Evening journal., 1909-05-11
A Postal Romance.
Rv M. QuAp.

BY M. QUAD.
copyright, 1908, by 4. c. Mcciurel
Inspector Graham Of the postal serv-
ice happened 20 be at Chestnut Grove at
the time the postmistress died, and he
took charge Of the office and did what 4
he could In other directions. The de- /
ceased had left two daughters. one /
twelve and one eighteen. Squire Davis /
and two or three others scarcely wait I
ed the burial Of the widow before plan /
ming for the postmastership and invok- /
ing the aid Of the inspector. This they
did not receive. however He promptly
recommended Bessie. the eldest daugh-
ter. for the place. and she was shortly
appointed.
For the next year the postofiice at
Chestnut Grove was the best conduct
ed Of any on the inspectors route. Not
the slightest fault could be found in
any direction. Had the inspector Wis
tied the Office four times In the year he
would have covered his instructions,
| but his calls were made much oftener.
Before the year was up Miss Bessie
had to admit TO herself that the IN
/ rltCAVl was cLhMAhh conltAhAhN bH-
sides official interest. and the knowl-
edge embarrassed and panied her. S
had learned that he was free to mari
And why all these visits II he was
in love with her? The girl had Sc
cret. It was a secret from the In
spector only. and she trembed every
time he came for fear that he would
discover IL. A dozen different village
gossips could have betrayed that Sc
cret. but they had not been encour-
aged to talk. Squire Davis had often
had it at his tongues end, but had
checked himself and said:
mot a word from me. said there
would be a scandal. and there will be-"
The girl postmistress had entered
upon her second official year, and In
spector Graham had arrived to pay
one Of his semi-social calls, when he
! was met by storm OF excitement. He
had been doing a great deal Of think
ing during the past three months. He
, had satisfied himself that he was real
ly and truly in love with Bessie and
wanted her for a wife. and lie believed
that he had found favor In her eyes.
On this occasion he meant TO tell his
love and know his fate.
e This is what has happened" said
j. Squire Davis. who was the first to
j. meet him as he stepped OF the cars.
J, "a registered letter containing $50 for
5, me has been lost IN the mall"
"But Miss Jordon couldn't have
e taken your letter." protested the sur.
Il prised and perturbed inspector.
u "Mebbe not. but what about that fel'
y Ter who's been hanging around there
\ for a year?"
The inspector was an official now in
stead of a friend. He at once got tc
l' work on the trail of the missing letter
and before night he assured himself
that 1t had actually passed through
the Office at Sand Hill, which was mex
L ON the east. This being so. It mus
I'd have arrived at Chestnut Grove. Th'
81 night of its arrival was a very storm!
g. one. and there was no one in afte
a mail until long after It had been dis
tributed Inspector Graham sat IN tn
office and thought It out and knew tina
at the letter had arrived and been taken
nd He could not bring himself TO believ
us that Miss Bessie was the thief, ant
or vet it hurt him to think that 1t nigh
a have been taken by another-by tn
ls young man to whom Squire Davis ha'
,s alluded. The girl had had lover 70
n a year past and had concealed the fac
" from him. II didn't occur TO him tina
d. It was her right and that he had reall,
at no business to know, but he felt tha
d. an injury had been done him. Ther
was but one way out of the business
and he took it. AS he called the post
mistress in he was more Of the oflicia
VI. than he had ever been.
nt Miss Jordon." he began, did Henr.
williams assist you to distribute tn
mail on the evening Of the 4thT'
"Y-yes," she replied as her face wen
3 white.
And Henry Williams took the lei