Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-04-12
Mrs. Monteith's Country Cousin.

A little way beyond Sheffield the
Pitts6eld express stopped in the open
country.
Jack Austin lean ID back in his seat
in the drawing room car and gloomi-
ly viewed the discouraging vista OF
mud and driving easterly rain outside
He did not yearn for weekend In
the wilds of New England in March,
and Monteith's note had not tended
to brighten the prospect.
INV little cousin from the country,
Kittie Adams, will be here" the let
ter ran, "and l shall depend upon
you, as Dick friend, to see that she
enjoys herself, as this Is her first ex.
perience in society. Kate Reynolds,
the Western heiress, whom everyone
was wild about at Bar Harbor last
summer, is back from Europe and will
be here, too. All the men are sure to
be at her feet, and it is only because |
know your aversion to the modern So
ciety belle that l dare ask you to look
after Klttie. Cordially,
DORA MoNTEITH." :"
He felt horrible convection that
he could never stand three days of it,
but if the worst came to woret he could
be summoned back to New York by
urgent business, and if he must be
dragged about the chains of the coun-
try cousin were preferable to the gold
en- ones of the heiress.
He hardly noticed at first that the
train had stopped, but when the stop
page continued and one man after
another got up and went out his cur
iosity was aroused aud he followed
them out into the chilly ,drizzling rain.
On the track ahead a confused,
black heap was piled up. A freight
train had been wrecked-how no one
knew. No one was hurt, but it was
an a aSkward business and there was
no saying how soon the rails would be
clear.
There was certain comfort in the
thought that each hour added to the
Journey meant one less with the coun-
try cousin. Jack Austin reflected
grimly, uwiuging himself up the steps
Of the car, disgust written in the set
of his broad shoulders, in every line
of his face. Suddenly as he passed
down the aisle on the way to his seat
voice exclaimed:
"Mr. Austin ~ and then-"I au
sorry to trouble you but"-arxiously
will you tell me if there is any
daDger?'
Austin turned, pulled his cap from
his head and found himself staring in
blank surprise into the face of tall,
dark-eyed girl, who eyed him with
mixture of amusement and apprehen-
sion.
"I-I beg your pardon" he stam-
mered.
"Is there any danger2" she repeat
ed anxiously.
'Oh, no, none whatever. | hope
you were not frightened he replied,
pulling himself together as well as
man can who is face to face with a
distractingly pretty girl.
81 confess it did startle me.
He stood silent, looking down at
her.
"But, of course "-demurely-'1
am not frightened-now."
wonder if you'd mind telling me, !"
he said irre,evantly, show you came
to know my nsme?"
She laughed, and a wave of color
dyed her face a delicious pink.
with the initials on your bag and
photograph at Mrs. Monteiths-
who talksa great deal of Jack Aus
tint was not very difficult to make
two and two into four"
A sudden light illuminated Austin 8
brain. So this charming apparition
was the "little country cousin. He
would not have jumped so quickly to
MS conclusion had he not dimly re-
membered that Mrs. Monteith had
mentioned her coming on this train.
"Other people can make two and
two into four" he returned. radiantly.
81 am delighted to meet you. Miss
Adams.
IT was easy to see that abe was tre-