The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-05-19
TOMORROW AT NOON

For hours before the Chicago express
entered the Grand Central Station a
Messenger in the s,eeping-car Arcadia
vas in a. state bordering on frenzy.
He had smoked SO many cigars that
Ne porter regarded him with appre-
PENSION. He had stamped up and down
he aisle so fiercelv that a baby had
shrieked in fright whenever he appear
ed He had cursed ~ horribly ,A-.. ,ne
ancient spinster in the section next his
had been on the point of swooning sew
eral times.
He was big, athletic fellow, with
buddy complexion, determined lips, and
eyes Ike gray velvet, with black lashes
and br0ws. His face would have been
noticeable at any time, but now, crown
ed with an enormous silver-embroid-
4 Iered sOmbrero and distorted with i'm
patience, it was dcubly conspicuous.
"That cowboy must be getting ready
to kill somebody" said the commercial
3man from Omaha 10 the railroad man
from Buffalo.
. Af'NA4SA IAAebI Vi l. SUNS W oSO Ills
girl" replied the c,her.
The railroad man was a keen Judge
of human nature. Tom Weir, ranch
. man from the Valley of the River of
LosJ Souls, Col, las on his way to
New York to find his sweetheart.
AS he sat moodily biting an unlighted
cigar and counting the mile-posts he
Recalled, as in a dream, his meeting
N with the exquisite creature he was
seeking. He remembered that clear,
Bright morning when he rode jingling
Pnd gathering into Durango, just as the
train from Alamosl was pulling up to
The station; how ne threw himself off
Mhs mustang and joined the crowd of
hniners, cowboys, loafers and "greas-
PRS" on the station platform to see the
passengers alight.
He heard again the murmur of adj
miration as she stepped from the train
And walked through the throng with
the air of a princess.
His heart pounded madly as he re-
called the masses OF red gold hair the
luscious lips, the eyes of most unholy
\ blue-the blue of the mountain sap
phires-and the graceful svelte form.
His thoughts shifted to the afternoon
when he was introduced to her at the
ranch adjoining his own. She had
. come to visit her school friend the wife
OF his neighbor. lie remembered her
N wonderful pink gown with clouds and
4 pillows of lace, the tiny fan she welded
SO coquettishly, the rings on her white
n fingers. She looked like an angel to
4 {the big, clumsy, blushing, stammering
aranchman-a pink and white angel
with halo of dazzling blonde hair
Poor Tom Weir then and there lay
his great, unsullied, honest heart at her
tiny feet. From the first moment she
spoke to him he was her slave.
Now he thought of those heavenly
N days that followed; the long walks and
N rides in that glorious air that mounted
to their heads like champagne; the
81 nights when the great red moon swung
over the snow-covered mountain
peaks; the first mad kiss, the tender
confession, the sweet surrender and the
solemn betrothal.
And now he was going to see her!
Two years had gone by since the girl
Of his heart had said good-by to him;
since he had held her to his brawny
breast and with swimming eyes and
husky voice had begged her not to for
get him.
She had written him often sweet,
kind, tender letters, letters he had
N kissed and cried over and put under his
N pillow at night. She had kept her
word. She had not forgotten him
. that radiant creature. o, where was a
N man so madly happy as he? And O.,
II when, when, would this train get into
New York?
There was only one little bit Of alloy
In this happiness; a mere trifle, to be
sure, but still there. A few words in
her last letter had troubled him. He
had read and re-read them, trying to
discover just what caused his uneasi-
ness, but in vain. Still vague, intan-
gible something seemed threatening
him. Some instinct sounded note of
alarm as he pored over the perfumed
paper in his hand.
Il am tired of teaching" the letter
ran. THE life of governess is so
narrow, so combining. So l have gone
In for art"
That was all
Art-art? Art is perfectly harmless,
Ito be sure, but it was strange he had
never seen her draw or paint anything
Indeed, he remember that when with
the enthusiasm of the typical Western
ranchman, he had pointed out the
beauties of his beloved mountains she
had seemed rather bored than other
wise.
He made a sudden resolution. He
would go to New York. He would see
her and beg her to give up art and
come near to natures heart with him.
There was TO reason why their mar
Fiage should be longer delayed. He
eould give her pleasant home even II
Tifie lonely. But she would never
Pc lonely. Would he not be with herf
md she could paint all the pictures
ne wanted in Colorado as well as In
New York.
Yes, he would go to her. He would
weep her off her feet by his passionate
Heading; he would carry her away
nth him; he would bring her back to
ne mountains and to his home.