Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-03-19
He handed the note to me. Holding
it where the light fell upon it, l read:

hSAS ANiA upon lts ICdQ
Conductor Chas. Davis, No. 81: M,
daughter, Grace Henderson, has lef
home, and i bave reason to think she il
on your train If so, send her back b,
the bearer. JACOB HENDERSON,
Division Superintendent"
l think that | must have given {
more forcible exclamation than hat
Davis when l read the note, for nov
1t was half plain to me.
There's something queer about
this" | said, slowly, as / passed back
the note. Us she aboard your train
n6w?"
rs she aboard my train now?" he
repeated in surprise. mo, she is not
and if she was, I'd not make her go
back to that old skin1int, unless she
wanted to. She is not a girl to leave
home without some good reason,
Know that. I'd take her along to
where she wanted to go, and keep nv
mouth shut. That's just about what
I'd do.''
"All right then. Charlie" I said
slowly, for l had been think
ing very fast. "I1l just put her
aboard your train now and send her
along. She's up there in my cab"
Davis looked at me a moment in
surprise, then puckered up his lips
into a prolonged whistle. [ then
told him, i'll as few words as possible,
how she happened to be there, and,
without a word, he opened Hender-
sons note again and wrote on the
back:
Jacob Henderson, Esq:
NO. ~ mas overtaken me, and your note
delivered. Your daughter is not aboard
my train, nor has she been up to the
present time. C. w. DAVIS,
Conductor No. 81"
There, Ned" he exclaimed. as he
the note back to me. "Take
back to the old man. 1t does
not say that she will not be aboard
my train after the present time.
Now we must hustle"
L explained the situation briefly to
and, not without a little regret
my part, the transfer was quickly
made. | babe her good-by and, after
little handshake, climbed up into
my cab and started to run back to
the junction.
L suppose | must have been rather
glum on the way back. Nick did not
much and l said less, barely an
swering a few necessary questions.
| was wondering what it all
meant.
1t was just past midnight when we
oiled back into the r%oundhouse ward.
henderson was there, waiting for us,
md he came rushing out as soon as
he heard us crossing the switches
outside.
Where is she?" he cried. Jumping
Up into the cab almost before the an
zine had stopped.
L feigned ignorance, and passed him
he note in reply. Nick was doing
he eXcentrics, and heard nothing.
lie would not have known any more
bout it than l did. Nick was one of
he kind that knew when it was best
o know nothing.
Some prodigious oaths escaped
ienderson's lips as he read the lines
rom Davis, but as they were not di-
ected at me, l had nothing to say.
had done my work according to his
riders. Then he walked off without
mother word and left us there alone.
That was not the last of it, how
YER. The next morning l was called
nto Elenderson's private office and
ut through a series of questioning
hat would have done credit to a
rlminal lawyer; but when | left his
presence, Jacob Henderson
'as no wiser regarding the matter
han when | came in.
He also had Nick up before him
nd asked him a few questions, but
he honest fellow knew no. more
bout it than I pretended to know,
D, on the whole, Henderson got but
cry little information from either
{ us.
A few days later | met Davis on
street, and, as he came I'D and
nook hands with me cordially, he
'oked at me strangely.
Ned" he began, perhaps you
mt know it, but you have won that
rps everlasting gratitude, if not to
Sc a stronger expression, for what
ou did that night. 1t was a close
10, though. She told me all about
before we got into Hampton.
ut seems that the old man is
1ly her guardian after all. Her
lrents died when she was a child.
Id she has lived with him ever since.
was determined that she should
AIRY old Bailey, who owns the big
st half of the road, but she OBJ
cted, and as she had not lived quite
ng enough to be her own mistress
e was a few weeks short-she
uldn't do any better than to run
way.
The danger is over now, and she
n choose for herself. Better go I'D
ID e her, Ned. She's stopping
tn a friend. Here's her address,"
1t may be quite needless for me to
ate that 1 took Charley's advice and ,
1nd time to go and call upon Grace
ry soon after. There was some
ing i'll her brown eyes when | left !
r that encouraged me to call again .
d often. 5
While Jacob Henderson was still ,
rning the adjacent country upside !,
wn in search of her, l quietly mar g,
d her.
The "old man" was angry and pro-. !.
lie when at last he heard of it and ),
; part | had played, but he passed :
Grace's personal fortune with j..
t a protest. :
That was my last run on an en- =
e, although, strange to say, neither =
k nor Charley Davis were dis :
Urged for the part they took in my
lie elopement. They never heard =
further reUardinu tho Ynot- u