The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-06-20
cHAPTER xIV.-contlnued.

other end Of the platform TO speak 70
some Of the students. I followed Pick
ering rather reluctantly to where the
companions Of his travels we're pacing
to and fro in the crisp morning air.
AS soon as Pickering had got me
well under way in conversation with
Taylor, he excused himself hurriedly
and went on, as / assumed. 10 be sure
the station agent had received orders
for attaching the private car to the
Chicago express. Taylor proved to~be
a supercilious person. believe they
call him Chilly Billy at the Metropolis
tan club,-and our efforts to converse
were pathetically ~unfruitful. The two
ladies stood by. making no conceal
'ment of their impatience. Their eyes
were upon the girls from st. Agstha's
On the other platform. whom they
could see beyond me. ! had jumped
the conversation from Indiana farm
values to the recent disorders in Bull
garia. which interested me more, when
Mrs Taylor. ignoring me, spoke alb
ruptly to her sister.
That's she-the n in the gray
coat, talking to the clergyman. She
came a moment ago in the carriage"
~The one with the umbrella? l
thought you said"
Mrs, Taylor glanced at her sister
warningly. and they both looked at
ne. Then they detached themselves
and moved away. There was some one
On the farther platform whom they
wished to see. and Taylor, not under
standing their maneuver-he was real
~ anxious. l think, not 10 be left alone
Eith me-started down the platform
after them. / following. Mrs. Taylor
and her sister walked to the end of
the platform and looked across. a bis
cult toss away. to where Stoddard
stood talking 10 the girl I had already
heard described as wearing a gray
Goa and carrying an umbrella.
The girl in gray crossed the track
quickly and addressed the two women
cordially. Taylor's back was to her
and he was growing eloquent in a mild
wellbred way over the dullness Of our
statesmen in not seeing the advan-
tages that would accrue 20 the United
States in fostering our shipping indus
try. His wife. her sister and the girl
in gray were so near that could hear
plainly what they we're saying. They
were referring apparently to the girls
refusal Of an invitation to accompany
them to California.
$50 you can't go-it's too badi We
had hoped that when you really saw
ms on the way you would relent," said
Mrs. Taylor.
but there are many reasons; and
above all Sister Theresa needs me-"
Il vas the voice Of Olivia. a little
lower. a little more restrained than l
had known il; but undeniably it was
she.
But think OF the rose gardens that
are waiting for us out therelr said the
other lady. They were showing her
the Difference that elderly women al
ways have for pretty girls.
ALAS, and again alasl" exclaimed
olivia. Please don't make il harder
for me than necessary. But ] gave luy
promise a year 2 to spend these
holidays IN Cincinnati"
AAh ANNNANA TIC AAAAAN NAu AFTER
shaking hands with the ladies returned
70 the other platform wondered
whether she was overlooking Taylor
on purpose TO cut me.
Taylor was stll at his lecture on the
needs Of our American merchant ms.
rlne when Pickering passed hurriedly.
crossed the track and began speaking
earnestly to the girl in gray,
The American flag should command
the sea What we need Is not more
battleships but more freight car.
Tiers- Taylor was saying.
But / was watching Olivia Gladys
Armstrong. In a long skirt. with her
hair caught up under a gray toqde that
matched her coat perfectly. she was
not my Olivia Of the tam-O-shanter.
who had pursued the rabbit: nor yet
the unsophistieated school girl. who
had suffered my idiotic babble; nor.
again, the dreamy rapt organist Of the
chapel She was a grown IN with
at least 20 summers to her credit, and
there vas about her an air of knowing
the world. and of not being at an a
H"A nAA NlN WAAAQ MAhG ANllAnM NNEtEM4
es TO. She spoke 10 Pickering gravely.
Once she smiled dolefully aud shook
her head, and I vaguely strove TO re-
member where / had seen that look
an her eyes before. Her gold beads,
which had once carried in my pocket,
were clasped tight about the close col
lar OF her dress; and / was glad, very
glad. that / had ever touched anything
that belonged 20 her.
Who was Olivia Gladys Armstrong
and what was Arthur Pickerings bust.
ness with her? And what was Il she
had said TO me that evening when /
had found her playing on the chapel
orgau7 80 much happened that day
that ! had almost forgotten, and, In
decd. / had tried 10 forget that / made
"A fool Of myself for the ~edihcation OF
an amusing little school girl Then