The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-06-01
-Zls.. il1ti-ii = ~
.AIiadneI..
By CIINToN !. R E,|l


By cLIHroH RzvERz.
SCopyrisht, 1903. BY Joseph B. Bowles.)
BY criminy!" observed Riley Heck
athorns "ef cotton don't 60 up some
day we-all Is shore goin' to starve.'
He drove q bony fist at the cotton
bale on which he was sitting. It was
one Of the i've he had sold that morn
ing. @
Nov what got to show fer it?"
came his whimpered query. carry
don't git no new dress, an them shoes
III have to do the OF woman, onless-"
The whimper became 4 stare Of defl-
ance. His pale, milk-blue eyes were
1eveled on the body Of his new cooking
stove lying near the edge Of the sta
ton platform.
He slid OF the cotton bale, glanced
hastily about, and with half q dozen
sinking strides reached the side of the
stove. Jerking open the door he drew
out the bundle of stove legs. With q
quick tug he tore one out and tossed
the others back into the oven. Another
lean, Sinking stride and he was of
the platform. With q smart blow he
shattered the cast-iron leg on the
cleaning steel rail.
Gilt him again!" popped q clear
voice behind him.
Riley's long legs quivered as he
Strengthened up.
"Howdy!" he quavered. 'Dern my
ume!-it's you, Mr.. Weldon"
"The very same" returned the young
schoolmaster.
A brave grin betokened Riley's re-
burning confidence.
"A stove don't need more'n three
1aigs." The CLINT of polished steel
flashed for an instant in his pale blue
eyes. EFF you-all was to see boss
with three laigs it might do to talk
about. But it don't do to talk about
stove with three laigs."
Don't worry" laughed Weldon.
get a chance to do all the talking
care for in the schoolroom. I suppose
Ariadne and Nanny think I don't do
much else"
carry says you're a boss teacher"
said Riley, now softened to the mood
Of compliment. "She says you've learnt
Fem all heap"
'Ariadne is fine girl" returned the
schoolmaster, warmly. He did not add,
however, that he once had kissed
Ariadne.
That incident belonged to himself
and the elfln, dark-eyed girl who fur
lnished the single glow amid the dusk
Of the sodden intellects he presided
over. He had often found life dull at
the little hamlet, whose only link with
Ithe outer world was the water tank at
which all trains stopped, and one day
he wandered far into the woods on q
hunting jaunt.
Squirrels were shy, and he lay down
by the side of bayou to rest. II It
had not been for the smoke that float
ed in blue column from thicket on
the other side of the water he would
have thought himself out of touch with
kWork-a-day mortals.
"Are you lost, Mr.. Weldon?" The
saucy inquiry swept the cobwebs from
his brain.
He mumbled something about hunt
Ding squirrels.
81 think you had better go home If
you don't want chills and fever" she
said in pert command. 81 am going
home, too" She flung a sidelong
glance at the column of smoke across
the bayou.
He picked up his shotgun and fol-
lowed. Without word they fought
their way through the tangled Under
brush to the railroad bridge.
ct is almost time for the express .
said Ariadne. "Shall we wait for it to
pass?"
mo, let's go on" he replied. half
sullenly.
Too late-half way across the bridge
he saw his error. The screech of the
whistle sent chill to his heart. Blind
ly he seized Ariadne's hand.
"Quick!" he cried.
He dragged the girl to the side of
the bridge where projecting cross
beam jutted out over the trestle work.
He leaped to seat beside her just as
the engine thundered upon the bridge.
The crazy piling reeled from the shock
Of the pounding drivers, and the
locked wheels flung out long streamers
Of fire as the train crashed by.
Ariadne was pale, but she quelled
the trembling of her lip with a smile.
"By Jove! You're wonder!" cried
Weldon. Not q whimper, not q
scream. I'm going to-" And he did.