The Washington herald., 1907-01-17

woman being "A steamboat captain OF an
/ engineer. or house painter or a mason?"
Certainly not The last two are utterly
/ impossible anyway"
"Oh, 1 don't know" lightly, 4 can even
imagine a woman being good Ineman a."
Blyth laughed in open sarcasm.
Il wouldn't care TO see the woman.
Wouldn't she be q terror?"
"WhyT' sharply.
Take your own lineman. for example.
! Miss Hall Fancy woman In his place,
! Driving in all weathers about this sparse
! ly settled country, climbing poles. sitting
astrIde cross-arms"" he shrugged his
shoulders impatinetly. That's worse than
/ being a Doctor
Afterward, he wondered n she would
think he disapproved Of what she was
doing. He hoped not He considered il
entirely commendable for her 10 manage
this business during her fathers illness.
and the Office being in her own home
made Il seem essentially womauly.
He promised himself that he would see
her often-he had never before met a girl
who seemed 20 answer 50 fully the re-
quirements Of his ideal
But as the days went by his glimpses
OF Fldeiia were tantalizingly infrequent
He disliked 70 inquire for her-he fancIed
there was malignant satisfaction in
Edlth.s brief answer "Out-with the line
man"
He ventured another evening call. but
F1delia was in charge Of the switchboard
and opportunity for conversation was
limited,
his half-consciouS resentment toward
the lineman prompted a question as TO his
competency. You have TO go around with
I him all the time" he grumbled iealouslv
Fidelia blushed
The lineman is fully competent but 7
ike 70 go. I am very fond Of"
An imperative call for central inter
rupted and the sentence was not com
pleted
Blyth remembered it uneasiIy. Was il
the lincn.an-or had she meant 10 saw that
she liked driving in the glorious autumn
weather?
He grew respondent as the weeks went
py. and no matter how cold or stormy the
day, Edith gave the same Irritating an
swer, "Out-with the lineman."
Then he resolved TO settle the afafr
He loved the girl-he was sure Of himself
now He would boldly make the oppor-
tunlty 10 tell her So Sne should choose
/ between him and that-his adiectivas
would not have been uttered in Fidalia'e
presenCe-Iineman1
The thought Of her was upperrnost in his
mind as he drove toward home on q cold
windy day in early spring "Oh. if only
/ T." he checked the half-uttered words
smiling tenderly as he dreamed Young
mans beautiful day-dreams Of love and
I life
Ahead Of him, in the lonely country
road, he saw a horse and buggy standing
! by a telephone pole. Instinctively he
looked up.
The lineman" he exclaimed inter-
estedly, I'm thankful Fidelia isn't with
him this miserable dayr
The man climbed from the cross-arm
and came down the pole with the swift
ease acquired by constant practice.
Hes a little chap" thought the doctor
| perhaps that's why Fidelia watches him
so closely
The lineman sprang into the buggy.
with his coil of wire and bag Of tools.
driving rapidly away
III overtake him and speak with him
/ II ought to be halfway decent to a little
chap ike that"
But the linemas's slim. bovish figure
| erect in the lighter vehicle. held the lines
over an animal that sped along as if
aware Of his pursuit.
Blyth caught a glimpse Of a rounded
red cheek under the lineman's close cap.
wild thought glimmering Of the
truth, sent the blood 10 his own cheeks.
and he urged his horse on.
He reached the driveway at Halls in
time TO see the slim figure leap from the
buggy ana dash into the house.
The doctor followed hurriedly.
Go tell your sister that I must see her
at once His imperative command
startled Edith into instant obedience.
When Fidelia entered the room. with
checks that rivaled the crimson Of the scft
robe she wore, Blyth sprang toward her.
She motoned him back, with a repelling
hand, even while her eyes gave him the
assurance he sought
you know you don't approve-you
said"
I don't care what l said, I was wrong.
Fidelia- I approve Of anything that YOU
do and Of everything that you are, ri
della, my little lineman,"
tCopyright 1907 by May Mckconl