The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-04-06
Mulholla.nd, red in the face, but strug-

'MulhOlland glanced at the CLOCK; half
anil hour to wait. -
ITS "a slow train," said the porter
i The 4:2O arrived somewhat about the
half hour, and dawdled nonchalantly
I up to town. Mulholland jumped out as
/ Waterloo was reached, and, hailing a
! cab, drove to the hotel where he had
engaged rooms. Naturally. there was
no news of Mrs. Mulholland. With his
vocabulary of self-objurgation exhaust
ed, James drove furiously back to Wat
erloo. He began to make inquiries
vague and uncomprOmising.
Have you seen lady in grey and
| white who came in Bly,
Suddenly there was response in the
face of one addressed.
"A young lady, might it be?" asked
the porter.
Yes, yes-my wife," said James.
I II missed her at Woking.'
The porter was not man to act
without due caution: he took James to
1.-The cloak-room. IF so be you're 'er
husband, you can point Gus 'er luggage -
he said.
= Mulholland's eye fell upon the bon
net-box. THAT'S it," he cried, "that's
the one she said I was to take particu-
lar care of. Where is she?"
"She's CORN back to Working; she said
she'd left suthin' on the PLATFORM
said the porter.
| Mulholland sat down on trunk that
stood handy, and groa),d.
Slowly the situation dawned on the
porter; it rose red in his cheeks like
a wintry sunrise, till he slapped his
leg with irrepressible guffaw
"Beggin' your pardon, sir, it was you,'
he chuckled.
'Shut up" said James Mulholland.
He pulled himself together, slowly
I"Look here" he said, with a kind OF
desperate calmness, II must go back to
Woking and look for her. Now you
keep your eye on every train that
!: comes in, and if you see the lady. put
! her in the waiting room till / come
! for goodness sake don't let her sliI
through your fingers. Here's half.
crown for you, and I'll make it another
when 1 find her." -
''All right, sir; I'll look after her
never you fear. But to think--'
Mulholland saw another sexplosio,
coming: and fled. He was just in time
to catch the $50 out of Waterloo.
1t may be forgiven Mrs. .Mulhollant
} that with the 4:45 for Portsmouth a
platform g. and the 4:40 for Portsmouth
2 at Platform 3, she should have beer
carried away by the latter, in Ignorance
l of the fact that it ran over a line which
2 left Working altogether out Of tn
e reckoning. 81
Her spirits rose as she sped-as sh
fondly believed on her way to James
and she felt happy and CONT able. 4
!. was not till Rowland Castle Was spasl,
led that shesDegan; to realize TINT
E a long time since she n left Bterlou
Y I'VE can't have passed II, 4, (, she said i
l herself, with suspicious emphasis; bu
l when the train pulled up at Fratto1
i the full extent of her misfortunes burs
e upon her with the demand for he
Y ticket. ~:
You'd best go on to Portsmout
;, Town and wait for the next train up,
said the ticket collector, with discretion
q for Fratton is not a, spot In Whic
Y the traveller would choose to linger.
Mrs. Mulholland was too crushed an
e miserable to offer any suggestion her
= self. Poor dear James! what was h
: doing? what must he think of her
d what should she. do? A dismal eternit
seemed to stretch between that happ
+ moment when they sat side by side an
e hand in hand, enjoying the first bills
q of solitude together-and this drear
|. mischance. A kind of despair settle
r down upon her; James seemed to b
q lost to her: mystery had swallowed hir
|! up. Very forlorn and detected she steI
. ped out on the Portsmouth platform
e it was six O'clock; she could have So
l. down apd cried in the desolation of he
e heart. She wanted to go home; all .
e once James became a minor considers
NJ tion; she wanted her mother.
r. why, Miss Frampton. didn't expet
le to have the pleasure of seeing you.
le She looked up at well set-up youn
/ fellow, with an alert, pleasant face, an
j, the bearing of a naval man, spoke
IT, her. ~ .
re- "Oh, Mr.. West, what am l to do:
d. she said, with quivering lip. forge
ting, in her relief at the sight Of fam
t. liar face, to be surprised at the appear
Re ance of one she had not seen for thre
4 years. E~%* 49,
v whats the matter?" asked tt
young man, anxiously perceiving wit
or( apprehension that she was on the verE
ne 1of tears. .-.~
II meant to go to Woking, and tt
t. train came here" she said, aggrieved.
THAT was very inconsiderate," sal
r, Mr.. West. =. =%9<,.@
s. oh don't laugh: it's very serious:
ought to have met someone, and don
t. know what to do"
ut Come and have some tea" said We
who, according to his profession, was
man Of resource. "You look tired on
is there is no train for thirty-five mil
Mt utes"
1e II should like some tea said tt
e, bride. 49, 20, =. 81
k. Come along, there's nice little pla,
I'd close by
to She followed him gratefully, b,
er nightly perpfexed how to explain ma
d. ters. How could you tell young ma
with whom you had-there was I
ne denvinu it-f9irtod tho very f3rSt Va.