The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-02-25
PAGE 8


north?' he demanded.
AN hour and forty minutes"
Good turning to her, with beam
ing satisfaction. "And you have TIC wait
two hours. That will give us plenty
of time to talk. Now" with strange
eagerness I'm his voice. do you mean
to tell me that you did not marry Bob
Bates the fall left?"
certainly ! did mott wonderingly.
II never married anybody. much less
Bob Bates. | never liked that man"
strange. and he told me-
"Whatw 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 a 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 n new thought in his eyes.
.T didn't see you in the he began,
then added hastily, you haven't had
dinner, l suppose"
mo" hesitating and flushing lit
tie, T"-
ooh. / 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 q train rumbled
into the station and then rumbled
away. Twenty minutes more and an
other train arrived and departed. AS
it disappeared the carriage again
whirled up beside the station.
HAS my train gomez the woman
asked anxiousy as she reached the
platform.
Bates took out his watch and looked
at it 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
ly, you ought not to have taken us
so far
There was grave concern in his voice,
but in his eyes was d sly twinkle,
which she did not notice. The driver
twirled his hat apologetically in one
hand, but into the other a 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 i 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 good house waiting for some
body to look after it and more money
in the bank than l know what to do
with. Now, my idea is fol us to go
to minister. You know where a min
lister lives, don't you?" to the driver.
"Yis. sorr," grinning
"And then come back and take the
train for Richmond. 1t is a very nice
city, and you are bound to like it. How
does the scheme strike your
Evidently it struck her unfavorably
Or as something too astounding to ad-
NIT even Of a reply.
Good" he said beamingly. "Silence
means consent Now we will drive
back to the hotel and write a couple Of
etters. You tell the school committee
hat unforeseen circumstances prevent
I'd your returning, and / will write
hat the same kind of circumstances
nave kept me from attending the sale.
Come"
She parted her Fps as though to pro-
est and even tried to draw back, but
Ter heart was with this man who had
,een so much to her youth and who
lad returned, and in the end she en-
cred the carriage with him and the
loor was again closed by the driver.
1t is said that the groom is usually
he one to show trepidation at a we'd
ling. but in this case it was the bride.
n a twinkling the whole course of her
life had been turned. She was being
from a schoolteacher to-
wife. But in her breast was that
at being permitted to give
Ip that struggle with the world which
5 natural to men and usually distaste-
nj to women. Instead q vision glim-
nered before her eyes-a vision of