St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-09-30

get left, sir"
Charley Merrill rushed for the plat
| form. But the vestibule doors were
locked and the train was under good
Roadway At that moment life began
to seem like melodrama to poor Merrill.
"When do we reach the next stations?
he asked Of the porter.
cat r. sir, was the answer.
Merrill dropped into q seat in grotesque
despair The twenty-five minutes to
Silver Hill seemed longer than the wait
of table d'hote Merrill occupied the
time with more or less torturing specua-
tions as to what the girl would do when
she found that he had not been left be
hind, and that they had been separated
by another ridiculous mistake. He did
not blame her for her blunder, for this
had been the result of blunder of his
own in forgetting certain necessary ar
rangements at the station from which
they had started. He pictured her de-
spair at the separation, and then he tried
to think that the whole thing was comic,
but did not succeed very well in the
effort He could come to no conclusion
as to what she would do. She might
have taken the midnight train and fol-
lowed him if she had been supplied with
the money to buy a ticket. As it was he
did not see that she could do anything
more than wait for him to come back for
her, as she must know that he would.
Merrill found that there was a train
from Silver Hill back to the station of
the mishap few minutes after -. He
could reach the girl, he calculated, soon
after half-past II. lie sprang off the
train at Silver Hill in a fever of impa-
| tience The northern train was due in a
quarter of an hour. Merrill hunted up
the station master, without thinking it
necessary to say anything about a we'd
ding, yet he fancied that the station
master took degree of interest in the
matter that might look as if he suspected
a sentimental side of the case.
Presently the telegraph instrument in
the station was ticking message. II
think can find out whether she is still
there said the station master. Merrill
said nothing He did not wish to delay
for the space Of second the coming of
the reply, if there should be one.
The answer was now coming over the
WIRE For moment the operators face
was inscrutable. Then he looked up
quickly.
"The station master down there" he
said, "fixed it up with the conductor of
the midnight, and put her on that
train"
"Good!" gasped Merrill, with a sense
of relief that was abruptly terminated
by something in the look of the station
master at his side.
"The midnight does not stop here, :"
said the station master
Merrill was ready to faint. His bride
would be carried through to Pittston
without him. GLOW soon can l follow
that train," he choked as if with some
expectation that the station master
light have the decency to modify the
time table.
The station master looked commiser-
atingly at him as he replied, "The next
train stopping at Pittson is $50"
Merrill sat down on the nearest bench.
He could not think. The situation had
not be able to reach his wife for over
six hours. What would become of her
in that dreadful interval? And how
could he live during such a CHASTITY
period of waiting ? Merrill made up his
mind that he simply could not stand the
torture of such protracted uncertainty.
He would have liked to hire special
train. People had done such things.
Perhaps ell of his honeymoon money
would hire an engine to. carry him to
Pittston. He fancied himself riding
madly across the country in the cab of
snorting locomotive.
Pretty soon he abandoned his thought
and began figuring on the distance to
Pittston. They told him it was thirty
one miles. He asked to be directed to a
public stable They didn't know of
anybody but Gibbs, aud were very I'M
certain about him at that hour After
fifteen minutes delay Gibbs was found
in barroom half mile from the station.
At first Gibbs wouldn't drive anybody
anywhere for anything. Then he com
promised by saying that he wouldn't
drive anybody to Pittston, at which
Merrill took hope.
''The fact isl said Gibbs, "that l
haven't a horse that'll stand it. You
will have to be driven like the devil"
81 will give you dollar mile" said
Merrill.
Gibbs shook his head. Then he said:
"l'll tell you what I'll do. I'll drive you
to Mandy's, that's twenty miles, and you
can get something at Mandy's for the
other ten miles. I'll do that for $25."
ats bargain,' said Merrill, "if
you'll hump yourself and hump that
horse"
The midnight" went shrieking by
them as the horse was getting down to a
stiff trot. Merrill stared gloomily at the
muffled "sleepers," knowing that his
heroine was being carried away from him
by the laundering train. Gibbs horse
was good stopper, but Gibbs did not
seem to lie pressing him. After they
were fairly started Gibbs admitted that
the horse had been driven rather hard
the day before, and that he couldn't
afford to be harsh with him. AS it was
he did not intend to bring him back from
Mandy's until daylight.
When about half the distance had been
accomplished Gibbs suddenly said: II
guess you had better let me have some of
that money. Of course I don't know
you, and this is pretty heavy job. The
horse is acting mighty queer, and I'm
not sure this racket won't do him up"
TO Merrill there didn't seem to be
much danger. care you afraid you
won't get me there?" he asked.
'I'll get you there, i" returned Gibbs.
Merrill gave him ten dollars. 1.-The
fifteen when we get there" he added.
Then the horse began to lame. Gibbs