The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-09-27

Town, whose scattered houses ldy
darkly against the hills beyond. The
platform lamps of station shone a
quarter of mile ahead. The feverish
steel yielded reluctantly to treatment,
and Grswold went forward and
watched the men at work for few
/ minutes, then returned to the end Of
f, the train. He swung himself into the
vestibule and leaned upon the guard
rail, gazing down the track toward
the brakeman's lantern. Then he
grew impatient at the continued de-
lay and dropped down again, pacing
back and forth in the road-bed behind
the becalmed train. The night was
overcast, with hints of rain in the
air, and little way from the rear
lights it was pitch dark. Grswold
felt sure that the train would not
leave without the brakeman, and he
was further treasured by the lanterns
of the trainmen beside the baggage
car. Suddenly, as he reached the car
and turned to retrace his steps,
man sprang up, seemingly from no.
where, and accosted him.
II reckon y'u're the gov'nor, amt
y'u?"
Yes, certainly, my man. What
can l do for your. replied Griswold.
instantly
II reckoned 1t was y'u when y'u
fust come out on the platform. I'm
app'inted to tell y'u, gov'nor that if
va have Bill Appleweight arrested in
South Car'lina, y'u'll get something
one of these days y'u won't like. And
if y'u try to find me y'ull get it quick
err. Good night, gov'nor."
Good night stammered Griswold
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 Griswold 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 80
minutes late all account dat hot box y
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 between
the governor of North Carolina ant
the governor of South Carolina witt
( the initials on her travelling bag hi
had been very dull, but 1t was cleal
, to him now that she was either thu
, daughter or some other near relativ,
of Gov. Osborne. In a few minutes
she would leave the train at COlum
3 bia. where. the governor lived, and, be
t ing gentleman, he would continu,
' on his way to Richmond, and thence
s to the university, and the inciden
:. would be closed But Griswold was
I lawyer, and he had an old-fashione,
e southern lawyers respect for tn
4 majesty of law. On the spur of curios
i ity or impulse he had received
q threatening message intended for tn
governor of South Carolina, who
4 from the manner of the delivery @
g the message. had been expected O
l. this train. Griswold argued that tn
d man who had spoken to him had bee
!, waiting at the little station nea
which they had stopped, in the hop
a of seeing the governor; that the wal
= ing messenger had taken advantage {
the unexpected halt of the train, ant
a further, that some suggestion of tn
i. governor in his own appearance ha
I. deceived the stranger. He felt tn
least bit guilty at having deceived tn
e. man, but 1t was now clearly his dut
q to see that the governor was advise
ID of the threat that had been commun
8 Gated in so unusual manner.
~ He was bordering whether
te should do this in person or by lett
y or telegram, when the rattle of tt
x train over the switch frogs in tt
se Columbia yards brought him to Il
of point of decision.
le The porter thrust his head into Il
70 compartment.
". Columbia, sah Yo' berths 8
ut ready. sab. Yo' gwine t. Richmond
IN yes, sah."
lie His hands were filed with Il
is. young lady's luggage. The letteril
III on the suitcase seemed, in way,
1T appeal to Griswold and to fix his
sr. termination.
Porter! Put my things of.
ed wait here for the morning train