The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1908-03-06
only heiress of the comfortable Bradie.

ried through the fiat, dismal country
both her reason and her heart rose in
rebellion. and when the call for lunch
o was sounded nervousness had done
its work. She wanted nothing to eat.
The porter had seen just this brand
of inconsistencies before, and he asked
permission to bring solne tea and toast.
at least. to her section. Abashed H..
the tears that came to her eyes at his
friendly suggestion, he sought another
car and the conductor. Then this kind
ly official sat down beside his tired
young passenger and tried to make con-
yersation. They were just passing Il
section house with it's few surround
ing buildings and tiny schoolhouse.
Near the latter was an improvised
"slide."
"That's the way the prairie children
make hills" he said. little dreaming
that he was touching a very raw spot
in his companions heart. "They pile
up the snow industriously. pour water
on it just before sundown, and in the
morning it is a jolly fine slide"
After that Miriam watched for the
manufactured hills. The pitiful sub.
stitute for the sport of her girlhood
somehow made her feel more desper,
ately than ever the mighty chasm she
! was cutting between her old life and
her new.
And when she was not watching for
"hills" she was trying to drown the
recollection of a certain tender. plead
ing voice in the incessant. insistent
song Of the revolving wheels beneath
her.
1t was an actual relief when Schofield
was reached and she stood on the mar
row strip Of platform in front of the
station. She peered through the dusk
in a vain search for some break in the
level stretch Of plain. A man in rough.
heavy clothing came forward bash
fully.
"You Miss Bradley, for over to Mud
dy Bend?" he asked, with hat awk-
wardly uplifted. Miriam merely nodded.
"Well, I'm on the school board" he
said in some embarrassment. 81 come
over a-purpose to see you and mebbe
save you the long stage ride"
"That was very kind of you," said
Miriam. trying TO be cordial. But ]
was fully resigned to the stage"
ooh. | don't mean that" said the
man. with growing nervousness. But,
you see. there's been some mistake-l
don't know as you'd call it that either
but something happened unexpected
since we wrote you. Kate Higgins.
0,,. rtl tn.rin,. y-nc oil yiplt Wa
liked her well enough. but our doc
said she'd have to go south for her
throat. When she got as fur as st.
Louis a doctor there said it wasn't her
throat at all, and he fixed her up. And,
being rs Kate was all satisfactory and
she wants to ~stay-weil, we We're Won
dering if we couldn't make some ar
rangement with you to get another
school round here somewheres, or we'd
pay your fare back and give you what
even you thought was right. You see,
we don't feel like going back on
Kate
certainly not" replied Miriam,
with such warmth that the brawny
w%esterner, as he said afterward, vas
'plum locoed' for a few seconds. 81
think you should pay my fare both
ways, and then we will call it square.
1 could not have stayed very long any
how. You sec, l am to be married
soon. May l send a telegram before l
go to the hotel?"
Her interested host followed her into
the station, protesting that the school
board must put her up at the hotel I'M
til the Overland passed through in
the early morning, e%astbound. And so
he heard the telegram which the OPP
orator read aloud for verification:
James Meeker. Wellington, VT:
Am returning at once to where there
are hills-and homes. MIRIAM.
"I'm sure obliged to that chap Meek
er, whoever he may be-" the westerner
unused as he led the way across the
rain soaked road to the hotel. II Won
der what she meant about the hills?"
But, being courteous, he did not ask,
and Miriam did not offer an explana-
ton. She was content to think that
within twelve hours the Overland Lin
tied would be scurrying her across the
detested plains toward the happiness
which she had so foolishly fed.