The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1899-01-24

hand, and a comfortable railway rug
over his arm, was walking slowly
along the platform, peering into the
first-class carriages as he went by, IN
quest of ease and solitude. He was
man of reserved temper, bookish be-
yond his years, and he had horror OF
finding himself imprisoned among five
noisy spirits, cottony, horsey, and CT
that boisterous and coarsely-spoken
temperament, which the refined ana
gentle parson would have characterized
as rowdy. The Reverend George was
a Christian gentleman, but so far as 1t
was possible for his mild nature to
hate any one, he hated fast young men.
He was not fond of strangers in gen
eral way He endured them, but Ire
did not love them. He had fingered
on the platform till the train was with
in three minutes of starting, in the
hope of securing for himself the luxury
of privacy, but as the long hand OF the
station clock marked the third min
ute before II, he espied an empty car
riage, and was in the act of entering it,
when hand was laid very gently on
his sleeve.
Pardon me, SIR" said a somewhat
agitated voice, "are you a medical
MANI"
Mr.. Caulfield turned, and confronted
a man of slight figure and middle
height, some years younger than HIM
self-a man with pale face, delicate
features, and soft black eyes; very
interesting countenance, thought the
curate The stranger looked anxious
and hurried.
NO" answered Mr. Caulfeld, Il am
a clergyman"
"That is almost as good. My dear
sir, will you do me great favor? My
sister, an invalid. is travelling by this
train. alone, but she will be met by
friends at Milldale Junction. She is
very ill-nothing infectious; chest COM
plant, poor girl. If you will afford her
the privilege of your protection, only
as far as Milldale, you will oblige me
enormously"
There was no time for hesitation, the
bell was ringing DANGEROUSLY, people
were hurrying to their seats.
with pleasure said the good-na-
tured curate, sorry to lose the delight
of loneliness, embarrassed at the idea
Of an unknown invalid, but far too kind
to shrink from doing an act of mercy.
The young man ran to the second
class waiting room. the door of which
was just opposite, and returned almost
Immediately carrying a muf1ed figure
in his arms-a small, fragile form,
which he carried as easily as If it had
been that of child. This slender tlg-
ure, half buried in a large Rob Roy
shawl. he placed with infinite care in
one of the seats farthest from the door;
then he ran back to the waiting-room
for more wraps, a pillow, and a foot
warmer. He administered with wom-
anly tenderness to the comfort of the
invalid. who reclined mOtionless and
silent in her corner, and then, hurried
and agitated in the imminent departure
of the mail, he stood at the door or
the carriage talking to Mr. Cault1eld,
who had taken his seat in the opposite
corner to that occupied by the Invalid.
you are more than good" said the
stranger. Don't talk to her; she is
low and nervous, and you will agitate
her painfully if you force her to talk.
[ dare say she will doze all the way.
1t is only an hour from here to Mill
dale, and no stoppage till you get
there. Oh, by the way. kindly take this
bottle, and if she should turn faint or
giddy on the way, give her few
drops of the contents. There goes the
flag. Will you allow me to offer you
my card? / am deeply indebted. Good
night"
All this had been said hurriedly.
George Caulfield had hardly time to
take the proffered card when the en-
CINE puffed itself laboriously out Of
the great, CHASTITY terminus, wilder
ness of iron work, a labyrinth of tun-
nels and sidings and incomprehensiHe
platforms, very gloomy on this cold
winter night.
For the first few minutes Mr.. Caul-
field felt so confused and disturbed by
the suddenness of the charge that had
been forced upon him that he hardly
knew what he was doing. Then he
glanced at the lady, and saw with
feeling of relief that her head was re-
posing comfortably against the padded
division of the carriage, and that her
face was hidden by blue gauze veil,
which she wore over a small brown
straw hat. She was breathing some
what heavily he thought, but that was