The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-05-15

up and proceeded to eat the mOrSel on
his fork.
Their merry little meal over, the
rest of the day passed in the usual
routine of a Pullman car. Jack was
all devotion from first to last. Read
ing, talking and eating, with hasty
little promenades when there was any
opportunity, was the order of the day.
Jack Hollis had known and loved
Gladys Preston since he was a boy of
10 and she little girl of IA. He had
proposed and been declined several
times, but knowing that she did not
dislike him, and believing that every
thing comes to the man who waits, !" he
was waiting, and in the meantime
wooing to the best of his ability.
The second morning Gladys arose
with a severe headache. She snubbed
poor Jack, who was all sympathy; re-
fused the cup of tea he brought her
when they changed cars at Ogden, and
when the journey began again, lay
back on the pillows he fixed in the seat
for her, and would have nothing to say
to him.
How Jack longed to take the golden
brown head in his arms and stroke the
throbbing temples. Toward evening,
when the rest of the passengers were
out to dinner, he asked her with a
passionate tremor in his voice to give
him the right to do so.
She was trying to swallow the tea he
had again brought in to her. Pushing
it away, she said angrily:
Jack, you bother me to death. Don't
ever mention that subject to me again,
for will not marry you. Go away,
and don't speak to me at ALL" Then
the aching head dropped YEARLY back
on the pillow.
Jack paled, took the half-emptied
cup. and walked silently out of the
car. That was the last she saw of him
that night She had her berth made
early, and, utterly exhausted, soon
| fell into refreshing sleep, from which
she awoke in the night with the head
| ache gone.
Her first thought was of Jack, and
her eyes opened wide with shame as
she remembered her rudeness to the
man who had always been so kind to
her. She recalled the panied, set
look as he had turned away the even
ing before, and resolved to ask his
pardon the first thing in the morning,
when of course he would forgive her
and they would be good friends again.
Morning found Gladys herself again,
sweet and pretty as ever; but no Jack
to be seen.
After a lonely little breakfast by
herself, she settled down comfortably
with a book to read and wait for him
to come and make up.
The hours passed, however, and still
no Jack.
At luncheon time she saw him dis
appear in the eating room without so
much as a look even in her direction.
Shortly after the train moved he
sauntered carelessly in to his section.
Meeting her wondering eyes he grave
ly bowed, then taking a book. was to
all intents soon absorbed in it's con-
tents.
Her heart seemed to sink a few
inches as she fully realized that he
had taken her hasty words literally
and did not intend speaking to her.
But pride came to her rescue and she
was apparently as much interested in
her work as he was in his.
The afternoon rolled on, and still they
read, never glancing at each other. AS
the train drew up at the dinner station
he threw down his book and went out
talking and laughing with one of the
men.
Gladys who had not left the car that
day, timidly asked the old ladies if she
could go out to dinner with them and
was promptly taken under their wing.
After dinner Jack stayed in the smok-
ing-room playing cards.
Then. as the shadows darkened
Gladys spirits fell to the lowest ebb.
Turning to the window, she gazed
steadily out with fast-filling eyes. She
realized and confessed then to herself
how much she had missed Jack all
| day.
The car lamps were lit and berths
were being made up all around her.
More and more lonely and low spirited
she grew. Tomorrow morning would
bring them to Omaha where her
friends would meet her. She would 90
one way Jack another, and he would
never speak to her again. The last
thought was too much for her, and by
this time she was crying softly but bit
terly in the corner, with her face still
turned to the window
Suddenly someone leaned over her
and said, softly: why, Gladys, home
sick already?"
Startled, she turned quickly, and
with a joyful little catch of her breath,
dashed her handkerchief over her
eyes, and answered shyly: 'No, Jack,
only lonesome. and I-rm sorry I was
so rude yesterday"
He sat down, screening her from any
prying eyes, and said very low:
''Gladys, darling, were you crying be-
cause I've been such an unmanly beast
to-day?"
The pretty head dropped lower
no answer. Jack glanced around; no