The times., 1897-03-28

In its dark di rty windows was broken;
squirrels scurfied over the sagging verIn
das; the warpine shingles blew down from
the roof Ill every storm: the caves were
hive for wasps and hornets The streets
that had been so hopefully Laid out led
nowhere. Park avenue started web, hut
soon IoStitseif among brambIes and bushes;
its pretentious name hung askew from il Is
rotting post, held by one rusty nail.
The store, however, was Stin kept up,
for there was little country trade Mrs
Stearns lived with her daughterin theupper
story and managed TO sell or barter across
the dingy counter cotton thread, nails.
nolasses and patent medicine enough TO
pay the interest on the mortgage and live.
Lena who was now eighteen. had 20 DO
something, of course, and as she was rn-
mistakably a bright gi ri and had mastered
bookkeeping and teiegraphy she easily
obtained the unimportaut position II sta
tien agent al Dmnphys, where she sold
half zcnrickets a week, tagged a train
when there was passenger. and boarded
at home.
Lena was not only bright and efficient.
but decidedly pretty. Tnis fact had teen
discovered by John Sturgin, the station
was source OF regret 10 him that he was
not the only discOyerer. As It was. he
peTverSrly turned his back on the well
stocked stores It the Ridge and did a sus-
piciOus amount OF trading at the Glen He
also did more telegrapning at times than
business seemed To require. The wires
must have felt a queer thrill, a. some Of
those messages pulsed through them
though the words were as trivial and as
remote from the sentiments they voiced
as in any other rustic Courtship.
Though scarcely any money ever found
lodgmeut at Dumphys Glen, good deal
passed through it. About twelve miles
below were the great sawmilIs at Sabine
Falls, and every week heavy cash-bOX was
expressed thither from the city To pay the
men. The train which conveyed it, how
ever, scarcely ever stopped at the little
flag station; but there was one notable ex-
ception.
1t was about the middle of March, and
heavy rains had stripped the hills of their
white winter cloaks. They're just like
folks who lay off their wraps too SOon,"
thought Lena, drawing her fleecy fasci
nat0r' more closely about her neck and
shoUlders-for the sky had cleared, and
the air was growing frosty. They look
as if they Were catching their death Of
cold"
She was standing ON the platform, watch
ing the belated express as { rounded the
curve. To her surprise, it slowed ana came
to u stop, though she had not Tagged it.
The door of the baggage car Slid open,
and the agent jumped out, dragging the
cash box after him.
Snail have To irave his here tonight.
he ex planned. BAD wash-out at Tama- |
rack Creek, three miles down. and we |
can't get through To Sabine possibly;
orders are to run back at once. Have |
wired TO the Mills to send men round by |
the road, and they'll he here soon. Itll |
ne all right; nobody else will know the |
stuff' here. Come, We'll put it in the safe |
for you"
So Lena opened the safe while the agent. |
with the help OF a brakeman brought in |
the box. 1t was q snug fit, Though she |
pulled out all the books to make room for |
it. Then the men boarded the train. |
which slowly hacked up the line until it |
was out of sight.
The girl re-entered the depot, locked the /
door, threw fresh supply of coal on the
fire, and waited alone for the messengers
from the mills. An hour passed, and an
other and another; at last the hand OF the
clock stood at IL, and still they had not |
come.
John Sturgin was also sitting alone in
he ticket office at Pine Ridge. Tho=ghts |
If Lena were uppermost in his mind-a
hing not nprecedented-but tonight his
head was full Of fancies. He knew about
he cash box, for he had spoken with the
eX press agent as the train backed through.
I'm afraid the little girl was worried
about that money" he Tnusec. IS ne isn't
Ised to that sort of thing. But it can't
nave been in her hands more than half an
l0ur."
The telegraph at his Chow was clicking |
n an uneasy, irregular fashion, but he had
noticed it. All at once the signal
sounded loudly This was followed by an
rattle; even his practiced
ar could make nothing OF it. Then, after
moments silence, came words-brokcn |
md fluttering-but to his quick apprehen-
ion they sounded like an articuIate cry.