The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-02-01
ESTABLISHED 1875

such petty considerations. And l be-
lieve he thinks just as much Of me-
His personal condolences prove It. I'll
just drop In on him so suddenly and
affeetionately 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 a generous
outfit of tobacco and books and a
brand new pack of cards ordered up
by the freight conductor. And this
same friendly conductor when they
reached telegraph station 10 obligingly
slowed the train so Kiefer could drop
into the white, yielding sand. the ia
miliar. unvarying landscape Of his own
station.
Accommodations" he chuekled as
he strobe eagerly toward the open
doorway of the little building. ITS
got two rooms like my own. and that's
plenty Of accommodations for any rea-
sonable man. But perhaps Kauf was
used to a big house at home. HelloI
Window curtains and flowers at the
end of the house, and-Lordp
For young woman, pretty and neat
ly dressed and with lips and eyes that
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 q
girl in over three years, and such a
girl as this one appeared to him never.
His mouth opened and shut w1thouti
sound.
"Well2" the girl inquired at last.
"Is-is Kauf in? How's Kauf? Well?
T-tell Kauf Pm out here to see him."
answered Kiefer dazedly.
'pm Kauf-Adalia Kaufman" said
the girl. Then the utter darkness In
the face before her seemed to restore
the girls equaninity. for she smiled
you're Kief, suppose er-Mr Kie-
fer, mean" she said. Didn't wire,
your
81 wouldn't take IT," miserably. FL
I thought 1t was some foolish excusing
of man who wasn't used to visitors.
heard the instrument calling and rec
ognized your touch, but l wouldn't lis
ten. After that first time kept my
back turned and lodged out soon g the
train came In sight" He looked to-
ward the track as though to see If the
train were still waiting for him, but all
that was visible of it was dark line
trailing into the white horizon.
Trains gone." he said tentatively,
land it's fifty miles to the nearest
house. and there aren't any more trains
either way until tomorrow. Now. If
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 / had breakfast. and
| fifty miles You see." deprecatingly,
ST felt so sure that Kauf-I beg your
pardon, Miss Kauf-Kaufman, | mean
Lift doesn't seem possible there
isn't any real Kauf after all the talk
| ng-wiring-we've DONE"
you've camped outdoors a good
many times, suppose. Mr. Kiefer. All
western men have"
"Of course" inquiringly. Then. with
an odd note OF eagerness coming into
his voice, you mean can camp right
here by the track until train comesf
1t won't be presumptuous after-aftet
my density"
81 control only the station. Mr..
Kiefer, and you have right to camp
anywhere you please out Of doors.
But what / wish to say is that I'll be
glad to have you take supper with me
and all your meals until the train
comes At home ] was considered a
very fair cook. We can talk about
books and such things"
The next day the down freight was
four hours late, and when it began to
slacken speed in answer to his signal
Kiefer released a hand which he had
caught suddenly on the first appear
ance Of the train into the sands level
horizon.
"I'll go and fix up my station some"
he said, his voice tremulous with the
awed wonder in 1t, land maybe have
another room put on. The company
VIII stand that much, | think Then
I'll run back and transplant the fiow-
ers and take over your things. and
and the day before my vacation ex-
pires III wire for a parson to meet
us here. You'd better send In your
resignation at once, Kauf."
"And announce my promotion, Kief"
she finished softly.