The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-01
THE BEAR RIVER MAIL
BY w. BERT FOSTER.


Copyright, 1903. by Daily Story Pub. Co.
IA greasy cap and a tall. specless,
shiny hat, turned at the same moment
as the girl tripped down the platform.
how either the cap or the hat knew
she was coming, or was, at least, in
sight, I could not tell you; the long
gasps of No. "a, like some tired pre-
historic monster that had crouched
down here to rest, drowned, of course,
her footballs.
Nevertheless, both cap and silk hat
had turned on the instant Milly Pros
ser came into sight. And she was sure
iy worth looking at, and both young
men-he under the hat, and he under
the greasy cap-smiled upon her.
In moment both cap and hat were
DOTTED. The general manager Of the
DEM. & L. railway spoke not alone to
the girl, but stepped forward to shake
hands with the thin. sharp-faced old
gentleman who followed her.
"Glad to see you well enough to
travel Mr.. Kittredge. Your niece and
yourself will have a pleasant journey
east, I hope. Have you secured seats
in the observation carr"
Meanwhile Miss Milly Prosser had
approached he of the greasy cap. who
stood by the step of the locomotive cab
watching his stoker, who, with oil can
and waste, was going from cup to cup
about the running gear of the huge
machine.
She held out her gloved hand to the
engine driver. I'm SO glad you are
In the cab today, Mr.. Cutler" she said.
81 shall feel safer, no matter how fast
the train goes. And these long tres
ties over the lakes-I always shake
when we come to them. You won't
spill us overboard?'
Cutler held up his own soiled hands
and shook his head at her. II can't
shake, Miss Milly, but I promise to
take you through safe-honest Injun!"
and he laughed as happily as she her
self.
The old gentleman moved on and
she quickened her pace to follow him.
The general managers eyes followed
her trim figure; then he glanced back
at the engineer and befrld the express
sion on that individuals countenance
with a sudden accession of gloom upon
his own.
You and Miss Prosser are rather
good friends, I believer" he said, hes
itatingly.
Cutler, too, hesitated, and shot his
superior quick glance before reply
ing. ooh, yes" he said :" We've
known each other a long time
He turned away abruptly and did
not look into the general managers
face again for saAttIe. Finally the
latter said, apropH%kof the subject of
conversation forgptsen when the girl
approached.
We'll Cutler. that's the way the
case stands. We've got to keep up to
the schedule, or we lose, and that's all
there is to it. I know you are doing
your best. and that the road is bad
and the trains heavy. But either We've
got to make the Bear River mail in
time as well as in name, or the de-
partment will send the mail matter
over the old route"
well, sir, you can depend on me
to get out every ounce of speed there
is in old a." began the driver.
BLESS youi I know that, said the
official. heartily. Il came down today
to particularly warn you to make time.
There is a postOffice inspector aboard;
he's here for a purpose. There's Nc
ElweI with his watch. You'll get the
signal in a moment. .
At this Cutler leaped into his cab
and called his fireman. He leaned out
of the window for a parting word with
the general manager OF the little ROAD