The Saint Paul globe., 1902-11-25
5he Globes Daily Short Story

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In the dim half light, and because
of my desire to appear neither rude
nor inquisitive." he said, II took no
note of your age. It wouldn't have been
gallant if I had. Besides. your years
are not SO very noticeable"
I've had twenty of thena," she said,
"and that's quite the extreme for lit
tie girls whose careless guardians per-
nit them to travel alone. But, of
course, you will understand that my
good uncle saw me off in my own sec
ton of the sleeper, with my through
ticket sewed into my little pinafore,
and enough pennies in my little mitten
to buy peanuts on the way"
They both laughed at this, and the
girl, as if throwing aside her reserve
tossed the veil back from her face and
pinned it, against her hat. The man
looked up at this movement and his
eyes frightened. She certainly was
very pretty girl.
well, we must both make the best
of it, he said. 1T will be harder for
you,' he added, because I have been
using that philosophical advice most of
my life. In other words, I'm accustom-
ed to roughing it"
The girl looked at him earnestly.
"It seems to me-" she said, that I
have met you before-or at least seen
you"
Z am quite sure should remember
it," he said.
.1 think" she said, 'that merely as
a mark of good faith you should tell
me your name"
Certainly" he answered. "It is Ed
ward Cameron
Capt. Edward Cameron" she mur-
INJURED, recently of the Philippines"
How do you know that?" he asked
quickly.
"Capt. Edward Cameron she repeat.
ed, .swho did something fine at Bara-
Goa, and rescued somebody at Balance,
and starved and fought through the
swamps on the Olanhu coast
A dull red surged into the mans
cheeks.
Where did you hear all that nom
sense?" he quickly asked.
For a mere child I have a great
taste for reading" she laughingly re-
piled.
You are much too precocious," he
said 81 admit that my name is Ed
ward Cameron, that I was in the Phil
ippines-but plead guilty to nothing
else. I am on my way to my old home
after a three years absence with a lot
of unpleasant experience and just as
little baggage as can well carry" He
touched the valise at his feet. "a rough
bag and precious magazine rifle. And
now that / have given you all these in
teresting personal details, it seems to
me it would only be fair for you to be
equally frank,
She shook her head.
NO." she laughingly said, "that isn't
at all necessary. haven't done any of
these fine things, you know"
He frowned.
"You mustn't regard me aS-well as
a fighting man." he said. There isn't
any fight in me. If there ever was any,
it was scorched out by the sun and the
fever. I'm going home to rest and
loaf, and I mean to get my courage
back if I can. want you to forget all
these exaggerated. fairy tales and look
upon me as sensible man who would
run away very fast when danger
threatened"
The girl looked into his face and
laughed.
'oThere must be two Edward Cam.
erons," she said with merry twinkle
in her eyes.
The man leaned back listlessly. She
saw that his face was thin and pale.
He looked at her with half closed eyes.
.'If there ever was another Edward
Cameron he said, she has passed
away and will be heard of no more"
There was wild shrek from the To-
comotiYe. The train slackened speed
and they were pitched forward a little.
They could hear the wheels grinding
as they Strengthened up, and the coup
lings complaining. And then as the
train came to a stop, they heard the
sharp crack of a half dozen pistol shots
fired in rapid succession.
There was moments silence in the
car. Then same~ one cried, Train rob-
bersi" and all was confusion. The half
awakened passengers reused up and