The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1900-07-07


dance. 1 was wondering whether Larry
would stay over to tell Miss Mastsrson
about it the next day. for, Of course, he
couldn't spring such thing on girl at
aparty.
THAT evening dressed early and
went down to the station at nine to
meet Larry. The extra came in, but no
Larry. l saw Connolly. the conductor,
and asked him il he had seen anything
of O'Toole, but he said he hadn't, that
the station at Grover was open when he
came through, but that he found no
train orders and couldn't raise anyone,
30 supposed OToole had come up on
l53. l went back to the Office and
called Grover. but got no answer. Then
l sat down at the instrument and called
for fifteen minutes straight. l wanted
to 60 then and hunt up the conductor
on I53, the passenger that went through
Grover at five-thirty in the afternoon,
and ask him what he knew about Larry.
1t was then nine forty-five and l knew
Miss Masterson would be waiting, go l
jumped into the carriage and told the
driver to make up time. On my way to
the Mastersops' l did some tall think
ing. could find no excuse for O'Toole's
non appearance. but the business of the
moment was to invent ole for Miss Mas.
terson that would neither alarm nor
offend her. couldn't exactly tell her he
wasn't coming. for he might chow up
yet, so l decided to cay the extra was
late. and l didn't know when it would
be in.
"Miss Masterson had been an excep.
tionally beautiful girl to begin with.
and life had done a great deal for her.
Fond as was of Larry, used to won.
der whether girl who had led such a
full and independent existence would
ever find the courage to face life with a
railroad man who was 90 near the bot
tom Of ladder that is 80 long and steep.
"She came down the stairs in one Of
her Paris gowns that are as meat and
drink to Cheyt nne society reporters.
with her arms full of American beauty
roses and her eyes and cheeks glowing.
1 noticed the roses then. though l didn't
know that they we're the boys last mes
sage to the woman he loved. She paused
half way down the stairs and looked at
me, and then over my head to the draw
ing room, and then her eyes questioned
mine. 1 bungled at my explanation
and she thanked me for coming, but she
couldn't hide her disappointment, and
scarcely glazed at herself in the mirror
as put her wrap about Der shoulders.
1T was not cheerful ride down to
the capitol. Miss Masterson did her
duty by me bravely. but found it diff
ficult to be even decently attentive to
what she was saying. Once arrived at
Representative hall, where the dance
was held, the strain was relieved, for the
fellows all pounced down on her for
dances, and there we're friends of hers
there from Helena and Laramie, and
my responsibilities were practically at
an end. Don't expect me to tell you
what Wyoming Inauguration ball is
like; I'm not good at that sort OF thing,
and this dance is mere incidental to my
story. Dance followed dance, and still
no Larry. The dances had With Miss
Masterson were torture. She began 10
question and cross-question me, and
when l got tangled up in my lies. she
became indignant. Freymark was late
in arriving. 1t must have been after
midnight when he appeared. correct and
smiling. having driven 10 from his ranch.