The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-12-20

Crank NJ Bickneu in Chicago Reeond-
Herald.)
A momentary, feeble twinkiing OF lights
In the darkness and the little station was
passed. Scott, standing ia the door, drew
IN the Hilltown pouch hot from the
catcher, and with one hand tossed y upon
the distributing table. lie unlocked ~
ana inverted II over the table. some mis-
celane0us pieces of third and tQurtn-
class matter and a small packet Of iet-
tiers fei out. He united and began 70
distribute the latter.
All at once the superscriptiOu on one OF
the letters seemed 10 jump with an ID, M
sOlent defiance to meet MS gaze. Inc
letter was thick and heavy, and was au-
dressed I'm his wife's handwriting. not 70
him, but TO his former rival VINO, by =
strange chance, happened to be Tor tnat
week his running mate Clelheh1
Mrs. Scott was spending the summer at
fllfOWu. where, on mis- Off weeks, nef
husband Joined her lt was scarceiy
more than five months ago THAT scott
had won her, and Gleason, having IosI
her. had sullenly retired from the Held.
Although aware that Gleason had taken
his defeat 10 heart. Scott had not suS-
Tected him Of being capable Of renewing
the aLtack-much less hao ne oresl illg q
&c could prove successful. Yet the latin
less one was evidently in communication
with her former sutton. The auudcity OF
the thing performed literally under his
very nose. was well-nigh incOncelvable.
in the midst of its turmoil his mind
harkcd back to their tender parting at
the close Of his latest off week. nearly
seven DAYS earlier. Tt had been in the
evening shadow of that very station SO
recently passed How she had chung 70
him. as n he were an that was dearest
20 her in the world He could feel yet.
fu ifnsgfuatiOn. her soft arms entWining
his neck. could hear her whisper:
"Oh, Charlie, YOU don't know now
dread having you gol It gets harder
each time. I'm never easy a. moment
while you're away. Your Ire Is always
in danger on that horrid train. IL any
thing should happen to you. dearest 1t
would kill me-"
He had treasured her as well as he
could. declaring that one short week
would bring him back to her safe and
sound. And all the while he had thought
with loving pride that he was surely the
lUcki0st fellow awe to have such a sweet
little woman for his very own. even
though an unkind fate did keep him
away from her through half the weeks
What a blind fool he had been, and
what e. past mistress in the art OF decep-
ti0n she, Her anxiety had been acting
doubtless she was hoping for the fata
accident she pretended to dread Scot
Eritted Eis teeth I'm mortified rage as he
reflected upon the ease with which he
had been hoodwinked
Within "a few feet of him, almost al
his side, Gleason stood. working the
contents of the last Of the pouches which
had been taken on at COlebrOOk Junction
The mere sight of him caused nerc'
resentment 70 surge up and nearly over
mower Scott. He could have sprung upo1
his burly mate and strangled him with
lha keenest joy But he controlled him
self and thrust the fateful letter into his
picket.
The express shot past Orringford. and
mechanically he drew i'm the pouch.
heavier one than the last. For the pres
ont the call of duty was paramount and
the discipline Of long habit prevailed Ove
all else. Yet his fingers seemed TO hav'
an intelligence Of their own, leaving hi
brain free 60 think.
To think what an idiot he had been II
his fancied security. and how his treach
erous mate must have chuckled to him
self A fit Of insane jealousy well-nigl
mastered him. but ne struggled with {
still a little longer. He would kin tn
reptle. but how?
The train had left Colebrook Junction
twenty minutes late. and there was AZ
fmDOrtant connection fifty miles ahead
with scarcely a quarter mile OF straigh
track on which TO make up time com
fOrtahly. The man I'm the cab was driv
Ing like a demon. Curve. reverse curve
and reverse again. he struck in quick
hPwilderiug succession. and with star
Ting recklessness. The two mail clerks
both their hands occupied braced them
selves as best they could. LEANING thi
way. that way and the other. seldom NJ
ore tack longer than a few seconds
Every muscle I'm the legs and bacS-in
decd I'm the entire hOdy-was called int
almost ceaseless play And the hot