Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1903-07-16
1t showed. The switch lamps a

1t showed. The switch lamps at
Valley Junction twinkled family
| through the swirling flakes. A broad
band of light from the night operators
room shot out into the gloom, and it,
too, was thickly powdered. Aside from
this, the scattered houses of the little
hamlet slept in darkness-all save one
Through the drawn curtains of a
cottage which squatted in the right
angle formed by the intersecting
tracks, hundred yards or more from
the station, light shone duly. In
side, a young woman with a book in
her lap sat beside sick-bed. On the
bed lay young man of perhaps thirty.
They were not of the type which
prevailed in Valley Junction. The rug
ged strength of the man, which shone
through even the pallor of sickness,
was touched and softened by an I'M
mistakable gentleness Of birth, and
the dark eyes which rested motionless
upon the further wall, were thoughtful
and liquid with intelligence. The
young woman was yet more striking.
Her loose gown, girdled at the waist
Will ldSScltu COIu, OulN HAIL COh-
cealed the sturdy, sweeping lines of
the form beneath. Her placid, woman
ly face was crowned with a mass of
Furnished auburn hair. Her blue eyes,
now fixed solicitiously upon her hus-
bands face, were dark with what
seemed an habitual earnestness of pur-
pose, and her sweet mouth dropped
seriously. After a moment, though,
she shook off her pensive mood. What
are you thinking of, dear?" she asked,
with Frightening face.
"Of you answered her husband,
gravely, tightening his grasp upon the
hand she had slipped into his. Com
pairing your life in this wretched place,
Sylvia. with what it was before | mar
ried you; and thinking of that wonder
full thing called love which can make
you content with the change"
The young woman for little held
herselif in a kind of breathless ten
sion, her hand upon his further tenn
pie. her full, passionate lips pressed
tight against his cheek.
Not content, my hearts husband,
but happy" she whispered, ecstatical-
ly. After q moment she lifted herself
and quietly smoothed her ruffled hair.
81 mustn't do that again. she said de-
murely. THE doctor said you were
not to be excited. Only this, Ben,
papa will forgive us some day. He's
good Just give him time. Some day
you'll put away your dear, foolish
pride, and let me write to him and
tell him where we are-no matter if he
did forbid it. And he'll write back,
take my word for it, and say, Come
home. children, and be forgiven But
whether he does or not, 1 tell you,
sweetheart, l would sooner flutter
about this little dovecote of ours, and
ride on the engine with you than be
mistress of the finest palace papa's
money can build
The spell was broken by the dis
tant scream of a locomotive, half
drowned in the bowling wind. Sylvia
glanced at the clock.
There's the Overland :" she muir
INJURED. "She's three minutes late.
The wind is dead against her. Some
day, dear" she added, fondly, you will
hold the throttle of that engine.
They listened in silence to the dull
roar of the on-coming train. But in
stead of the usual thunderous burst as
the train swept by, and the trembling
OF earth they heard the grinding of
brakeshoes, the whistle of the air, and
then, in the lull which followed, the
humping of the pump, like some great
excited heart. The sick man threw his
wife a startled glance, and she sprang
to the front window and drew back the
curtain. She was just turning away
again. when there came quick, i'm
perative rap at the door. Sylvia flung