Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-02-26


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Of sudden he started and caught his
breath spasmodically, his gaze immoya-
ply liked upon a dark, piquant face that
mad appeared at one of the windows of
the blue-and-gold car.
1T is she!" he painted drawing back
and shuddering.
Thank God! She did not see me-"
Again he peered forth cautiously.
The train was starting; the people
were deserving the platform; the pretty
race was no longer at the window Of
the blue-and-gold car. He fetched a
sigh OF relief, and retreating from the
door, dropped upon the bench running
along the side wall.
He had not observed a 1.-the. we'll
dressed young man, who had stood in
the rear door Of the show car as it
rolled by, and stared unbllnkingly at
The station building.
Marlowe forget where he was; and
wringing his hands moaned softly to
himself:
1T was she-Stella. My God! The
disgrace-the awfulness of IL! ran
fearful risk in looking out but she did
not see me. could not help It, though
something impelled me. Why have
they come into this part of the country
Why was | at the station? Fate
blind fate! What risk-What danger!
But 1t is past-thank heaven!"
Slowly he arose and started to leave
the room. Blindly he CROPPED toward
the door, staggering as he went His
face was drawn; his lips were blood
less. Clark's voice aroused him to a
sense Of his surroundings.
You here yet, old fellow?" the agent
called through the ticket window. 81
thought you left long ago."
With a mighty effort Ralph pulled
himself together and managed to articu-
late:
81 am just going; wanted to see the
train"
"You did, did you?" Clark laughed.
81 thought you'd wait to see the pretty
girls. But say! You look like you'd
seen a trainload Of ghosts. You look
like a dead man. What's matter with
you-Are you sick?"
81 am not feeling WE'LL" Ralph NUT
tered chokingly as he passed through
the door.
The operator craned his neck through
the narrow window and gazed after
Marlowe's retreating form, muttering:
Now what's the matter with that
fellow? He's all broke up about some
thing-and that something's connected
with that show. | wonder II the little
woman who peeped out of the window
OF the show car had anything to do
with his uncanny looks. Jinks! She
was a beauty. | only saw the one.
The others kept as close as nuns in
convent There's a mystery about the
thing. Ralph Marlowe knows more
about that show than he tells-or
means to tell | don't care, though,
he's royal good fellow. I'd swear by
him"
And mumbling and shaking his head,
he returned to his work.
Marlowe made his way back to the
drug store, his nerves racked and
tingling, his self-possession gone He
found DR.. Barwood alone and i'm
patiently pacing up and down the long
front room.
"I'm delayed on account Of your alb
sence," the physician grumbled. II
ought to have been off to the country a
half hour ago What kept you so long?
Did you wait to send a message to
some Of your capitalist friends in the
city, that we are striking oil in pay
ing quantities down here?"
DR.. Barwood's gruffness was assum-
ed; and he meant his last question for
joke. At any other time Ralph would
have recognized 1t as such, and would
have returned a facetious reply. But
now he was not himself He was UNI
strung every sensory fllament was pro-
truding and vibrating. He became fur
iously angry at the fancied insult. With
flushed face and quavering voice he de-
manded
What he you mean. DR.. Barwood?"
'Mean?" echoed the older man.
Eyes. What do you mean by your
insulting question:?
II was the doctors turn to grow
angry-no difficult thing for him to
do.
you understand the English Ian