The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-19
ON A BRANCH ROAD.
BY CAROLINE HUNTER ., tcopyright, 1906, by Daily storS ru'

BY CAROLINE HUNTER
 tcopyright, 1906, by Daily stors rup'
 Co)
 Rand made his last change ol ss and boarded the single passepkst coach on the absurd little tram, n il was a branch road running out into the country. a road managed py isw rustic officials who ran thelr t1alps with fine disregard Of schedais' ah1 would gladly slow down to eNchNues items of local gossip with tarihst ae crossing ~eaa
 ii was. nevertheless. the home reao a,a Rand had not come home since he had gene away to the city ten years hefore. a lad of seventeen. He reco&nlS- ed the old brakeman and the conuuc- for hut they eyed him as a stranger. It was small wonder, Ten years M Musu dealt kindly with the big clumsy ooS whose green crocheted tie ana ili-maoe coat one scarcely saw because ms lace was so sincere and strong. The coh- ductor of the little train beheld now successful business man, "a city Isl- low yet one, if he mad looked more closely. whose eyes were stlii iIahA and true.
 Rand did not make himself known to them He caught himself wlshins that they had known him, but was aware at the same time that ne was unreasonable to expect it. To them tne years had no doubt seemed longer than to him. He had worked hard not paus- ing to observe the flight of time. Ana since he had met Helen, how snort me months had, been,--sweet little Helen who was soon to be his wife.
 There were only few other pas, senEers in the car. Rand scrutinfzso each one imagining that he might nnd rlA frfpndS nf his X0Itn. A few seats ahead of him sat young woman to whom his eyes reverted auestioningly several times. There was something about the wave of her black hair on the low coil of it against her neck that haunted him with vague familiarity. once she turned nttle and he caught glimpse of her cheek: Ruth Hayes! The name untnousnI ot for so many years flashed into his mind. Ruth, the pretty little tom-boy play mate of those early days! But was this surely Ruth? Suddenly she rose to put some package into the rack over head and in so doing faced him sduarely. Her eyes met his for second uncertainty and then smile of hap py recognition lighted her face. Sne extended her hand. Rand hastened to grasp 1t with many asurances of de- light at his good fortune. The girl was silent a first, but her glad eyes welcomed him
 They sat down together and soon fell to recalling old times. One recol- lection led to another in swift sue cession. Did he remember the sunday school picnic when they ate so much ice cream. or would they ever forget the time it poured so on the straw ride to Weaver's Valley? Ruth. he soon noticed. could supply many little details that he had forgotten, things even that he had said or what he had wcrn on some particular occasion. She recounted joyously many of their old escapades. He became silent listening and studying her. Her face had lost some of its old mirthfulness; it was very sweet. but just litle sad. Her voice was low and clear.
 Tt was you" she was saying. who suggested going there by moonlight. You said that the moonpath across the water was the most beautiful thing in the world" ..
 Did say that?" he laughed. How could you ever remember?'
 How could I ever forget?" she cor. rected and her voice was low with a little tremor in it.
 Rand became suddenly uncomfort- able. He was sorry that she had not forgotten, and wished that old times did not seem so important to her. He hastened to change the subject.
 You've been away on a visit?" he asked.
 tended to stay until Thursday. but seemed to tell mo l must come to-day. It was a premonitior. don't you think?" and she smiled into his eyes"