River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-03-09

pie! He was to have led the cotillion,
you know, but he funked. Nobody
knew why, and he never told a soul.
Everybody wondered, especially when
he kept the thing up-went off night
after night-untiI his hostess must
have been in fine humor with him.
And now it develops that he was worn-
ing to save young Voelker, nice
enough chap from Cleveland, who lost
his head over woman as old as
He paused. Smiles dangled not readi~
ly at the end of his conversational
line. well, old enough" he said.
How did it develop, Mr.. Fuller?"
How? Not through Robinson, you
may be sure. 1t developed through the
boy himself. met him as he was leav-
ing for home. He says Robinson has
saved his honor. You see, he was en-
gagged to mighty nice girl down there,
but he lost his head Curious how
some people form the habit, isn't it?
hope you never lose your head, Miss
Rabb."
I'm afraid always keep it, Mr.
Fuller. But about this mysterious
affair How did MI Robinson happen
to be interested?"
ooh, he knew"
"The woman?"
Bobbie Fuller shook his head.
Wrong" he said; "try again"
'The boy, them" she pursued, petu-
lantly.
"You are right, the boy. They had
been friends somewhere-the boy and
his family and Robinson"
do you think you could get me
to Petoskey in time for that Mackinac
train?" she asked sweetly.
'..You are going away?"
"NO-I should like to keep some one
else from going" she said, with a
charming flush; "some one I have been
doing great wrong"
He stared at her a moment before
perception dawned, then smile, know
ing and approving, creased the tan Of
his face. He sat up, and swept off his
hat. II will see that you do, Miss
RABBI" said he and bent himself to the
task.
The passengers were all aboard, and
the conductor was ready to give the
signal to be off, when they hurried
along the station platform
III ask the conductor to hold the
train minute, and you rush ahead
and find him. he painted.
She sped along the platform, and
porter seeing her, went to meet her.
"Mackinac?" he questioned
She nodded, and he swung her to the
steps of car before she could protest.
Robinson, probably put there by fate,
was at the very door Of the car, and
seeing her pretty, flushed face and her
evident distress. hurried out to her.
Were you-what is it, fsabel?" he
asked.
She stared straight at his Gle; beyond
that somehow she could not lift her
eyes. The bell rang, the porter said
something to her, and the people in
the car were looking at them with cu-
riosity.
summer over because of one-of one
little frost?" she said, and smiled. The
smile alone would have done it.
He caught up his bag, and they
dropped from the car together.
A second later the conductor rushed
past them, ard the train was off. From
the crowd of tourists and cottagers
emerged Bobbie Fuller. flushed but tri-
umphant, his cap rakish1y awry. mis-
chief and congratulation in his eyes.
WELL" said he, eve did it, Robin
son, but it took heroic measures The
conductor of that train is as unreason-
able and unsympathetic a chap as I
ever saw. He was for moving right
off. Said it wasn't anything to him
whether the lady found her-ah, friend
or not; that his train had got to pull
out on time. What could you do with
fellow like that?"
What did you do?" asked the girl.
81 put my arms about him, and held
him good and proper. when the lady
comes down those steps with the gen.
tleman at her side you can start your
train any time you've mind to- I
said; but if you signal it off before,
you stay here. see? And" he added.
with laugh, as he set his cap straight
and possessed himself of the bag. 'sI
guess he saw. '-Woman's Home Cont
panion.