buggy, an Spot
driv; but that mar o his'n can't abide
engines, mother D. don't like strangers,
50 Spot he hilU her here behind the depot
an axed me to look out fur you"
He tilted up his hat brim and cast an
observing eye skyward. Royal per
the mans mistake, but had not
time to rectify it. Behind the station
stood a buggy, mud splashed and untidy,
but strong and serviceable; between the
shafts was a dark bay with a good deal