The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-04-11

OPENED BY MISTAKE.
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BY JOHN II. RAFTERY.

Any post for Conyghame? d
Connghame?"
The trim little woman inside this
general delivery window OF the Alva.
retta postoffice looked furtively over
her shoulder as she reached for q
PACKET OF letters. The man at the
window, a tall blonde. curly-haired
young Englishman, eagerly watched
her swift fingers as they dealt away
the letters. signe' - she smiled at him
with Nothing today. MIR. Conyng
ha,ae," ana sta.ked away. The prim
clerk big eyes fol- fed him out Of the
door and fingered a4miringly for an
instant upon his ingenious face as he
stood in the blazing might Lighting
his pipe lie was dressed in weather
stained suit of corduroy kniekerhock-
ers, with a gray aannel shirt and a
queer little cap that but half concealed
the tangle OF yellow hair on his fine
head Quite apart from the ordinary
type of boomers. with so odd name,
md SO striking a physique, it is not
extraordinary that the prim Miss Fas-
sett the postmasters daughter and
chief clerk. took notice" of Conyng-
hame.
Twice day thereafter, at 10 in the
morning and in the evening, he was
in line at the window. 1t was no long
er necessary to give his name, and
sometimes when ne was far down In
the file OF waiting applicants she would
save him a long wait by smiling al
him from her little peep-holo and muir
muring, Nothing yet, Mr.. Conyng-
hame." Then he would lift his cap,
Thank you, and lounge away only to
be back again at his usual hour. often
when she knew there was nothing foI
him she let him come up in his turn,
make a great show of seeking his let
ter, and then glancing coyly at him
and shaking her head would say Msifi
all late today, MIR, Conynghame, a:
though to relieve him of the embar'
rassment that always showed on his
boyish face as he turned away enlpty'
handed. Thus for two months he came
and went, twice a day repeating hii
name. lolling away into the everlasting
sunllght-but with never letter No
as much as postal card.
Then suddenly he quit his morning
call and appeared only at the last mo
ment before the window was closed.
You don call so often" Miss Fas
set ventufed at last, blushing at he
own temelity.
mo. miss drawled the Englishman
1T doesn't seem to be much use TO cal
at all. My place is seven miles out
and In trying TO make myself com
Portable for the winter I'm castle
building out there"
And do you drive in every day?
she asked. pretending to scan the lei
ters in her hand
Drive? Not l." said Conyngham'
seeming glad to find her so talkatiy'
Il haven't nag, you know, and
cant tramp it both ways in less tha
two hours"
Couldn't you get some Of you
neighbors to get your mail?" But sh
was sorry the moment she said ii 70
that would mean that she would Sc
still less OF him.
"Neighbors are scarce with me. Yo
see. I've gotten onto a rather poe
claim, I'm afraid. and seldom So
anyone until | reach town. Besides.
get a bit lonesome. and I'm alway
hoping that some time IN get letter
He was looking out into the fadin
light as he said this, and Miss rass'
thought she saw a CLINT OF moisture /
his blue eyes. But there was no lette
Then day after day as she watehe
him she saw that his clothes wei
threadhere and soiled; that his fas
face was thin and pale; that his bil
nervous hands trembled. and that n
light in his eyes was growing brlghte
morn restless and fierce