Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-06-12


The orders for the dinner were given,
and the quartet sat back in their chairs
to await the coming of the soup. Gren-
fall was still wondering how she had
learned his name, and was on the
point of asking several times during
the conventional discussion of the
weather, the train and the mountains.
He CONSIDERABLY refrained, however,
unwilling to cmbarrass her.
aunt Yvonne tells me she never ex-
pected to see me alive after the station
agent telegraphed that we were COM
Ing overland in that awful old carriage.
The agent ut P says it is danger
GUS road, Mt the very edge Of the noun
tain. He also increased the composure
of my uncle and aunt by telling them
that a wagon rolled off yesterday kill
Ing man, two women and two horses.
Dear Aunt Yvonne, how troubled you
must have beenw
"1'll confess there were times when
thought we were rolling down the
mountain" said Lorry, with relieved
shake Of the head.
Sometimes thought we were soar
Ing through space, whether upward or
downward could not tell. We never
failed to come to earth, though, did
Wet" she laughingly asked.
"Emphatically! Earth and a little
grief" lie said, putting his hand to his
head.
Does 1t pain you?" she asked quick
".
| Not In the least. was merely feel
| ing to see If the cut were still there.
| Mr.-Mr Guggenslocker, did the con-
ductor object to holding the train?" he
asked, remembering what the conduc-
for had told him of the old gentleman's
actions.
Eat first, but soon convinced him
that 1t should be held" said the other
quietly.
"My husband spoke very harshly to
the poor man." added Aunt Yyonne.
but ! am afraid. Caspar. lie did not
understand word you said. You were
very much excited" The sweet old
lady's attempts at English We're much
more laborious than her husbands.
III he did not understand my Eng
fish he was very good at guessing"
said her husband grimly.
HE told me you had threatened to
call him out, ventured the young man.
Call him out? Ach, railroad con-
ductor!' exclaimed Uncle Caspar In
fine scorn.
"Caspar, heard you say that you
would call him out" interposed his
wife, with reproving eyes.
"Ach, God! have made mistake!
see it all! It was the other word
meant-down, not out! intended to
call him down, us you Americans say. l
hope he will not think challenged
him." He was very much perturbed.
II think he was afraid you would y
said Lorry.
HE should have no fear. could not
meet n railroad conductor. Will you
please tell him could not SO conde-
scend. Besides. dueling is murder in
your country, am told"
1T usually u.s. Sir. Much more so than
In Europe" The others looked Mt him
inquiringly. II mean that in America
when two men pull their revolvers and
go to shooting ut each other some one
Is autobiography both. In Europe
as l understand it, scratch with q
sword ends the combat"
you have been misinformed,' ex-
claimed Uncle Caspar. his eyebrows
8 elevated.
'Why, Uncle Caspar has fought more
duels than he can count" cried the girl
proudly.
"And has he slain his man every
tipse?" asked Grenfall smilingly, glanc.
ing from one to the other. Aunt Yvonne
shot n reproying look Mt the girl. whose
face paled instantly, her eyes going
uncle
God" Lorry heard the old gentle
man mutter. He was looking at his bill
Of fare, but his eyes were fixed and
staring. The card was crumpling be
tween the long. bony fingers. The
American realized that a forbidden
topic had been touched upon.
HE has fought and he has slain" III
thought as quick us a fash. "He Is NJ
butcher no gardener, no cobbler. That.
I certainy'
q Tell us, Uncle Caspar, what yor
said to the conductor" cried the young
lady neryously.
Tell them, Caspar, how alarmed we
were," added soft voiced Aunt Yvonne
Grenfall was silent, interested spec
tator. He somehow felt as If scene
from some. tragedy had been repro
duced in that briefest Of moments
Calmly and composedly, half smile
now in his face, the soldierly Caspal
narrated the story Of the trains ruI
from one station to the other.
We did not miss you until we hat
almost reached the other station. The1
your Aunt Yyonne asked me where 70,
had gone. told her had not seel
you, but went into the coach ahead t,
search. You were not there. Then
Went on to the dining car. Ach, 70,
were not there. In alarm returned t
our car. Your aunt and looked every
where. You were not anywhere.
sent Hedrick ahead to summon tn,
conductor, but he had hardly left u
when the engine whistled sharply ant
the train began to slow up In g jerk,
fashion. I rushed to the platform
meeting Hedrick, who was rs mucl
alarmed as I. He said the train hat
been tagged and that there must b,
something wrong. Your aunt came on
and told me that she had made
strange discovery
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