The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-08-21
The Latest Man.

At the village station a long, vestibul- /
ed train had been held just in season
to escape destruction. The wire told
them that retreat was cut off by the
loss of the bridge over the ravine two
miles up the road. Perforce the pas
sengers were obliged to submit to a
considerable stay at this one-horse
town.
IF 1t looks as mean and small TO
them as 1t does to me, they won't like
1t, thought Ringold. He strolled down
to the station, for the privilege Of see
ing a we'll dressed woman and a silk
tile once more" he said. Everybody
seemed so glad to have escaped the
wreck of the bridge that they were not
yet troubling over the delay. All but
one man. He was squat. ruddy faced
white haired, quick motioned. Ring
old's eyes opened wider. He knew
him. And Wall street knew him. Ring
old had not quite lost run of financial
affairs. A New York paper was watt
ed into town on occasion.
He was going home In hurry-and
don't blame him, considering the way
o. and P. is dropping" muttered the
lazy man. And I'd bet that he won't
gain anything for being held up here"
The ruddy faced man thought so, too,
He went down to the edge Of the river
which had now become a lake. rs
there any way Of crossing?" he asked.
The natives stared at him. 81 reckon
not. A boat wouldn't live minute in
that current. And it's like to rain
agin fore night"
I've got to get across now; l can't
wait" said the ruddy faced man.
where's the boatT
There amt none nearer than the
ea-shore-fifteen mile away. What
we had was lost in the fust food"
but I've got to get over" declared
the man, insistently.
The bucolic citizens left him. They
made up their minds that he wasn't
exactly right" Ringold went over.
whats 1t WORTH" he asked calmly.
Put me across the river@I can get
a special to meet me there, finland
I'll give you
He looked Ringold over, and finished;
"a hundred dollars"
! "These aren't my Clothes" Ringold
said softly. you see, 1 got my own
wet l am connected with Page &
Jessop. They call me their confidential
, clerk"
You misunderstood me-" said the
ruddy faced man, quickly. IL said 6
thOusand!'
| And expenses?"
"And expenses" with a sigh.
"All right You wire for your train
s You'll need it about 1 O'clock"
= He strolled away as calmly as ever
4 but there must have been something II
t his eye that impressed the Wall stree
j man more than 1t did Ringold's OLE
d neighbors and friends. At any rate b,
telegraphed for the special.
: Ringold did a little wiring himself
i Luckily there was roundabout way o
telegraphing to the other side Of tn
l. river, and AL Cusick lived there. H
could depend upon Al to do just wha
n he was told-no more, no less.
g Then Ringold made some purchase
at ShOles's store. Young Sholes toll
- the girl when she happened in a littl
} later that he guessed Bob Ringol
&" must be getting into his second child
hood, buying children's toys!
e And pa and ma thought them lef
e over balloons we had for the picni
o was a dead loss" said the store
II keepers son. His grammar was on
thing that made the girl wish Ringol
was not so lazy!
OF course, she could not keep ava
from the edge Of the overhowed meaC
< ows Half the population and most c
u the delayed passengers were there. A
ono side was RingOld and two me
busily at work. On the other shore
wagon had driven down to the edge {
q the water, and she heard some body 81
IN that it was AL Cusick's team. By an
ne by other people noticed Ringold's a.
n lions.
lg They exclaimed in wonder and laugl
tn ed not a little when a bunch of to
balloons, fastened to a strong sill
ne thread, rose in the air and was waite
over the water The wind blew direc
ly across the stream, which was yellO
a and angry in It's central channel. 81
IS. the ballOns foated the silken straI
n high above it. BY and by the pressu
d. of the air causing the balloons to lea
be they dropped down. But it was on Il
nd further bank, and Al Cusick caug
DIS the thread.
he In a moment Ringold signaled him
re pull away. A cord followed the silk
nd thread over the river. Then a sma