The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1905-01-28

''No, no; not exactly" he would ad
nit with hesitation. ''In fact, she rath
er spoke against it; admired nay spuni
and all that But somehow she mads
me see that it's the right thing to do"
The situation was in some respects
lncomprehensible TO me. knew that
the boy was in love with Mrs. Lorne
and that he had no reason to be hope
full. She was supposed to be a widow
but as the information came from her
self alone it was to me wholly unrelia.
Bile, and though she were really 1ree il
would not make Whitley" Bowen's
chances any better, for Mrs. Lorne
would never marry poor man. The
chances We're overwhelming that the
end of this romance would be conven-
tional, yet no less tragic for its com
monplace quality Whitley" would be
led finally into mad proposal; he
would repeat it many times. and at
last. despairing, he would plunge into wild
dissipation and make o miserable end
! now know that Mrs. Lorne had more
accurate information regarding "Whi-
q.
She happened TO have a correspondent in
his home town. and she had learned that
Bowen the elder was almost a rich man,
that he was in very bad health and that
he still loved his son. She had not come
TO Carlton with this knowledge My
opinion is that she had been sent there
as result of some treaty with her fam
lily, following a scandal which involved
some serious pecuniary irregtlarity of
hers-a crime. In fact. 1t is needless to
state the evidence upon which base this
verdict. but 1t is fairly conclusive and is
supported by the fact that she remained
at Carlton exactly one year, though dur
Ing the last month or two she must have
been anxious to leave
Meanwhile Whitley" drifted more and
more Into her influence, and yet he was
ever more clearly persuaded that he
ought to go home. l am sure that he
mad already proposed to her once and
had accepted fiat refusal precisely as
he always took everything that she said
exactly opposite. He was even eheered
by the rejection Then came a really
grave letter from home. The fathers
state OF health was nearly as bad as It
could be, ard he wrote 70 plead for his
sons return.
"mtey toOh tniS letter 70 Mrs.
Lorne, and she told him not to 90 That
evening he settled all his affairs and
climbed aboard the engine of a fast
freight bound east The engineer was
Andy Russell. a splendid fellow and |
good friend OF Whitley" was at the
station In pouring rain 30 bid the boy |
goodby.
An hour later man came running to |
my oHice. where was sitting alone and |
gloom I'm
yet missing him to the bottom of INV |
heart ny
No. q has been wreckedr DRIED the
messenger, bursting In upon me-. s-She's
" piled up mile this side OF Leona r,isa.
inc engine crew are dead. and ''Whitey's,
zone with them-under the engine, the
"noe lot What do you think of thatT'
L aid not say what thought I ran to
he station bareheaded and aid not utter
word TIL l arrived there This is what
Aad happened: A weshout fsd undermin-
VI tne rails at point about fifteen
niles from Carlton, leaving them stand
ng with nothing under them. as viii
ometimes happen. Like ghosts the two
,nsnt lines OF Iron cleaned In the rays of
ne heaonsnt; Ike ghosts they vanished.
nd the great machine plunged down
YARD The cars that followed piled
themselves so high above the pit that tho
Vrecking derrick which was sent ont
rom Carlton could not reach. the ton of
he pile - ~ ',
obtained permission to go out with the
vrecking train, and while It was being
nane up J. waited at the station. 1 stood
utsioe In the rain. too sick at heart to
eel the need Of shelter. Suddenly a hand
iutched my arm. and 1 turned TO face
FRS. Lorne
is this trueY'' she cried. rs IT true
hat he is dead?-
Yes" said /. at Is true"
She thrust a sheet of yellow paper be-
ore my eyes There was a lamp above
~ head. and could read the words. II
'as a telegram from Whitley Bowen's
ome-from Mrs Lone's correspondent
here. It contained the information that
Wnitey's' father had died that after
Don. leaving the bulk of his property to
rs .' son. an amount exceeding 100000.
mat Is mine" said she In tone as
old as steel. II am his wife,
appen?'' '-'is
That win be proved at the proner
me- said she. The money Is mine
nd. isn't II queer" she added in an inde-