Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1908-06-04
CHAPTER XVII.
The Conquest Of the Heart Of Sally B


work, make joints where
lone had been, remake organs that
lad not fulfilled their functions.
Alvin Carter despite his cheerful
ness, had ever silently rebelled against
his crutch. And when the idea was
born to him that he might have his leg
broken and made straight, he never
matted till he found a surgeon willing
to add his skill to Alvins money and
pluck.
Three years with scarcely a days.
vacation had won for him promotion
and the confidence of officers as well
as of fellow employees. Thus Alvin
had the great eye and sympathy of the
governor himself behind his brave
venture into unfamiliar realms of
surgery. When Alvin came through
with two straight legs, the trifling
shortness of one being corrected by a
high heel, he gladly accepted the d.
version of trip to the Front while
he was learning to walk on two feet.
. Fresh from those exciting scenes, he
presented himself at Sally BIS home.
Not for one moment had he faltered in
his determination to win Viola, if she
remained true, and he never doubted
her. Yet now, sitting in the most
beautiful voom he had ever seen, per-
turbed by the obsequious buffers i'll
concealed disdain when he had to send
up his name instead OF the requested
card-all in an instant Viola grew re-
mote, his aspiration to her preposter-
Gus. The modest cottage he had
thought out-the plans were in his
pocket waiting her approval seemed
but a miserable hut beside this mag
nificent palace.
Time for his heart to CONCEAL had
been ample when Sally B. swept into
the room, paused a chilling instant,
and came forward with her most i'm
posing society manner
why, Mr. Carter! This is elegant
to see you! Elegant weather, isn't it?
When did you come to the Bay? Ele-
giant time of year to visit at the Bay,
now, amt it?'
With an astonishing swing of her
sable draperies she seated herself back
to the light, her face dimly outlined,
while the late afternoon sun shone full
upon him.
81 read of the crack operation the
doctors performed on you, Mr.. Carter.
1 congratulate you on it's bein' O. X.
It's an elegant Improvement. Won't
you set-sit?'
She did not even look at him, he
thought. Blindly he CROPPED for a
chair, his eyes burning as if she had
slapped them with hard hand. Had
he but known, Sally BIS keen vision
had instantly noted and approved his
erect manliness, his resolute counte-
nance. Her heart warmed to him. He
belonged to her world, appreciated
her. Yet ambition held the rein. She
suspected his errand. and purposely
put him at a disadvantage, plying him
with questions, intending to leave him
no opportunity for personal topics
But for once she met her equal. She
took the one topic that could best fire
him; and in turn he caught her spirit
lin the flame of his enthusiasm, and
consumed her society veil In single
sentence.
DO tell me something about the
railroad. I miss it powerfully"
g.. 1--WE Just returned from the Front;
:got back yesterday"
oh, go" She hesitated. He
could see her eyes shine, knew she
was going to say "gosh!" and his self
possession flew home again.
In a breath Sally B. caught herself,
land went on.
I'm just that hungry to hear all
:about things Where'd they run the
line? Across by Battle mountain-l
know that; and where else?
."They run 100 lines, guess; just
kept the surveyors sticking pins into
the whole American desert till they'd
picked out the best one. They've got
the track away by Battle mountain
now: past zBe-o-wa-we, Argenta- q
the junction for Austin and Reese
river-oh, they were way by Toano
when l left" .a,s
II knew them places; come acrost
there in "a. Paw emigrated from Ore
gon to Salt Lake, didn't like 1t there.
an come over to Californy-Cali-
fornia." She had almost forgotten her
elegance.
Alvin breathed freely. my! Butts
;it's cold over there!" HALF.
Il bet it is" she Endorsed, emphatic
ally. ''How's Charley Croker, an
+. Gregory, an all the rest? Lord!
can smell the sage-brush now!"
.sWorking like blazes! Laying track
nv moonlight and stars! Just think OF
that! And big :sage-brush bonfres to
,help out It was the strangest sight;
the men looked like COLLINS, and the
hammer blows sounded far away. and
made You creep"
"Gosh! They must be runnin' them
IT,. j.. folks hard.
s.Not 80 hard as I'd like to see. The
III. P.'s are coming like lightning, Just
al whoopin' 'em up! They have man nal 2
m i1o Th ovsvo