Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-02-18
HER BLINDNESS

light, says G.. Melville Upton in Kate
Fields Washington The dead white Of
heavy linen. the opalescent CLINT of
glassware, and the quiet CLEAN OF silver
rembIed together in the swift morton
of the train, Miss Baxter, who had but
recently left her berth, dropped into a
scat leaned back a moment, dazed by
rhis lavish waste Of color Meanwhile
he insistent sunlight took liberties with
the dun brown OF her severely brushed
hl.r, ran burning fingers through it and
edged 1t with coquettish goll Then
she FASTENED 10 draw the curtain anG
fhrow the blue square Of shade over
hr CORNER of pic table. silb.u2 as shn
settled dovl agaiI aud all the painful
scru" Of the evening before came sur--
M back
She felt half a notion 10 Ly her head
90 ihe table ana cry outright She
glanced doWu instead and fingered her
ring his ring while her glasses grew
misty She wondered whether size
should have kept the ring, now that It
no longer meant anything. The ques-
ton was still undecided when she pull
ed herself together with a visible ire
NOR and turned TO the menu card.
Dining car breakfasts are not timed
to wait on the settlement Of subtletics
in ethics particularly after the steward
has made the last call"
In the few minutes, Miss Baxter had
been in the car She had not noticed
her companions. As she raised her
head she was startled to see Il familiar
face dimly taking shape across the
table. She had removed her slassCs
and was about to press Il handker-
chief 10 her eyes, hut she pur them
resolutely on again and looked tiXedly
through their misty crystals
Mr. Woodson, where did you come
FROM she demanded at length, as his
wen known features gradually took def
mite shape before her.
Woodson did not speak at once. He
was noticing how her hair would tuIa-
bic down in Maynard ringlcts In spite
Of her efforts to keep it staidly back,
and how her cheeks persisted in dimpl-
Ing, however resolutely she closed her
llps together. Then he said:
'I'rom New York Of course. Does
my dress suit look as though I'd board
ed the train in these rural precincts?
| thought YOU knew the cut better"
DO you can to say that you've
been ON this train all this while-after
after last night Miss Baxter asked
with slightly heightened color.
Guessed 1t the first tirie,' Woodson
exclaimed. frightening. Il tell you,
Grace, YOU should have gone into the
law instead Of art You'd have been
great on cross examination"
"Nevcr mind. Mr. Woodson; you seem
to for.;et that | prefer to mako NY
own aareer-we've discussed that be
fore, however. And so you've been on
this train ever since / haye?" she con
Guided rehectively.
"a little longer. in fact. I made a
mistake and got here half an hour early
read the time table backward, hence
these clothes, But now, see here,
small girl" Woodson went on with
great deliberateness, shaking out his
napkin into his lap and gazing intcndy
into the blurred, blue depths Of Miss
Baxter's glasses.
"See here. now, do you suppose Just
because n girl tits me"-NIiss Baxter
here mterpoSed a depreCating gesture
Eyes, / repeat it, DO You suppose
lust because n girl iilts me, and have
reason to believe is going to the ends
Of the earth to get where she win never
see me again. that my sense Of response
hiiity ends till I've seen her safely
where she wants to gof No, I've made
New York untnhabitablt for you, and
| shall make what amends 7 can by
ehapcroning you to Colorado or Kan
chatka or wherever it is you are going
New what shall | order for breakfast
Harry you're cruel You know Mr.
Fleming was going out there for the
color, and I thought 1t would be a good
chance to continue my outdoor work.
"Fleming! That pigt Wei, I didn't
know before that he was gong. I see
there is still more reason why I should
go now-and stay
.bui 1 ibIIlu Nou htiuH amy Sh'A
foolish thing"
''To ten the truth, Grace, 7 thought
Of staying all the timc-of going into
some other business there"
"Why, you never told me Of 1t be
fore"
"Weil. l never thought Of it till after
left You last night. Then it occurred
TO me might 90 into the sheep or cat
tie or something ike that
at Nnnitou"
why notg"
ITS n summer resort"
$50 much the better I'd only be
there in the summer, anyhow"
Harry, you're a trtfler.'
"wen, I can peel an orange, anyhow
if vou'n allow me-" Woodsou eX-
claimed. taking from her hand the one
she was making a sad mess of.
Harry. I can never forgive you for
doing this" Miss Baxter concluded,
after a moments contemplation Of the
whirling blur Of green through the car
window.
tfyr-.Yr r ,,-.,-,,. ,r,,t4 how, f,rrrfv.ar,