The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-03-26
CHAPTER XIX.
Alfred Paws the Fiddler.


Clarifying daylight had not brought
Alfred an easy conscience the morn
ing after the banquet. The spell of
the fair sprite he had held in his arms
the night before had been broken with
the setting Of the lop-sided moon. And
Stella, standing on the railroad plat
form, wise in staying away from him
till that morning, strong in her re.
solve which he could feel but not de-
fne-it needed but this attitude 10 re-
call the ardor of his love for her. more
insistent as she grew more remote.
Alfred wrote at great length to Stel.
Ia, making a bad matter worse by his
too ardent defense of Amabel. and by
self-condemnation that did not ring
quite true. The reply. to this letter
disclosed to him a hitherto unknown
Stella.
More than a second time he read Il.
He knew nov that he could never de-
ceive her, She would always know his
inmost heart. She might uncomplain-
ingly bear neglect after marriage,
GOODNESS; but she would never for
give him II he married her with less
than the whole of his love.
The middle of October found Alfred
IN Placerville, where had been Sent to
purchase for the company a large
amount of tish-joint iron originally
bought for the Placerville road. When
the river end of this road, the Sacra-
mento Valley road, fell into Central
Pacific hands, iron was no longer USE
full TO the defunct San Francisco and
Washoe, which was to have taken over
all track to Placerville. Yet, Any.
thing to beat the Central Pacific" was
still the cry; and Alfred had need OF
all his discretion; for the opposition
would I'VE knowingly sell rails to the
Central Pacific company.
Il have a delicate errand here he
wrote toward the close of a long let
ter to Stella, that l may not tell you
of further than to say I am making
as much haste as possible. | hope to
be n of the passengers to Virginia
City on the day the Placerville Stage
company has set to snow under the
Dutch Flat and Bonner Lake State
Company's schedule. II so, | shall
complete my business there and be
with you two days later. I'll telegraph
the day l leave Virginia.
by the way, Cadwallader is here,
ostensibly looking up laborers, which
is about all the company gives him to
do lately. He is very cordial, and
claims to know of a secret big deal;'
a mine In Nevada, that he wishes me
to join him in exploiting. I'm sus-
picious of his schemes; yet he has
some good men with him, and | may
look IL up.
But here is the cream of my letter
for you, dear-for us. l am to have
a handsome percentage of any money
that | can save the company in this
enterprise now pending. IL the bust
ness goes as it promises, the day when
l may say Come will be a long leap
nearer"
Closing words we're penned from a
of tenderness that carried over
houhtdih anu NdiC, anu WtIc SUN
warn on the page when they met
Stella's eye.
In her ~favorite hillside nook,
wrapped about with the fruity fra.
GRANGE of autumn, Stella read and re-
read Alfred's letter, and unused upon
vague plans for the future that
occupied her mind. Nothing
had come to her: but her
determination to improve her
self was augmented by a tormenting
vision of a little woman in blue. light
and dainty, where she herself was
yivacious and quick, where
was slow; charming, where she
was dull. Stella wished she were
small, delicate, timid-a hundred
she was not; yet she was sen.
sible enough to know that assuming
hem would be folly. For underlying
iii her vain wishes was a recognition
u something within, a dim vision OF
he power of her own soul, that
brought tranquility and courage for
Ter dificult venture.