Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-08-08
THEIR BRANCH Line
TO PARADISE
BY JAMES BRAYNE

echoed. why boss, faint been
year since dey put on dis hyer parlor
kyar on de line. Whaffor dey put
dinin kyar on?"
Lambert looked at the car occupied
only by himself and Miss Fulton and
agreed. A diner would have been a
useless luxury. 1t was only 100
mile branch, and they were supposed
% do 1t in five hours.
The conductor was on the steps,
putting at cigar, and Lambert sat
Town beside him.
How far are we to the next sta
tion?" he demanded.
We're in station now" explained
the conductor. Its on the other side
Of the train"
do you suppose I could get some
thing to eat over there?" he asked.
Its a store" was the noncommit.
tai answer. 81 remember we put off
a box of crackers last week."
Lambert dropped to the dusty road
bed and strobe across the strip of
sand. The store was closed and dark,
but the light shone from the kitchen
in the rear and grumblingly the pro-
prietor consented to accommodate the
stranger.
The stock was small and uninviting.
Hog and hominy," the staple foods,
were produced locally. A barrel of
-four, small cheese and limited
stock of canned goods constituted the
grocery department, but search dis
covered a can of Vienna sausages,
SOME canned peaches, some soda
crackers and cheese, and the store
keepers wife promised pot of cof-
fee.
Lambert sat on the steps and
smoked while he waited for the cot.
fee and pondered the situation.
All winter he had sought an intro
duction to the girl who was his one
fellow passenger in the parlor car. He
knew that her name was Jessie Full.
ION and that she lived down south. Be-
vond that his information did not go.
A dozen times he had run across her
in the city, but the opportunity for an
introduction never came.
Here they were, joint occupants of
the parlor car and blocked by a
wreck that promised to hold them for
hours, If not all night. The freight
had gone up in the forenoon and had
broken through a rickety bridge. A
temporary bridge must be built be-
fore thew cOuld 90 ahead
The porter came across the road
and smiled as he saw Lambert. "Ahm
Iookin' for some sandwiches for ma
ady," he announced. "She done
offer me a dollah."
I'll give you the dollar" he prom
lsed."You go back and rig up table
I'll be right there"
The girl looked expectantly as Lam.
bert entered bearing aloft his plum
der. With your permission" he
said, with a bow, 1--WE will have sup
per such as it is"
The porter promised to get me
something" she protested.
Il have cornered the food supply of
the town." he explained IF my COM
2any is"
mot at ALL" she fastened to pro-
est 1T will be more pleasant this
way"
Lambert laid out the food together
with the knives and forks he had Dor
rowed, and opened his various cans.
Hunger gave them appetites even for
the coarse fare and the girl was soon
chatting merrily.
Your face seems familiar" she
said, the faint color mounting to her
cheeks.
Il worked in the building where you
used to call on your lawyer" he ex.
planned readily. Il have seen you in
the elevator more than once"
1T seems almost like knowing you
to meet down here in Georgia." she
said, smilingly.
Lambert beamed. To think that,
after seeking her all winter, he
should find her down here and under
circumstances that made for success
seemed too good to be true.
He sent the porter back with the
dishes and settled down to entertain
the girl. 1t was almost midnight be-
fore they realized how time had been
dying, and he arranged with the por-
ter for a makeshift bed for Miss Full
ton in the drawing room, while he &C.
cupied the smoking room.
They were just drawing into the ter
minal station when they met in the
morning.
1T seems that we are out of trouble
at last" he said in greeting. The
track was cleared about five O'Clock"
Il am rather sorry for it," she con-
fessed. 1T has spoiled our picnic"
Lambert's face glowed.
Il am glad you enjoyed it." he said
earnestly. Perhaps we may arrange
another picnic here before l go back
north. l have a title to look up. 1t
may take a week. l rather think II
will"
81 shall not wait for the picnic" she
insisted. Il am going to have you at
our house to breakfast, if you will
come"
IF l will Gomez" he repeated with
happy laugh. why, Miss Fulton
nothing could hold me back. Do you
know that all last winter / tried to
meet you? Now that | do know you
I'm not going to be driven away"
Did you notice me, too?" she asked
| quickly.
"May heaven bless this tumbledowf
branch line" he said irrelevantly. 'It
runs from Misery to Paradise without
change of cars.
Jessie Fulton nodded as though she
agreed with him and they went out or
the platform to greet her mother.