The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-12-14

l
ever since. You'll miss your train"
1t was already gliding down the plat.
form. but he neither noticed it nor her
warning. In his eyes was an express
sion of incredulous inquiry.
\ "Isn't Bob Bates
She motioned toward the train.
You'll miss it," she cried again;
then her hand dropped to her side
There; 1t is too latel Was it very
importantr' anxiously.
"Yes-no-that is. guess SOL he an
Bwered indifferently. "a thousand col.
lars, believe"
A man with the emblematic s. r. on
his cap came down the platform, and
Bates called him with gesture.
How long before the next train
northY p he demanded.
"An hour and forty minutes"
"Goodp' turning to her, with BEAM
ing satisfaction. "And you have to wait
two hours. That will give us plenty
Of time to talk. Now with strange
tagerness in his. voice, do you mean
to tell me that you did not marry Bob
Bates the fall l leftT
Certainly ! did not" wonderingly.
Il never married anybody, much less
Bob Bates i never liked that man."
Strange. and he told me-
"Whatr' she demanded sharply.
why, that you were promised to
him and 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 think Here truck
load Of trunks was pushed rapidly to-
ward them, and 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 drive through some Of the
quiet streets Of the city. We have
plenty Of time" Then he looked at
her with a new thought in his eyes.
II didn't see you in the he began.
then added hastily, You haven't had
dinner, ] suppose"
NO" hesitating and flushing lit
tie, "I"-
''Oh, understand" quickly. You
are like me and can't put up with the
makeshifts of a railroad restaurant.
Now, I'll tell you what" unblushingly,
I'm about as hungry as man can be.
There's a nice hotel in back some
where. Well go to that and have
dinner, and then we'll drive about the
city and talk until train time"
| There was hesitation, almost refu-
SAL on her face; but, feigning not to
notice IT, he urged her into the carriage
and then sprang in himself and mo
toned for the driver to close the door.
An hour passed and then half
hour, and soon after train rumbled
into the station and then rumbled
away Twenty minutes more and an
other train arrived and departed. AS
| 1t disappeared the carriage again
whirled up beside the station.
HAS my train gomez the woman
asked anxiously as she reached the
platform.
Bates took out his watch ana looked
at 1t meditatively,
'Tm afraid It has," he answered,
"and my train too, with its possible
| thousand dollars. We've been gone
| little over two hours. Driver" severe
Iy, you ought not to have taken us
so far"
There was grave concern In his voice,
| but in his 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-
tinued sympathetically There is only
one more train out today. and that
goes toward Richmond But I'll tell
you what" as though struck by sud
den solution of the problem. suppose
we take that. You know what you
have promised me at the end Of three
months. Now what is the use OF
waiting that long: You have no peo-
pie, and ! have none and If you go
back to that school you have been
telling me about it will be to unap-
preciative employers and at wages
that will scarce pay your expenses.
have a good house waiting for some
body to look after it and more money
| in the bank than | know what to do
with Now. my idea is for us to go
to minister You know where min
lister lives. don't you" to the driver
"Yis, sorr," grinning.
And then come back and take the
train for Richmond. 1t is very nice
city, and you are bound to like it. How
does the scheme strike yonT
Evidently it struck her unfavorably
! or as something too astounding to ad
NIT even of reply
"Goodn be said beamingly. SILENCE
| means consent Now we will drive
back to the hotel and write a couple OF
letters You tell the school committee
that unforeseen circumstances 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 to 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 and the
door was again closed by the driver
1t is said that the groom is usually
the one to show trepidation at wed
ding, but In this case it was the bride
In a twinkling the whole course OF her
life had been turned She was being
transformed from schoolteacher TO
a wife But in her breast was that
satisfaction at being permitted to give
I'D that struggle with the world which
is natural to men and usually distaste
full to women Instead a vision glim
mered before her eyes-a vision OF
home, husband and children-and.
despite such gasps as one will take at
being swung over a precipice. she was
happy.
An hour later this driver was stand
ing on the platform of the station
watching the train rumble away to
ward Richmond. Not until it had dis
appeared did he climb back to his box
and drive toward home. Bridget, his
wife. was preparing supper when be
came In from the stable.
"Och, Pat" she called in sudden ap-
ptehension, "how come yez so soon?
1t Is bad luck we've been havin' the
day%
'Troth. no. Biddy." catching her in
his arms and swinging her about tie
room and then slipping a crisp new