The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-10-03
By FANNIE HEASLIP LEA
Copyright, 1905, By 1. d. Marshall

seated and a series Of noisy jerks
announced their triumphal progress,
he looked ut her with quiet amusement.
"They will think we have come to-
gether," he said. do they know you
are coming?"
NO" she snapped. "And l suppose
you are surprising them too"
Quite surprise party" he agreed
She clinched her little hands furi-
ously
"They will understand that 1t was an
accident that met you at the depot"
"They will think you have at last
consented to be sensible he unused,
"and will be delighted You know how
long and ardently they have tried to
throw US together
"UsY' said the woman witheringly.
"You have been fairly thrown at my
head"
well, never seemed to strike you"
he drawled.
She flung him scorching glance, and
he subsidized into silence.
When the white pillars of the Raj
stons' splendid old plantation house
came into view, she turned on him
flercely.
For the next two days-I suppose !
must stay so long-you Will be given
any number Of chances to talk to me-
I'm not going to propose again." he
said disinterestedly. Don't be so wor-
RED"
Don't talk to me-" she ordered.
Don't come near me unless you have
to-"
II never do" he protested, climbing
out over the dusty wheel of their char
lot
Five minutes later he climbed in
again after frenzied recalling Of the
charioteer and seated himself beside a
well nigh speechless companion. The
carryall Jolted an unhappy yard or
two.
"Iou all gwine tex de 1880 train
back?" inquired the ancient driver.
'He-he-he-it sho' am too bad Nobody
home, an you all dun cum all de way
up fun New Leans
Whip up that beast of yours, uncle, "
cut in the man sharply. There's a
train at 80, isn't there?'
Eyes, sah.''
That's all right then. Now hurry
up" He turned to the tense little fig
ure beside him. swapping open his
watch.
"It's now ten minutes to T." be an
nounced. 1T won't be long to wait, l
dare say"
She surveyed him intently and with
out favor. That train is never on
time" she said.
He shrugged his shoulders in silence,
and they jolted on till the ugly station
came into view
All around the southern twilight was
deepening. A star or two winked out
In the purple dusk of the sky, and
down the long dusty road the katydids
disputed noisily.
No one was in sight on the station
platform, and only the sudden rattle of
telegraph instrument from the sta
ton itself gave any sign of habitation.
you had better get out and wait on
the platform, Mrs Leonard" said the
man.
THANK you, Mr.. Stanley" said the
woman, and followed him stiffly when
he had helped her from the carryall.
Stanley sat down upon a truck and
whistled softly to himself. Mrs Leon
ard paced the farthest end of the plat
form in superb silence. After a little
he Joined her with a laugh
Apparently" he said, we're the
only human beings in this solitude. 1
see the station agent making off down
the road to get drink before train
time There's bit of store few
hundred yards off, suppose you no
ticed it,
Il did not" she said frigidly.
Interesting things, these plantation
stores" he began again.
II have never found them SO" She
smoothed an imaginary wrinkle from
her glove.
Now, see here" said Stanley,
would you mind telling me just why
I'm being snubbed and cut and frozen
this way? I've said l wasn't going to
propose to you again. What are you
afraid off,"
"Afraidp' she Knocked. Pm not
afraid. Pm tired, that's all, of being
prosecuted. Every one thinks l ought
TO marry you" Her voice began to
tremble. "You think so, too, and the
fact that l don't agree with them nor
you makes no difference at all. You
simply go on waiting in that madden
ingly certain way, as if you had only
| to bide your time and I'd give in. Well,
why should 1? I'm happy as l am;
have my friends and my amusements.
" no ure III H.. odM give them
up for YOU
Nobody, said the man meekly.
Nobody at an
Il can't even 70 out of town for a
day or two" she cried hotly, without
being forced into lonesome tete-a -tete
with you. I'm tired of having chances
made for ~ to see me, tired of hav-
ing people get out of the way for u.s."
She broke off with an unwilling little
| laugh Even fate sends the Ralstons
! to town and throws us together here,
with no blissful possibility of an inter
ruption."
1.-The station agent has come back, F"
drawled Stanley, 80 we're not quite
alone. | think, if you don't mind
he grinned cheerfully over the absurd
ity-'I'll go in and ask him if the
| trains on time l saw him come up
the road and in through the back door
of the station minute ago. You-don't
mindy"
NO" she said sweetly, 81 don't
mind"
4 She sat down on the edge of the plat
| form when he had left her and swung
her feet in idle discomfort.
1t was very lonely She always had
had horror of katydids, and the tribe
in the trees about her excelled in
strength. She began to be family sor.
ry that she had let Stanley 60 At least
she could quarrel with him, and any.
thing was better than this awesome
silence.
Suddenly there was a noise from the
little station, hoarse cry, and then
the sound of heavy fall. Mrs. Leon
ard sprang to her feet, every nerve
strung tight
"Aleckv' she screamed. Where are
you, Aleckf" She fed across the plat
] form and into the little station house