Middletown transcript., 1902-10-06

and Dick Williams, who lived in th
little town from which Geoffrey hat
just come, came hurrying in. He wa
evidently very much excited.
"Say, old man, you haven't. heart
anything yet, have you?' Williams qucs
toned breathlessly.
HAnything-about what?' Gcoffre,
asked calmly.
ooh, you poor fellow, l see you
haven't How shall / tell you! Matt
land, old man, you must brace up and
prepare yourselff ffor-the worst"
Hang it all, what are you driving at?''
asked Godfrey.
II have just come in from Elmcourt, u
Williams said significantly.
sHaye YOUR said Geoffrey pleasantly
$50 have I-only took the $40 train. y
''You did? I hadn't heard OF that
though l remember now they did say
she had driven some one over to the
station and was ON her way home. II
must have happened almost directly
afterwards"
''She?" cried Geofrey, now beginning
to feel strange alarm. "What has
happened? Tell me quick"
"The very worst; prepare yourself, my
dear fellow! II was over instantly-she
was killed."
'sWho?'' grasped Godfrey in strange
voice, grasping at the frail straw Of some
possible mistake.
''Your own Miss Wright" said vii.
liams pityingly. 81 knew you'd be
dreadfully cut up, you were SO fond of
one another and had been engaged so
longr'
The little ring in Geoffrey's breast
pocket seemed suddenly to pierce through
him like a knife. Oh, that it had never
left her handl
What happened?'' he said again
hoarsely.
''She was driving home, they told me,
and on the road she was overtaken by
one of those internal locomobiles. Her
horse took fright and bolted, she was
thrown out--neck broken-picked up
deadp'
Godfrey sprang up and the expression
on his face made the other man suddenly
fear that he was going mad. He stood
staring at the Office clock.
eff you want to go out there on the
noon train I'll arrange to go with you,"
Williams said kindly.
''I'm going-on the 1875"
"But, my dear fellow, you can't possi-
bly-you'ye only seven minutes
He ended abruptly when he found him
selftalking to the empty air, for Geoffrey
had seized his hat and was gone.
Out into the crowded street rushed
Godfrey, and never in old college days
when he was in training did be run as he
ran now. Broadway was at its worst-a
confusion Of rapidly moving cars, carts
and carriages-but Godfrey stopped for
none of them. He dashed under the
heads of horses and ran between cable
cars, escaping SO narrowly that the grip
men yelled at him in sudden chill, but
he plunged on and gained the opposite
side unscathed.
Some one humorously raised the cry
''Stop thiefP' but no one attempted to
follow, and none could have caught or
held him had they tried. On and on he
ran until the ferry house was reached,
but just the fraction of minute latei
The gates were already closed and the
boat was just starting from the slip.
5eoffrey dashed past the man who was
:losing the wagon entrance and rushed
out to the end of the dock.
Two working girls in the waiting-room
Tho-on their way to Miss Wright's-
mad just lost the boat, took him for |
Would-be suicide and shrieked aloud.
Godfrey gathered himself for spring
and shot far out in Ia wild endeavor yet |
e catch the boat. But he was breathless |
now and the space was widening with |
every instant. He felt himself falling
short, but with desperate effort he |
,lutched at the boats deck and clung
here until two men dragged him up
wearing roundly at him the while.
Painting and overweight, Geoffrey |
Fentured into neither cabin-who knew
who might be there to recognize and
peak to him? So he stood in a narrow
pace between the vehicles, breathing
hard, and with his hat pulled over his
ayes to hide the slow tears which now
md then coursed down his cheeks.
On the train he sought the smoking. |
,ar, where he pretended to fall asleep.
He was sorry now that he had jumped |
70 well! II only he had fallen short |
The boat altogether and had been drowned |
before they could get him out Of the |
water-that would have been the most
itting endingl But since he was still
live. if he could only get the ring back |
lpon Alics's poor dead hand before it |
should be noticed that it was gone, then
10 one need ever know that even before
ieath came to separate them they had |
bid one another. good-bye-for the last
ime.
The train stopped at Elmcourt and |
ieoffrey, more than ever dreading recog-
,ition, cast swift glance about him for
Iome vehicle to carry him to the house.
And there, right before his eyes and |
ust as l,e had left her not yet four hours |
lgo, he saw Alice in her phaetonl
He thought it some mad delusion Of |
ais brain. He passed his hand across his
'yes and looked again, but the vision
till was there. She was bending forward /
eoking eagerly for those working girls
Who had failed to come, and he saw
hade Of disappointment overspread her
ace. Then she spied him, and her ex
PRESTON changed to one OF bewilderment
nd then anxiety.
He staggered forward To the nhaefon