Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-12-17
lAIHEN PEGGY
" TOOK TIE KEY
By MARJORIE STEVENS
Copyright. 1903, by 7. C. Mcclure

In fact. ii made precious little ulr-
ference to him at just this moment
whether any trains ran on the d. r.
and G.. tracks at all. His engagement
with Miriam Bentley had been sudden
| ly derailed, and that was trouble
enough for him. He had appointed
himself wrecking crew of one 10 act
| that very night at the church fair and
| possibly to undo the mischief wrought
| by too much steam in the form OF
| hasty words. And then had come the
orders from headquarters to stand by
| his instrument until relieved.
Brownsville was an unimportant sta
| ton in the center of a thriving farm
| ing section. Its stockyards and grain
| elevator dwarfed the passenger sta
| tion and there wasn't enough bust
ness In the whole town to support a
| night telegraph station. In fact Don
aid, with his lusty helper and messen-
| ger boy, Andy Johnson, constituted the
| entire d. X. and G. force.
Young Murray was not afraid Of
| to remain at his post for twenty-four
| hours would have affected him not at
! all. But tonight he thought of Will
son, Graham. Donaldson and the rest
| all clustered about the table where
| Miriam was selling fudge ana other
homemade sweetmeats, and his hands
Were plunged into his pockets, even as
| his soul was plunged deeper in gloom.
ne idea of disobeying orders, how
ever never entered his head. though
he did not fully realize the danger
which besct the road This strike
| through the great wild west was not
the ordinary secthing turmoil of sud
| den dissatisfaction which yields quick
| ly to pacific treatment. 1t had been
Il prolonged quiet struggle between
| capital and labor, with no apparent
| gain on either side, but an attempt to
install yard force of ''scabs" at Mid
ford Junction had precipitated active
demonstrations. Seeds of trouble had
| been sown with reckless hands in the
shops and yards, where the stolid
Swedes, seeing their Jobs and COM
| Portable home lives threatened, had set
their teeth hard. And when Swede
says nothing, but draws his eyelids
down TO narrow slit, railroad author
| tiles know that trouble Is brewing in
the brain behind that stolid face.
|
| Andy Johnson stuck his head into
| the door. Murray caught sight or a
vivid red necktie and knew what was
| coming,
You won't need me, will you? I
want to take in the fair again"
Andy's long, lank body, clad in q
wonderful store suit of gray, green
and brown checks, followed his good
natured face. He closed the door, and
| his voice took on wheedling tone.
There's goin' to he such doin's,
| honest there is, Mr. Murray That
there fish pond just takes my eye, and
! you get the funniest things what you
amt expectin' to get, Then there's
| goin to be n votin contest tonight.
| That silver toilet set cost so much no
| one won't buy It. so they're goin TO
vote it off to the most popular lady
present"
| Murray's face was suddenly illu-
| mined.
'Of course you can CO. Andy. There
won't be much doing here tonight. Be
| sides. | want you TO do some voting
T! for me-" He laid n five dollar bill on
the table Miss Bentley must have
| that prize"
"Of course she will. Everybody likes
| Miss Miriam" asSented Andy. with
eyes fairly devouring the bank note.
But we want her to be so far ahead
OF the other girls that they won't be in
the running. See? Now, you vote that
money slow. Have it changed and vote
it quarter at a time"
Andy nodded and then, filed With
Importance, turned TO go.
"Wait minute"
Murray drew a pad toward him and
bit his pencil nervously. But at last
the note was finished and carried away
by the elated Andy. 1t read:
My Dear Miriam-I am sorry that l
| cannot be with you tonight when you win
L
| Andy viii vote for me, and when il is over
| won't you send me word how MANY votes
| you received? l ask very little. and 1t Is
| so lonely down here | must stay because
| there Is trouble Of some sort up the line
| know It can't be as bad as the trouble
| that has been in my heart since we quar-
! relied. Yours DONALD
| Murray went out into the passenger
| room and stared up the street where
the lights from the town hall shone
gayly. Then with a sigh. he returned
TO his little office, locked the door and
threw himself on the carpet covered
sofa for nap. He was reused by a
| sharp call at his keyboard
Trouble brewing along the line"
! sang the little ticker. al Reeves, with
gang of Swedes, has slipped out of
| town. Keep sharp lookout for No. g."
No. 3 was the D. Il. and G.'s crack
| train. II carried the mall and the bulk
of the cross continent passengers.
| Murray was wide awake now Hn
went the rounds Of his little station.
making sure that all was secure. Then
he examined his revolver and laid It
within easy reach on the table and sat
staring ut the instrument while he re-
viewed the dangerous points between
Brownsville and the stations east and