Middletown transcript., 1905-04-01
minutes ago, sir" replied the man.

minutes ago, sir" replied the man.
"H'm ~ said John Moncrieff.
He passed hastily into the station.
The platform was quite deserted, but
boy covering in the hookstall canght his
eye.
"Hulo, Timmins Christmas weather
this Where are all the passengers from
the northern express ~
"There wasn't more than one, sir"
"a lady ?'
eyes, SIR"
tIs she gone ?"
eyes, sir. She came here and took
away pennyworth of something, and
afterwards I saw her walk down the
platform to the entrance. Thompson
would know, but he's gone to his tea"
Moncrieff took step or two along the
platform. As he passed the open door OF
the refreshment room warm gust of air
met him.
'I'll have a cup Of tea," he decided.
eff she has pressed some unlucky Jehu
into her service, Spittire will soon outstep
them.''
So he went in, and, sitting down close
to the door, unfolded his paper and be-
gan to scan the sensational headings OF
the columns. He was searching for the
latest telegram from Egypt when he
chanced to lift his eyes, and noticed that
some one besides himself was in the
refreshment room-a woman with her
back towards him.
He concluded at once that this must be
the person whom he was seeking. lie
took in the outlines Of her figure care
fully. Size was dressed in brown, and
her attire was almost Quaker-like in IFS
severity. He was just thinking that his
stepmother's prophecy as to her being
old-fashioned was in all probability full
filled when the girl rose from her seat
and turned. John Moncrieff's eyes fell
instantly.
He waited to hear her voice as she
approached the counter; but, when he
heard it, he decided Immediately that 1t
could not be she whom he was seeking.
The person whom lie had come to meet
was one who passed her life dinnlng
knowledge into dull heads for pittance.
This person had clear young voice that
had never been marred by the drudgery
Of shouting to needless ears. And yet
who else could she be? As she passed,
he half rose from his chair.
'I wonder if you are bound for Gram
leigh Moss ~ he said.
"Yes," she answered, recognizing at
once that here was man to be trusted
"yes-I am the new schoolmistress."
"And l am the person deputed to meet
her." lie said.
"Then you were late. think. / went
at once to see if vehicle of any sort was
outside but it seemed as if | was in the
wilderness"
II was late" he answered "We may
as well rectify my fault by setting off at
once"
Certainly" she said. Il put my lug
gage in the cloak-room."
"Will you wait here while | look after
it?"-and he went away up the platform.
She was old-fashioned. he told himself;
yet she was striking. What elevated her
above other girls Of her class? Oddly
enough, the surprise gave him no pleas
ure-indeed, he was rather inclined to
be annoyed than anything else. Women
of her sort were sure to turn the village
upside down with fads and fancies. He
wished that lie had stuck to his jest about
ambition and the love uf Iuxury being
revealed in her handwriting With such
thoughts lie secured her luggage and
helped her into the cart, but with 10
reamble Of small talk. 1t seemed that
his companion was equally ayerse to COLI
versation, for, having inspected her lug
gage and mounted to her place, she kept
her face gravely and silently towards the
landscape.
So for two miles they went, neither
speaking word, neither thinking of the
other, or even conscious of the others
presence, each occupied with his or her
own thoughts, until suddenly these two
dissimilar beings-he, with his adven-
turous past and stirring future, she with
her narrow orpllanhood and dull routine
were startled peremptorily out Of their
meditations. A wind, with an edge
sharper than a sword, leaped up in the
stiffness and tore right along the mares
path, and, like some actual tangible oppo-
nent, threw her back on her launches.
1t caught the folds Of the girls cloak and
lashed them about her companions form.
1t challenged the strong hand on the
rein, and matched its force with his So
quickly did the storms Narth arise that,
in one moment, the wayfarers seemed to
be in the heart Of pandemonium.
Whipped into lightning speed, snow
scudded before the driving Of this angry
blast and torn bonghs flew The whirl
and the whir of the binding blizzard
filled the air with commotion. For an
isntant, Spitfire plunged and reared, then,
righting herself, sprang forward like a
frightened deer.
TO BE CONTINUED