Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-07-20
CHAPTER nI-tContinued.)

strong, magnetic. The black hair n
eyes bespoke a vigorous temperament.
u beard, closely cropped, served
rather to a%ccentuate the fine lines of
mouth and chin. There was no super
fious flesh about the face-no
puff1ness; it was thin with the healthy
thinness which tells of a busy life. and
Drowned by exposure to wind and sun.
1t was, altogether, a manly face. not
tho merely handsome one which ! had
rather expected. My eyes We're drawn
especially to his hand as he passed 1t
hastily across his forehead hand
firm, white, with slightly tapering
fngersHan artists hand which one
would scarcely connec with an en-
gineer Of construction.
"There's really very little 1 can tell
you,' he said. at last. When l saw
Marcia this morning
His voice caoked and he paused, I'M
able for the moment to go on.
Let us begin farther back than that.
Mr.. Curtiss," I suggested, knowing thai
the beginning was tho hardest part.
Mr.. Royce tells me you were class-
oRYlege?"
"And you came at once to New
York;"
Pennsylvania road
YOU were given "a
at once?"
"Yes-not a very important place.
hut one with a chance fer promotion,
which was all I asked. l was Stationed
at Pittsburg for three years and then
called east to work on the division be
tween New York and P~hiladelphla. A
years ago, I was made assistant al 'he
Headquarters office :
Rather a remarkable career, L
commented, smiling.
mot at ALL" he protested quickly:
Il liked the work, and l was we'll
equipped"
I saw that I should have to revise
not conceited.
'when did you meet Miss Law
rence?" I asked.
Last December-the 10th, to be
quite accurate-just six months ago
today"
Again his voice trailed away into a
sort of hoarse whisper. though he
tried desperately to control it.
Wont you tell mo about it?"
"Is 1t necessary" he questioned mis-
erably. II DOM want to talk
II know YOU don't. and l don't want
to make YOU. But if I'm to help, l
must know the whole story"
"Pardon me. Mr.. Lester he said.
pulling himself together by n mighty
effort. "Of course you must. Only
give me time. Im-I'm-'
"All the time in the world" I as
sured him, and ssttled back in my
chair to listen.
I'VE had q bad grade crossing just
east of Elizabeth" he, began, after a
moment. in a steadier tone. 1T was
an ugly place, with Il driveway coming
down a stiff hill and meeting our
racks at an angle which prevented a
clear view of them. We kept a flag
man there. of course, but nevertheless
accidents happened right along. \
skittish horse, once started down the
hill and frightened perhaps by the
whistle and rumble of the approaching
train, would be pretty hard to STOP
nodded. I had seen just such muir
derous crossings.
$50 the company determined to
build a viaduct there, and last Deem
Der sent me out to look over the
ground. 1 reached there about 9 o'clock
in the morning. and by noon had all
my data n was ready to come back
to the city.
"'Can you flag this train for me.
John" l asked the flagman, as l
heard a whistle down the line.
No: SIR he answered.; can't do it.
sir. That's the limited. but thcre'll be
q local along 10 minutes after IT.
"'All right I said, and went up the
bank q bit to sit down and wait for 1t.
1.-The limited whistled again, just
around the curve. and then l heard the
flagman give a yell and start up the
hill, waving his flag like mad. I
jumped up and saw. that a buggy con-
tanning two m had just started
down and that the horse was beyond
control. 1t didn't take me above a min
ute to run over, get the horse by the
briS1le, and stop him. held the track
record for everything up to the half
mile white I was at Shelf" he added.
with a little apologetic smile.
l nodded again; only. / thought. I
the story. ~
The horse had knocked mo about
q bit" he went on. land kicked me on
the legs once or twice. so when / let
go the bride l was q little wobbly-
made q fool Of myself. I suppose. ANY
way, l was bundled into the buggy
and taken back to Elizabeth. where
the women lived"
seemed to ave come to a full stop:
land them"
We'll. they took me home with
them and fixed me up as though I
were a plaster baby. The elder wom-
an introduced herself as Mrs. Law
renee and the younger as her daugh-
ter. Marcia. They made me STAY for
tea"
He stopped again.
Il don't know how to tell the rest,
Mt. Lester" he blurted out. Only
Marcia Lawrence was the divinest
woman l ever met. Royce 1880 to
laugh at me for having an ideal"
Yes; he old me-" l said.
found her. And hi was very good
70 me-better than l knew how to
Deserve. Three months aeo. she