Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-21

/ Kaufman lie. flashed ia an acceptance
| of the proffered leave OF absence TOOK
! and answered rhe call. made n few
I final arrangements. then bent over To
! continue the conversation. hpsitatPG
| and swung back from the instrument.
II won't do it," he chucklen. "HauTs
likely ashamed of his ioukS bahihead
! ed or fat or one eyed or something am
don't want me TO know I'm going 4"
visit him on the next train. and i'H
not going TO give him chance for any
more excuses. Ashamed. Great Scott.
Don't we like the same books and mu-
sic and everything else! What do
care now Ine Oiu vnap luohs: lie
ought to know my regard rises above
such petty considerations. And ! he
lieve he thinks JUST as much of me
His personal condolences prove II. III
just drop in on him so suddenly anr
affectionately that he can't help tax
ing me in his arms"
So when the through freight slowed
at the water tank Kiefer swung him.
self into the caboose with generous
outfit of tobacco and books and
brand new pack of cards ordered M
by the freight conductor And this
same friendly conductor wheu they
reached telegraph station - obligingly
slowed the train so Kiefer could drop
into the white, yielding sand. the IA
miliar, unvarying landscape of bis OVID
station.
Accommodations" he chuckled a.
he strobe eagerly toward the open
doorway of the little building. Its
got two rooms like my own. and that
plenty of accommodations for any reh
sonable man. But perhaps Kauf was
used to big house at home. Hello.
Window curtains and flowers at the
end of the house. and-Lord"'
For a young woman, pretty and neat
" dressed and with lips and eyes thar
were meant for smiling. but that JUST
now were sober with inquiry and con
sternation. had suddenly appeared in
the doorway. Kiefer had not seen Il
girl in over three years. and such n
girl as this one appeared to him never
His mouth opened and shut withouT
sound.
"WeIl?' the girl inquired at last.
Isis Kauf inn How's Kauf? Well:
T-tell Kauf I'm out here to see him.
answered Kiefer dazedly.
I'm Kauf-Adalia Kaufman" said
the girl. Then the utter DARKNESS IL
the face before her seemed TO restore
the girls equanimity. for she smiled
You're Kief, | suppOse-er-Mr- Hir
fer. mean,' she said. Didn't wire
you?"
81 wouldn't take it." uiserably. 81
thought It was some foolish excusine
of a man who wasn't used to visitors
| heard the instrument calling and rec
oGnized your touch. but | wouldn't lis
ten. After that 6rst time | kept my
bac.: turned and lodged out soon s the
train came in sight" He looked 10
ward the track as though to see If the
train were still waiting for him. but ali
that was visible of It was a dark line
trailing into the white horizon.
Trains zone" he said tentatively.
land it's fifty miles to the nearest
house. and there aren't any more trains
either way until tomorrow. Now. IL
I'd brought some food / might walk
the fifty miles or start OF one way or
the other to meet train, but it's been
eight hours since I had breakfast. ana
fifty miles You see" deprecatingly.
81 felt so sure that Kauf-I beg your
pardon. Miss Kauf-Kaufman. | mean
-I-I-it doesn't seem possible there
isn't any real Kauf after all the talk
inG-wiring-we'v done"
You've camped outdoors a good
many times. suppose. Mr.. Kiefer. All
western men have"
"Of course" inquiringly. Then, witt |
an odd note of eagerneSs coming int
his voice, you mean | can camp rish |
here by the track until train comes. |
It won't be preSumpruous after-afte. |
my density"
Il control only the station. Mr. |
Kiefer and you have a right 10 can't |
anywhere you please ont of doors !
But what | wish to say is that IN b. |
glad to have you take supper with m:
and all your meals until the train |
comes At home | was considered ..
very fair cook. we can talk abou. /
books and such things"
The next day the down freight wHi
four hours late. and when 1t began T.
slacken speed in answer TO his sigma |
Kiefer released hand which he llac |
caught Suddenly on the first appe9' |
arce Of the train into the sands lev'.
horizon.
III 30 and fix up my station some.
me said. his voice tremulnuS with ~, 4
awcd wonder in it. "and maybe nave
another room put on. The COMPANY
wifi stand that much. think. 1neL
I'll run back and transplant the flow
erS ana take over you= things. and
aud the day before my vacation ey-
pires I'll wire for n parson 10 meet
us here You'd better send in yoHT
resignation at once. Kauf
And announce my promotion. Kle1."
she finished softly.
Talent IS that which is in n mans
power: geHfGs is that in whose power
n q -Invon