Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-01-15

Bates chilled him with Il gesture.
How long before the next train
northg' he demanded.
An hour aud forty minutes"
Good turning TO her. with beam
Ing satisfaction. "And you have 10 wait
two hours. That viii give us plenty
~ time to talk Now" with strange
eagrrness In his voice. do you mean
TO tell me that sou did not marry Bob
Bates 'be fail ! leftT
"cerialnly did not" wonderingly.
Il never married anybody. much less
Bob Bates. never liked that man"
strange. and be told me-
What she demanded sharply.
why. that you were promised TO
him aud that well. what be told me
was the cause Of my leaving aud Of
my not communicating with any one
in the old village during all these
years. And 10 think Here truck
load Of trunks was pushed rapidly to-
ward them. aud they were forced aside.
Bates caught the eye OF waiting
hickman 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 gcnially suppose
we take n drive through some of the
quiet streets OF the city. We have
plenty OF time" Then he looked at
her with new thought in his eyes.
str lfJ.kse a. n wn,, a.. hn tasran
then added hastily. you haven't had
dinner. | suppose"
NO" hcsiiating and flushing lit
tie. "i"-
"Oh. understand" quickly. "Yon
are like me and can't put up with the
makcshifts of railroad restaurant.
Now. III tell you what" unblushingly.
I'm about as hungry as a man can be.
There's nice hotel In back some
where. Wen go TO that and have
dinner. and then wen drive about the
city and talk until train time"
There was hesitation. almost refu-
sal. on her face: but. feIgning not to
notice II. he urged her into the carriage
and then sprang In himself and mo-
toned for the driver 10 close the door.
An hour passed and then a half
hour. and soon after train rumbled
into the station aud then rumbled
away. Twenty minutes more and an-
other train arrived and departed. As
II disappeared the carriage again
whlrlcd up beside the station.
HAS my train gomez" the woman
asked anxiously as she reached the
platform.
Bates took out his watch and looked
at II medltatively.
I'm afraid II has" be answered.
"and my train. too. with it's possible
thousand dollars. We've been gone
little over two hours. Driver" severe
~. you ought not to have taken us
so far
There was grave concern In his voice.
but In his eyes was u sly twinkle.
which she did not notice. The driver
twirled his hat apologetically In one
hand. but into the other 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. aud 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 ! have none. and II yon go
back to that school You have been
telling me about II will be TO unap-
preciative employers and at wages
that will scarce pay your expenses.
have a good house waiting for some
body 10 look after II and more money
In the bank than ! know what 10 do
with. Now. my idea is for us TO go
10 n minister You know where a min
lister lives. don't you?" 10 the driver.
"Yis. sorr." grinning.
And then come back and take the
train for Richmond. II is n very nice
city. aud you ARE bound to like il. How
does the scheme strike yon:
Evidently il struck her unfavorahly
or as something too astounding to adj
nit even of a reply.
Good" he said beamiugly. "Silence
means consent. Now we will drive
back to the hotel aud write n couple Of
letters. You tell the school committee
that unforeseen circumstances prevent
ed your returning. and ! will write
that the same kind Of circumstances
have kept me from attending the sale
Come"
She parted her Fps as though TO pro-
test and even tried 10 draw back. but
her heart was with this man who had
been so much TO her youth aud who
had returned. and In the end she en-
tered the carriage with him and the
door was again closed by the driver
II Il said that the groom is usually
the one TO show trepidatlon nj we'd
ding. but In this case II WIS the bride.
In twinkllng the whole course OF her
life had been turned. She WAS being
transformed from schoolteaeher I"
a wife. Rut In her breast was TIM
satisfaction NJ being permitted I" give
nm that Sfrunsslp wit n np world which