Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1910-10-20

loun. whose scattered houses iay
darsiy tea|nsi the hits beyond rae
n.ad0fm lamps ct slanon shone
quarter Of mle ahead The faYerish
steel yielded reluctantly io treatment
and GrisWoid went forward end
watched che men 90 work FOR g few
minutes then returned to the end 81
the train He swung himself into the
vestbul6 and leaned upon the guard
rail. gazing down the track toward
the brakeman's lantern. Then be
grew Impatient at the continued de-
lay and dropped down again. pacing
back and forth ia the road-bed behind
the becalmed train. The night was
overcast. with hints Of rain In the
air. and a little way from the rear
lights e was pitch dark Grisw0ld
felt sure that the train would not
leave without the brakeman. and he
was further reassured by the lanterns
Of the trainmen beside the baggage
car. Suddenly, as ne reached the car
and turned to retrace his steps,
man sprang up, seemingly from no
where. and accosted him.
4 reckon yu're the gov'nor, amt
y'ug"
yes, certainly. my man. What
can I do for your replied Griswold,
instantly.
Il reckoned Il was y'u when y'u
fust come out on the platform. I'm
app'inted to tell y'u. gov'nor, that If
y'u have Bin Appleweight arrested in
South Carlina. yum get something
one Of these days y'u won't like And
If y'u try to find me yum get II quick
er. Good night gov'nor"
Good night" stammered Criswold
The least irony had crept into the
word governor as the man uttered it
and slipped away into the darkness
The shadows swallowed him up: the
frogs in the ditch. beside the track
chanted dolorously; then the locomo-
tive whistled for the brakeman, whose
lantern was already bobbing toward
the train.
AS Grlswold swung himself into the
vestibule the girl who had borrowed
his newspapers turned away hurried
ly and walked swiftly before him to
her section The porter. who was
gathering her things together, said. as
she paused In the aisle by her seat:
"Beginnin' to get ready. Miss Os-
bon We're gwine intu Columbia 30
minutes late an account dat hot box
Griswold passed on to the smoking
compartment and and lighted a cigar.
His acquaintances Of the supper table
had retired. and he was glad to be
alone with his thoughts before the
train reached Columbia. He dealt
harshly with himself for his stupidity
IN not having associated the girls
perturbation over the breach hetween
the governor Of North Carolina and
| the governor ~ South Carolina with
the irtieh on her travelling bag he
had been very dull but Il was clear
to him now that she was either the
daughter or some other near relative
OF Gov Osborne. In a few minutes
she would leave the train at Column
bia. where the governor lived, and be-
ing a gentleman, he would continue
on his way to Richmond. and thence
to the university. and the incident
would be closed. But Griswold was a
lawyer, and he had an old-fashioned
southern lawyers respect for the
majesty of law. On the spur Of curios-
ity or impulse he had received a
threatening message intended for the
governor Of South Carolina, who.
from the manner Of the delivery of
the message, had been expected on
this train. GriswOld argued that the
man who had spoken to him had been
waiting at the little station near
which they had stopped. in the hope
of seeing the governor: that the wait
ing messenger had taken advantage Of
the unexpected halt of the train. and
| further, that some suggestion of the
governor in his own appearance had
deceived the stranger He felt the
least bit guilty at having deceived the
man. but it was now clearly his duty
TO see that the governor was advised
OF the threat that had been communi-
Gated in so unusual a manner
He was ponderlng whether he
should do this in person or by letter
or telegram. when the rattle Of the
train over the switch frogs in the
Columbia yards brought him to the
point Of decision
The porter thrust his head into the
! compartment.
]
ready. sab 70 gwine t. Richmond
/ yes. sab"
His hands we're filled with the
young lady's luggage The lettering
on the suitcase seemed. in a way. to
appeal to Griswold and to fix his de-
l termination.
'Porterl Put my things on. I'll
wait here for the morning train"