The Opelousas courier., 1892-11-26

In spite of what he had heard, or per-
haps, because of what he has heard, all
things, ever the melancholy town itself,
grew rose colored to Dawes sunny eyes.
With his unfailing c~heerfulness he
waited hopefully for news of his ap'
pointment at Red Valley, and lowered,
as if fascinated, around engine No. A.
Neither the boys 0 old Bryan were
slow to notice this, the latter having &C.
copied such attentions periodically from
all the young men. It was so inevitable
a proceeding that up to the time OF the
Middleton's dance they paid no attention
TO it.
But that night something %extraordin.
sry occurred. .
The next day, as Brier Rose rode down
the street on her hardy little pony, the
boys gathered around her eagerly, not
~withstandlng the fact that she had q
stout little whip in her hand. They had
something new and strange to tease her
about.
ssBrier Rose" called out Jim, as she
drew rim, s'you don't carr nothin' about
dancin'', do youf"
"You'd ruther set all the evenin',
wouldn't you, now9"
"D'you like the name o. Dave, or do
you reckon you'd rather have Com
stock2"
Rose looked from one to the other as
the bottled.up tauDts fell rapidly upon
her ears, her cheeks and lips growing
scarlet. For ohss her ready tongue
failed her. Small need to ask them
what they meant. Too we'll she knew.
But was her subjugation apparent in such
o tri6e9 And so soon7 And Dave as
yet had said nothing. Emboldened BY
her silence they went further. &
"What does he say about ita"aA
The shamed crimson leaped 10 her
very temples and receded, leaving her
face pltifully white. Her wounded
pride now pantel for but n thing-a
way out. Probably he knew it, too.
She saw him coming down the street.
edo you love hlm3 Say, Brier Rose,
do you love Davo2" cried the one furth.
eat. from her whip.
der courage came back at Dawes ap.
proach, and ths spell of her unwonted
silence was broken.
s'Do I love him. she cried, looking
him fairly in the face. 81 come nearer
to hatin' himl"
She turned her horse sharply. and the
blows the boys had expected fell on her
fiery little pony. He craned his neck
and went up the street on a dead run,
but fast as Rose flew the grieYed look
in Dave Constock's blue eyes kept pace
with her.
That night Joe fdgeted around, I'M
able to decide whether or not he should
speak to Dave about the occurrence of
the afternoon. Dawes genial smile and
CHEEKY hopefulness we're gone. He sat
with his face buried in his folded arms.
Joe coughed Goisily and said nothing.
Dave looked down at his poor MANNED
foot.
tsJoe, do you know that little baby I
saved from the wreck had brown eyes
like Brier Rose2 I remember the baby
smiled when ] held it out to the men.
You know my foot was caught and ]
couldn't move. I've never seen Briar
Rose smile at me that way. H / had
saved her perhaps she would. Do you
think SO, 5oe7"
At home, Rose was thinking of the
story of Dawes bravery in the wrecked
train, Of the lives he had saved, of his
defense of her.
And to-day In return she had Knocked
him. Aye, if the look he gave her spoke
truly. she had cut him to The heart.
Tears-tears in the eyes of Brier Rosel
The position of telegraph operator at
Red Valley was given to Dare Comstock.
The afternoon freight, heavily loaded,
had just pulled clumsily out of the
Weeping Willow station, with Dave on
the rear platform OF the way car.
The Al, having come down on the
rear of the freight a second engine, now
etood on the siding, waiting to go back
to Horseshoe for the midnight express.
Old Bryan was up in q crowd of men
in front Of the postoffce. Brier Rose
watched him a~nxiously. AS long as he
kept away from the Owl she felt easy.
He knew she was watching him. He
also knew that she would not hesitate to
come after him if the Owl proved too
strong an attraction. Therefore he kept
away
She trod fearlessly along the side OF
the boiler, rubbing the hand rail with .
black oil sodden cloth. She touched the
engine as il she loved it. Every part of
it shone like the sun. Every valve
worked with precision. Every screw
was secure. Joe laughed to see her fling
q shovelful OF coal into the furnace like
q born fireman.
His own mashine called his attention
from the A. Then Rose heard him cry
out, and, springing down, she rushed
into the station.
"a runaway engine coming this wayli
he said h~oarsely. 'tSpite work Of a dis.
charged engineer. No n on her-going
twenty five miles an hour-a single track
Dawes train only going fifteen the
A and that ore car on the only siding
between here and Red Valley. Ny
Godi"
aWhere is ita' cried Brier Rose.
tit broke away from Horseshoe Gap.
Mesa e is from Prairie City. It's already
passed Prairie City, headed straight for
here. It's bound to catch Dave before
his train gets to Red Valley"
Rose turned white to her very lips.
She covered her face with her brown
hands. Only for a moment, though.
Then she flung back her head and looked