Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-01-12
A guard sang Justify: Next station,

ing way said: "Well?"
The magazine that Rebecca Bruce
had been reading when he entered the
carriage tumbled from her daintily-
gloved hand to the floor. . Half an
hour later a man picked it up, and
discovered between its pages bunch
of withered violets. He glanced about
to see that no one was looking, and
then he placed the flowers in an in
side pocket. His name was Todd. He
was leaving the golf club for Ascot.
AS the train moved out he saw his
future brother-in-law speeding toward
the links as if gliding on air. He vas
thinking of Lord Lughton's reply when
he, Todd, had wished the other "luck
in the afternoons match" Lughton had
said: .'
Thanks, old boy! See you later.
I'm in paradise fit for the gods!"
Todd wondered what he meant. He
was soon to know. Afterwards he
wondered how it was that he had not
understood. The races had COM
menced when he reached his destina-
ton. He was just in time to get
lift on a friends drag. The friend
happened to be a cousin of Miss Re-
becca Bruce. The first thing he said,
after they had settled in their re-
spective places, was:
Heard the news, Todd? Becky's
engaged to Lughton!"
Todd had not heard. He smiled half
ironically as Becky's cousin went on:
"Lughton's an awful good sort! I'm
tickled to death about it! You know
Becky's life hasn't been bed of roses,
and she is such little trump! I'm
awfully fond of Becky"
The man understood the young fell
lows enthusiasm. No, life had Ger
tainly not been a bed of roses for the
girl who was to- make the most bril-
liant match Of the season. Todd knew
that. The poverty-stricken man
smothered sigh as he turned tc his
companion and asked:
lis she here, now?"
Eyes, she's with my mother, over
there. l promised to take her for
turn and get her away from the crowd.
She's tired. BY the way, Todd, she
has to 60 back to town to-night-on
that Special You're taking it, too,
aren't you?"
EYES,"
''Will you look after her on the way
up?"
with pleasure"
"Thanks, old man. I don't believe
she's well, but she says she's all right.
and-I suppose she ought to know"
eyes, she ought to know"
Todd thought of the violets, and
put his hand in his pocket to assure
himself of their safety. They were
there.
The Ascot Special" was nearing
Waterloo as girl tossed bunch Of
withered violets to the winds, and
then turned to the man sitting opo-
site her.
ct is better that they should go with
all the rest, Rex!"
eyes, perhaps SO, Becky. Strange
that I should have found them. rec
ognized them at once as being those I
had sent you.'
Should you have sent them, Rex?"
"Why not? It was for the last time,
Becky! Do you remember how we used
to build castles in the air, and talk of
the violets and roses we should have
when"
Don't, Rex It was not to be. We are
both poor. We have nothing. I am CRATE
full to the man who has been loyal to me
through everything. I mean to be loyal
to him from this time forth for ever
more!"
'.You think that might have given up
my profession, given up everything
Becky, I'll dc, that now, if you say the
word!"
But the girl was not listening. She
was thinking of the woman Rex Todd
was going to marry.
The man went on:
Becky, we're nearly there. For the
last half-hour we have talked of what
might have BEEN"
1--WE have. am sorry. Let us talk now
of what is to BEL"
Becky, I can't give you up!"
"Stop, Rex! Will you make me regret
that my cousin sent me back in-your
care?"
Il see. It's all over. Becky, for the
sake of Aud Lang Syne, tell me, is there
I can do to please you after
this?"
Eyes. Be good to Madge. You're lucky
to have won her."
Some one met them on the platform
and called out:
Hello, good people, where've you
been-to the races?"
The girl smiled and answered: Eyes,"
The man touched his hat, glanced
back at an empty railway carriage, and
muttered:
Been in a FOOLS paradise! "-Lady'e
Realm.