Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1896-01-31


gushing they said to her that Jack
Dallass was going to feather his nest
or butter his beans or something equal
~ coarse and outrageous; and / came
with my ears red-hot and accused her
o: deeming me mercenary, and want
ed to know why she hadn't res ,nted
it; and when / was through she
laughed, and she laughed, and, oh!
how she hurt me! And l marched
downstairs and took the first hat on
the hat rack--and it wasn't my hat,
and it made me all the more ridicu-
lous."
Then John Dallass again paced up
and down and consulted his watch. at
will be dark in half-hour. But ]
don't care snap about being alone
And what is likely to be the conclusion
OF this business? The girl invariably
marries some other man, and is happy
with the new fellow. And the first
chap-who cares what has become of
him? Now, there is that Bob Bryant,
why hasn't he written? Two months
have 1 been away from civilization,
and not line from anybody, only old
rigamarole rubbish from railroad di-
rectors."
just then there was shout away
off in the distance. John Dallass drew
out his map, and was, apparently,
deeply engrossed in the study of il
when his men came in. AT once the
engineer found fault with them for
being behind time.
"See here" said the spokesman, ut
was rough walking through the slough,
and we went to where the mail was,
and 1t was ten miles out of the way.
There was nothing"
"Where's the fourth man?" inquired
Jack Dallass, angrily.
you cut me too short, boss. There
was next to nothing, only a letter for
you. The fourth hand, the man that
sorts the mail, he said this here letter
had been there month, and that an
other mail was expected, but we could
MT all stay for it, SO the fourth man he
allowed he would wait. See here,
boss, that young chaps got girl in
the east somewhat, and he said he'd be
blowed, or something like it, if he
wouldn't wait and see if she had wrote
him. So we lit out without him. He'll
he up afore long"
John Dallass felt like forgiving the
fourth man, especially since the letter
he had now in his hand he recognized as
coming from Robert Bryant. While the
men were building fire Mr.. Dallass
read his letter. There was nothing in
it. Club talk and nonsense, absolutely
unsatisfactory. Stop! There was a
postscript. "Saw Miss Royal at the
theatel. She looked cbarmingly. Such
nn amusing play! 1 had heard she
was going abroad l asked her about
It. She seemed to put some insistence
in denying it. That's ALL"
What crumb of comfort was there
1t was ever so small crumb. and YET
Jack Dallass read it over and over
again, until the last flicker of the light
went out, and then he lay down in his
blanket and did not go to sleep, fol
lie heard during the night the coming
Of the fourth man. 1t was too darl
to see whether he had a mail satchel
In moment the man was stretched his
length before the fire and was asleep
At dawn Dallass was awake. Yes, thu
man had a small bag. He had used il
for pillow. The engineer filched i
from under the heavy sleepcr's head
The contents of the bag were exam
ined. There were newspapers and blu'
envelopes. "Bcastly instructions, i'm
possible to carry out, and requests TO
more details which they may whistle
for" cried John Dallass, impatiently
| what, no letter! Not even from Bob? y
Then in feverish haste Dallass shool
each newspaper, and out tumbled
letter. "Thc COMPOUNDED lazy fellow
must have rammed the whole mai! il
together" Jack Dallass' face did no
bear an aggrieved look. He did not lea
cren the envelope, but did the opening
carefully. 1t seemed a sacri]ege to los
"a shred of the paper, 1t was barrel,
dawn, but there seemed to be cci
tain luminosity in the mans eye
which would have permitted him Il
have made out certain handwriting
in the dark. Then he read;
I'm conversation of purely bust
ness character Robert Bryant informe,
Miss Royal that new line of road wa
being built to Puget sound. MIR. Bryan
having expressed himself favorably a
to the future of this enterprise, ant
Miss Royal having need for some mino
investments, she had begged Mr.. Bry
ant, who is familiar with Wall street
to purchase some of the bonds at TIL
current figures.
"Great heavens! What docs the gin
mean? All in the third person! Sh
is cruel, cruel" And it goes IN: MS
Royal would never have been led t
make this venture il she had not b
chance read in some newspaper an az
count of this road, and she takes til
liberty of inclosing the cutting, an
her curiosity is some little excited bt
cause there is the name of an cnginee
having charge of the road which st
thinks has been ludicrously mil
spelled"
THAT'S ALL" cried Jack Dollass, th
tears in his eyes. "She is cruel, m;
licious with her persiflage, and | nev
will forgive her. Let me see this rul
bishly bit of printing. I'm, UNI. Gree
advantages union of the r,
mote Pacific I'm, UNI. Wealth {
the Indies pouring into the lap of tn
remote west Rot and dlivel. Wht
is this at the end of this printed balde
| dnShp IFS undprscnred. iJOhn Ia