Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-12-01


How long before the next train
northE' be dema uded.
An hour and forty minutes"
Good. turning to her with beam.
Ing satisfaction. And you have To- wait
two hours. That will give MS plenty
OF time To talk. Now" with a strange
eageruess Ia Ills voice. do you mean
to tell me that you did not marry Bob
Bates the fan ! leftT
Certainly ! did not" wondcrincIy.
II never married anybody. much less
Bob Bates. | never liked that man"
Strange, and be told me-
what" She demanded sharply.
why, that you were promised to
him aud that-well, what he told me
was the cause OF my leaving and OF
my not communicating with any one
In the old village during all these
years. And TO thing Here a truck
load OF trunks was pushed rapidly to-
ward them, aud they were forced aside
Bates caught the eye OF waiting
hackman and nodded. A moment later
the carriage stood beside the platform.
with the driver holding open the door
for them TO enter.
"A station platform Is no place TO
talk" said Bates genially Suppose
we take a drive through some OF the
quiet streets OF the city. We have
plenty OF time" Then he looked ut
her with new thought In his eyes.
Il didn't see you in the he began.
then added hastily. You haven't had
dinner, suppose"
NO" besitating and flushing a lit
tie, "I"--
"Oh, l understand" quickly. You
are like me and can't put up with the
makeshifts OF railroad restaurant.
Now, III tell you what" unblushingly,
I'm about as hungry as man can be.
There's a nice hotel In back some.
where. Wen go TO that and have
dinner. and then well drive about the
city and talk until train time"
There was hesitation. almost refu-
sal. on her face; but. feigniug not to
potice 1t. he urged her into the carriage
and then spraug In himself and mo
toned for the driver 10 close the door
An hour passed and then half
hour, and soon after train rumbled
into the station aud then rumbled
away, Twenty minutes more and an
other train arrived and departed AS
II disappeared the carriage again
whirled up beside the station.
Has my train gomez" the woman
asked anHiously as she reached the
platform
Bates took out his watch and looked
It IL meditatively.
I'm afraid it has" he answered,
and my train. too. with its possible
thousand dollars. We've been gone a
little over two hours. Driver" severe
y, you ought not to have taken us
so far"
There was grave concern In his voice.
out in bis eyes was sly twinkle.
which she did not notice. The driver
twirled his hat apologetically in one
hand, but into the other generous tip
had been slipped. so he was silent.
1T is really too bad" Bates con
inued sympatheticnlly There is only
one more train out today. aud that
goes toward Richmond. But I'll tell
you what" as though struck by a sud
den solution OF tue problem, suppose
we take that. You know what you
have promised me Mt the end OF three
months. Now. what is the use Of
waiting that long: You have no poo
lie, and have none. and If You go
Iack 10 that school YOU have been
cling me about il will be to unap-
preciative employers and ut wages
hat willtscarcc pay your expenses.
ave a good house waiting for some.
body TO look after il aud more money
II the bank than know what to do
With. Now. my idea is for us 10 20
o a minister You know where min
ster lives. don't You TO the driver.
"Nis. sorr.' grinninE.
And then come back aud take the
rain for Richmond. II is n very nice
ity. and you are bound to like IL. How
lOes the scheme strike yon;"
Evidently it struck her unfavorably
r as something too astounding to ad-
nit even OF a reply.
Good" be said beamngly. "Silence
means consent. Now we will drive
back TO the hotel and write q couple OF
etters You tell the school committee
hat unforeseen circumstance prevent
ed your returning, and | will write
that the same kind Of circumstances
have kept me from attending the sale
Come"
She parted her lips as though to pro-
test and even tried 70 draw back. but
her heart was with this man who had
been so much to her youth and who
had returned. and In the end she en-
tered the carriage with him ana the
door was again closed by the driver.
II Is said that the groom is usually
the one 20 show trepidation ut wed.
ding, but in this cnse 1t was the bride
In twinkiing the whole course OF her
life bad been turned She was being
transformed from schOoltcnchcr to
wife. But in Der breast WAS that
satisfaction at being permitted TO give
up that struggle with the world which
Is natural to men and usually dis,aste.
fUl 20 women. Instead vision grm-
mered before her cyes-a vision Of
home. husband and children and