Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-08-03
CHAPTER 1.
aGatty! There he isl"
ooh. where, Bab-where?"

"Why, over there, standing behind that
luggage truck on the other side of the
bookstan. Don't you see? He is exactly
ike the description lie gave of himself.
He must be-
Cousin jim" said Catty. But how
s4unid of him TO hide in Il corner! And
he doesn't seem to be looking out for us.
Are YOU quite sure, lab, that it is Cousin
Jimf"
Certain! Positive!" Bah finished, ar
ranging the school books in her strap,
and caught her sisters arm. Come
along. we must go to him!" she said.
"See. he is looking at us now!"
She began to make her way across the
crowded platform as she spoke, and Cat
ty followed her meekly.
The young man who had attracted
their attention was standing as far back
as he could get in niche between the
bookstall and a waiting room door. He
was a slender, clean-shaven young fellow
of about "a, but his handsome face wore
a strained, almost hunted expression, and
lust as the girls approached, Gatty saw
an odd look OF almost panic stricken APP
prehension flash into his widely opened
blue eyes. He did not seem to see the
girls; he was staring past them at some
thing. or soRleone, in the jostling crowd
on the platform, and at the sound of
Barbara's voice he started so violently
that he almost dropped the small hand
bag he was carrying.
How do you do, Cousin JIM" said
Bah. "We hoped you would catch this
train; it is the one Gatty and l travel by
every afternoon. 1t starts from the sid
ing, directly after the express, so we had
better be going. Did you come down
by the three forty?- Don't you think
that Winchester is a horrid, smoky
town? But it is very nice where we
live right out in the country. Come
along-do come along!"
Bah was nothing if not energetic. She
shook the young mans passive hand as
she spoke, and gave him a peremptory
little pull
Never mind Gatty,'' she said you
can speak to her afterwards. We really
haven't minute to lose now-they are
lust sending off the express. Our train
is over there in the siding"
Then, for the first time, cousin jim"
opened his lips.
"The-siding he repeated, in a be-
widered fashion.
Yes yes; don't you have sidings in
America? There goes the express; we
must fly. Come, Gatty! Come, Cousin
JIM" cried Bah Shrilly.
\ tall man in rough overcoat, who
was turning over papers at the bookstall,
walked off down the platform, and Gatty
had an odd, aeeting conviction that her
cousin had been watching him and was
relieved by his departure, but she forgot
I. l,{o
awoke into sudden activity.
"All right, lead the way. Let me carry
your books he said and, with a girl on
either hand and the dilapidated strap
swinging on his arm, he was conducted
to the side platform, where small local
train was preparing for immediate de-
-fesftHFerv
Let's get a compartment to our
selves!" cried Bah. Here you are, Cat
ty-that's right"
She pulled up the window with great
satisfaction and a moment later the
train was gliding out of the suburbs of
the great manufacturing town into a fiat
country, half hidden by the mists of a
gloomy December afternoon.
Now we can look at each other" said
Bah She had established herself oppo-
site her cousin and sat forward, her
small rosy face glowing with excitement
under the dark-blue tam O'shanter that
crowned her mop of yellow hair. Gatty.
a paler edition of her twin sister, scru-
tinized the young man shyly, and he
gazed at them both With an enigmatical
expression on his haggard countenance.
"Yeu are not really like what | expect
ed, Cousin jim" Barbara announced
frankly. you have the height and the
eyes, and that is about all Did You rec
ognize us? We are the twins, you
know; l am Barbara and this is Ger
trude We go to the high school at Min
chester and Sage told us to look out
Tor you this afternoon"
"Sage2"
How stupid he isl" thought Barbara
She raised her voice little. "Sage-our
sister Sage-your cusin Sage! Why
Jim, you surely know our names? You
are"
''Hush-sh!' whispered Gatty, twitch-
ing her sisters arm. Bah had a quick
temper, and her tongue was apt to rur
away with her.
The young man put his hand to his
head with an involuntary movement.
I'm afraid 1 am very stupid" HI
faltered. "Ihe fact is"-he frowned, anC
seemed to be making desperate effort
TO concentrate his thoughts-'I've a con
founded headache he said
Don't talk to him." said Gatty. %
thought he was telling ill., l do hops
that Sage viii send the pony carriage Il
meet us"
Il hope so, too" Bah responded. She
felt as blank as she looked as she sal
watching her cousin, who leant bach
with closed eyes and lines of wearinesi
and pain round his rigidly closed lips
This taeiturn young man was not at al
like the Cousin jim" of her magma
tlon-the cousin from America whose Wis
1t to England had given rise to such ami
mated discussions III the little household
at home. They had debated anxiously
whether he would care to come and Sc
them or not--a family of women-f folk
hvlng in the depths of the country, TIVE
miles from the nearest station. Blu
mother had wanted to see her sister