The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-01-02

remonstrance against so dull jour
ney.
Looks like procession Of Qua
kcrs," he muttered, surlily lifting his
glance to the face of the other occu-
pant Of the smoking-room, who sat
rigdly in an opposite chair, read
ing the New Orleans States. The
stranger scanned Weatherby coldly,
rolled himself another cigarette with
easy deXterity in one hand, lighted
it in calm silence and resumed his
reading without response. His face
was hard. from his thin, pointed
beard and waXed mustache to his
sharp, black Eyes He seemed to sug-
gest a stiletto in a jar of vinegar
Wetherby felt like slapping his face
as diversion, but contented himself
with the reflection that his fellow
traveller was a discourteous brute
with whom he didn't care to talk,
anyway.
Some of those Creole ducks think
lHfA dIf DlduiNll NihtS N'is Nv llhl
INJURED under his breath, irritably.
Then he shut his eyes and fell into
a nap, lulled by the rumbling mono
tone of the flying train, When he
awOke darkness had fallen without
doors. The train was at rest at way
station and moment later dining
car which had stood upon an ada
cent siding was backed down upon
them and coupled to the sleeper.
Supper time" thought Wetherby,
with "A feeling of relief. Here, at
least, was a diversion. He would eat,
and give thanks that he had an I'M
failing appetite. Perhaps a bit
red snapper and some gulf coas,
crabs would restore his spirits. He
rose quickly and made his way
to his own seat in front.
As he stopped over his valise to
open it for some accessory OF his tot
let his glance fell upon what seemed
to be small piece of gold, lying in
the aisle beside him. He picked it up.
1t was n dainty ornamental pin,
woman's tritle, to fasten scarf or
ribbon, in the shape of a miniature
hand. Upon its chased golden wrist
band were intertwined the letters p.
c. Wetherby examined it with Won
dering scrutiny.
Where was it he had seen that pin
of gold before? Surely it once had
been familiar Surely he knew-oh,
yes, of course he knew. Recollection
flowed back upon him as a rising tide.
Now he remembered. This was the
pin which had been little Pauline's-
Pauline Carroll's-his boyhood play
mate, his boyhood sweetheart. Well,
Well! How long was it? Ten years,
at least. Yes, full ten years. She
was sixteen then, and her parents
had sent her to New Orleans to round
her education at the seminary of the
Sacred Heart. After that-well, he had
never seen her. He had gone away,
too, from the little plantations en-
yroned village which had been their
birthplace, and had returned but
'uNts Htlls II WIS itut, nv Hiu W
thought him of dainty, pretty, viva
cous Pauline, and had asked about
her. No one could tell him much.
Her parents had removed to the big
metropolis. That was all. They had
been swallowed up. None of the Car.
rolls ever had come back to Belmont.
As for this pin, there could be no
two like il, he had seen il a hundred
times. II was Pauine's, of course;
but Pauline. where. was she? He rose
with more yivacity than he had felt
during the long day and as he did so,
and half turned TO ms pect his fellow
passengers once more, ripping
voice. sweet az the trlll of bird, ac-
costed him, half laughing, half in
yelled anxiety, at his elbow;
Pardon me, sir thousand times,
! beg, # | am wrong, but have been
searching for a pin ! dropped some
where In the ear IA little while ago
just after | got on at the last sta
tion. and / suspect" she concluded
with a roguish smile, that YOU are In
Il position To claim the reward"
II was Pauline. no doubt Pauline
indeed. But this tall, radiant, beauti-
full woman was not by any means
the unsophisticated country girl