Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-21

his mouth puckered--that was a crime.
She grew hot. all over
I'm surprised" he began.
I'm not she promptly interrupted.
Everything you do lacks that element
even this intrusion
"S-o?" He waited little while she
stared over the river .Then-Ill say,
Alone. she fulfilled her first intention.
and having finished her cry. felt rather
disposed To tax her own severity. 'Oh.
well" she compromised. ''Tll be nice to
him this evening.
But when she returned to the house he
was gone. over to Las Glorias. Mrs.
Fleming said. to spend a day before he
left for the states. Too frightened to cry
now. she crawed TO bed and lay tossing
in wakeful despera ton. And when. next
morning. hope futtered in i'm the shape of
a telegram from Fleming countermand-
ing the dismissal. she begged to be al
lowed to take il to him.
80
When. two hours later. she rode into
Las Glorias. her fair face flushed from
hard galloping. Benders big heart smote
him.
He's gone" he said. Went down by
canoe this morning"
Luckily he had taken the preca ution OF
hitting her from the saddle Cone" she
repeated blankly then. oh"
The misery in the wall abolished certain
spoke promptly
If you are game for a night run down
stream on my launch. we may catch him
before he boards the train at Colorado"
If she was game.
Great is the power of a woman's tear
full smile. All that night Bender raced
down that tropical stream, darling in and
out of snass and sandhanks. carrying a
head of steam that babe fair to shake
every bolt out of the launch. He was
profuSe in comforting words, too. At day
break they still lacked ten miles of the
little river station. but the v. c.. the
craziest of experiments in railroading
had never been known to run a train on
schedule; there was heaps of time. At
least. so he told her. But alas, accidents
will happen even to time cards. and oh.
the cuSSedness of things, Every morn
ing for a month past the train had been
late from six to ten hours. IL would be SO
late every morning for a month to come:
but because. on this occasion. a half
hours delay would bring happiness to
two persons, it must needs roll in on
time.
Though Bender almost blew his small
whistle off, the cars jerked onward while
they were still quarter of a mile away.
Erect. hand outstretched. as though to
draw it back. Mabel stoo- in the bows.
straining will. the train slowed down after
1t had moved hundred yards.
She taking on water" the girl
screamed ''Oh, hurry Mr. Bender
She was already running wide open. but
Bender slapped half gallon OF lubricant
into his small fun ace and slammed the
door.
Get ready. Mabel gasped. "oh. get
ready to-run!
Tut. tutr' he laughed. This is your
funeral. girl. Gather up your skirts. Now
Rum
How she ran-as a scared deer. and.
withal. Just made the last coach as the
train moved on. 1t was a perilous high
step. but she took it. and came face 10
face with ellison, who had stepped out for
a last look around. She handed him the
telegram with a Read. Read.'
A glance. and he shock his head The
train was going four miles an hour. and
aridly pulling up TO its maximum of six.
She threw a frightened glance around.
oh. please, won't you-come back-with
me-
1t was a very clever jump that he made.
His burden drove his feet ankle deep in
the sand but he did not fall; and not for
A moment later did she realize that she
was being kissed. and kissed in the aston
ished faces of a Mexican section crew.
Please set me down. she urged. for he
showed disposition to ignore brown
faced Public Opinion. Yet there were
compensations in the fervid way in which
she clutched his arm TO her bosom. "Oh.
thought you were gone forever.
His eyes twinkled. Didn't Bender tell
you that / was coming back next week.
OH Stopping between the tracks,
she gazed at him. You don't mean TO
say that
lust a little jaunt up to the city.
yes"
sighed. ''Oh. you-
"'Brute'?' he suggested.
She looked archly up. No comprende.
senor.'"