The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-10-21

| plCJC LII Uu1CC uClS.
Chalmers went on with his breakfast
as he would under almost any circum
stances whatever have gone on with any.
thing in which he happened to be en-.
gagged. But this action was mechanical
as after the first daze had passed away
he began to think clearly and rapidly
about the matter in hand. By the time
he had finished his coffee and dropped a
fee in the palm of the attentive waiter
he had every detail of action systemat,
ically arranged.
"You may cancel my room," he said
to the man at the desk as he returned to
the hotel Office. 81 shall go ON north by
the first train. How soon can leave?'
"There will be nothing now until
night, sir. The first train is out at nine
fifteen. Sorry you are going to leave us
so soon," went on the clerk affably.
"Good time to see New Orleans, sir;
French opera tonight and plenty of
quadroon balls going, if you care for
that sort of thing"
Chalmers stared hard at the man and
waited until he had finished. Then he
said quietly:
''S5ee that my luggage is sent down in
time for that train and have it checked
for Cleveland, and get me Pullman
section through as far as you can. Now
please give me some telegraph blanks" "
He penned two kilograms. One was
to Lima Tenant and was as follows:
II have just heard; shall leave for
Cleveland tonight"
The other was to Winston, Lanny and
Company, Broad street, New York. It
said:
"Turn everything you can into cash
and have subject to sight draft within
three days. Shall want at least one
hundred thousand"
When he had sent these it was not
quite eleven o'clock. Ten hours of en-
forced idleness, of absolute inactivity
were before him just at the time when
it was more important than it had ever
yet been in his whole life that he should
be doing something. He had not planned
for this, and so chafed under the delay
and sought for some means by which the
time might be employed. Once he thought
he would write to George; then he de-
cided to wait and see Lima Tenant and
the bank people and learn the whole
story He would make sure of what he
could do before writing to George or
going to Columbus. That he could do
something with the means at his COM
mand he never doubted for a moment.
AS to what that something would be,
what form it would take, his ideas as
/ yat loE,ita hot
upon what he learned at Cleveland.
The long day dragged itself ON and
came to close at last. 1t was raining
when it was time for him to go to the
train, and all through the night he could
hear the storm beating in gusts against
the windows of his berth. All the next
day, as the train speeded ON northward
through the boundless pine forests of
Alabama, the rain kept pouring steadily
down and adding dreariness to every
dreary hour. 1t would have been enough
had his errand and his thoughts been of
the pleasantest. But as it was, with his
mind fixed so steadily upon the one
wretched fact before him, the monotony
was almost unbearable.
AT Cincinnati, as he changed cars the
next morning, the rain had given place
to snow, and as he still went on north
ward through Ohio the white blanket
grew deeper and deeper over the land.
The monotony of it was awful; like
shroud spreading itself out oyer the
earth and, thought Chalmers, winding
ever closer and closer about himself.
Would it wind him SO close in its folds
that he could do nothing in this matter
upon which he had come up into this
inhospitable wintry land9 Toward noon
the snow had grown so deep that it be-
gan to impede the progress of the train;
frequently it stopped, while the engine
was driven ahead to clear the track. A
snowplow was put on and it threw up
great solid walls of snow, like quarried
marble, on either side the line. 1t
seemed as if the snow would never stop
coming and as though they must be
swallowed up in the white desolation.
A passenger in the seat opposite Chal-
mers asked the conductor if they should
be able to get through.
II don't know yet. The road Is re-
ported blocked little way above here.
They may get it open by the time we
reach there. If not, the through passen-
gers had better go around by Columbus"
Chalmers listened pervously. He knew
that route. The track wound along
close beneath the great gray walls of
the prison. George was there; he could
not go that way. It would be easier to
lose little time, even after hurrying
for thousand miles as fast as steam
could bring him.
At Springfield it was yet doubtful
whether they should be able to get
through, and some of the passengers
changed there and went around by the
Columbus branch. This would strike
the main line again farther up, and
would probably save some delay. But
Chalmers remained in his coach and the
train kept on its way-slow and uncer-
tain, but gradually making toward
Cleveland. He took out his time card
after awhile and made some careful cal.
culations, The snow was reported not
80 bad Farther north; they should get
through, but would not reach Cleveland
until long after dark. Chalmers felt
that he could not endure another night
of suspense and uncertainty, and at the
next station st he sent sent aaf8tAeF aaHf98tAeF telegram u
Lima Tenant. ''''' i' t.
This one read:
"Shall be in tonight, but train will be
very late. Wait"
After this he settled down with what
patience he could himse1f tn sI1vai+,,