Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-10-01

pea from the Iullllal 10 the pldIioi ~
OF tie small station where the east
bound flyer had drawn up to await the
passing Of the flyer going west. 1t
was barely dawn. The dampness OF
the night vas still upon the sweet
prairie air and he threw back his
broad shoulders, breathing deeply
once. twice, thrice, before the head
light of the coming train appeared
like a star upon the horizon. Then
he walked rapidly back aud forth, in
tent upon getting as many of the
kinks out of his travel-stiffened legs as
possible before his train continued on
It's flight to the East.
Exercise without definite object
he told himself, quoting from some
thing he had read while at school, is
worse than zone at all. Ergo, have an
object. | do. | walk down on one
side Of this train and back on the 9TH
er, my object being to-er-walk down
on one side and back on the other"
There were faces in the windows Of
the coaches. and he glanced up at them
c~uriOuSly, wondering what nature OF
beings they we're that they did moi get
out into the air and kick a bit while
they had the chance. He reached the
end Of the train still wondering. linen
his attention was attracted otherwise.
A young woman was sitting wILnin
the netting Of the rear platform. She
was sitting on a camp stool, and sac
was quite alone. Marvin grasped one
Of the platform irons and looked at
her in bewildered astonishment for a
full minute. She flushed to the root
Of her hair, and her glance fell. Mar
win spoke, lifting his hat.
Good morning, Miss Dartlin,' he
said.
"Why, Mr.. Marwin!" The young
woman arose hastily from the camp
stool and held her hand toward him.
Il thought it looked like you, but 1t
didn't seem possible. Where in the
world did you drop from?"
San Francisco" said Marvin, SIM
ply. He noted with some interest that
the young woman's eyes were full OF
~reproach, and that her manner was
constrained. Il am on my way to New
York" he added, after a short inter
VAL, LILY ulSl NiSlI III tlIec years.
And l am going to San Francisco,
said the young woman. How strange
How long are you expecting to
stay?' asked Marvin.
Il don't really know. | had ar
ranged to remain indefinitely, but cir,
cumstances may-in fact, are quite
likely to-alter my plans materially.
Are you to be in New York a great
while?'
1T is impossible for me to say. |
had hoped to ransact my business In
a very short time. but one can never
tell until one finds out, you know. The
person l was going to see may beer
out OF town or something, and |
have registered a vow not to return
without a definite statement from her
his own lips"
He looked at his watch and stepped
to the side Of the platform, glancing
n%ervously toward the station.
You see," he continued, lit is real
~ a most important matter. l under
took the commission only under pro
test, because it is one involving sew
erai extremely delicate considerations
and | am not good at such things.
am a natural blunderer. You know
that well enough
The young woman lowered ne7 eyes
again.
Yes" said she, II have known
you to blunder.'
Marvin climbed over the railing ant
seated himself upon the platform steps
at her feet. It was an impulse char
acteristic of him, and the young WON
an smiled as If pleased.
1--WE won't talk business any more,
said he. Business is an abomination
I var o to tell me a little-just
little-about yourself. You are not
er-married YETI"
The young woman WINGED, but h,
did not notice it.
"Of course you aren't" he went on
"or you wouldn't be sitting out herr
at this time in the morning-alone
What have you been doing since tina
time hundreds of years ago, when 20,
and I last metz"
Nothing worth mentioning, I be
8ova." replied the young woman. =