Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-03-17


and made his puzzled will as shaky az
Jim's n~erveless hands. He started up
in wonder and for an instant a blur
lay all over the shabby little town,
upon which, however. the sun-glare
was playing 81 strongly as to dispel
all belief in the vision which he had
thought at the first must SURELY accom-
pany that voice. He glanced at the
rakish uncouth little band of idlers in
front of Craig's and they again took
on their look of everyday reality.
Then once mor came the voice, clear
in tone, but the words, whatever they
were, or prayer or warning, were lost,
for Jim's heavy, swill-fed breath was
pursuing him with: Craig keeps the
best straight goods on the hull road.
Gimme them lines, now. You're aw-
full kind to take 'em back there. l
dunno what made me so dopey. What
l need is a little bracer."
But Gray did not give up the lines.
He headed the leaders out and down
the road, though they tried to swing
in as was, their wont-headed them
straight out, and smote the middle
team fiercely.
What's up? Amt yeh goin' to stop
here?" demanded Jim. 'Lemme have
them there lines"
No street" The whip snapped vi
ciously over the wheelers. The stage
was off in a cloud of dust, while the
loungers at Craig's stood up and
shouted after it, waving their hands.
But we've got to stop there. It's
as good as my contracts worth" in
sisted Jim.
"Oh, hang your contract" said Gray.
I'm more afraid Of that place than
| am of the stage-robber. You can go
back later and pick up the mail if you
want to. I'm going to Presley's Flat.
Got important business there that can't
wait"
The stage-driver tried to take the
reins from his hands, but he chung on,
and swung along with a free brake
down the grade to Presley's in fifteen
minutes after passing Squaw Valley.
There he handed the lines to jim, and
said: You'll excuse me, but | had to
meet some friends here. Guess | got
in ahead of them"
That's all right, young %feller," said
the stage-driver, admiringly. "And
when you want a job at handling stage
horses let me know. I'll recommend
you. You're the best man at sling
in snake | ever see. But | don't know
why you was SO blamed anxious to get
by Squaw Valley. We might a got a
drink therein ALFRED t%hirsty-but
there amt a drop O. bug jooce in this
place. Presley's one O. them silly pro-
hibitionists!"
The passengers all got down from
the coach before Gray stepped from
the box. He was "a bit frayed around
the edges" as he said, and didn't feel
like meeting anybody. But he had to
meet some one, for one of the yelled
young women came forward before he
stepped over the wheel and spoke con-
cernedly to him in Muriel's voice:
Gray, get right down and let me see
xour face. What's the matter with it.
It's all blood"
He had forgotten his scratch, but
he wiped his face, mechanically now,
while he stared at Muriel, and asked:
GLOW did you ever get here? Were
you inside all the time?"
Eyes; l came up with Kate Nichols.
She's going to teach the Squaw Valley
school,"
"And you thought you might run
across me up here, too, didn't you, and
go back to Fresno with me?" he asked,
tenderly, putting his arm around her
right before the whole crowd.
She smiled and blushed a yves"
But your face?" she asked, solicitous-
ly.
ooh, it's nothing-just a Craze. 1t
doesn't hurt. But l must apologize to
your friend for carrying her past her
station"
"You-were you driving? Did you
run away from the robber?" and she
smiled upon him, proudly.
eyes, | drove; and I've got such a
lot to tell you. Come away from the
rest and get the sad story of my bad
luck"
They walked down the road a little
way, and he told her of his loss and
how it had so nearly undone him.
"And that was the reason why we
were whisked past Squaw Valley" she
said. "You were running away from
the evil one as well as from the rob-
Der. Oh, Pm SO proud of you! And
you know it doesn't matter about your
loss. Well go down to Fresno right
away, and"
Get married? Oh, Mu!" He kissed
her, and then wiped a little streak of
blood off her face. ''No, it doesn't
matter. Nothing matters. I can begin
it all over again after we are married.
You know I was cursing Browning and
his philosophy an hour ago, and now
I am his most ardent devotee. All of
this bad luck was material just meant
to give my soul it's bent But MI,
dearest, you haven't the nerve to marry
me with only s52 to my name?"
81 think I have" she said. "And
you'll be rich when you fill that sur
veying contract"
But there were $500 to set up house
keeping with, the money coming from
a our of which they had little
dreamed-the Golfers of the company
which had been saved the loss of the
express box by the reckless daring OF
Gray Larkin.-San Francisco Argo-