The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-07-13
CHAPTER III-(Coatinued.)

| strong, magnetic. Inc Dlach Hdli anu
eyes bespoke a vigorous temperament
full beard, closely cropped. served
rather to accentuate the fine lines OF
mouth and chin. There was no super
flous flesh about the face--no
puffiness; 1t was thin with the heaithy
| thinness which tells of busy Ire, ana
Drowned by exposure to wind and sun.
1t was, altogether n manly race, no.
the merely handsome one when | mao
| rather expected. My eyes were Drawn
| especially to his hand as he passed !,
| hastily across his forehead-a naliu
firm, white, with slightly taperlns
fingers-an artists hano Wiion ono
| would scarcely connect with an en-
gineer of construction 49,,
There's really very little l can tell
| YOU" he said. at last. When sd"
Marcia this morning
His voice choked and he paused I'M
able for the moment to go on.
| Let us begin farther back than that.
Mr.. Curtiss." suggested. knowing that
the beginning was the hardest par
! Mr. ROyce tells me you were Grass
mates. When did you graduate from
college?"
seven years ago" NJ,
"And you came at once " ave"
Eyes. to take the examination for the
Pennsylvania road 49,, >
"You were given a place on the roau
| at once?" ,oo
"Yes-not a very important place,
but one with chance for promotloti,
| which was all l asked. was sta.ioheu
ar Pittsburg for three years ana tnen
| called east to work on the division pc
| tween New York and Philadelphia n
wears ago, I was made assistant at the
headquarters OFFICE. ,
"Rather a remarkable career" l
commented, smiling.
mot at ALL" he protested quickly;
1T liked the work, and was Wen
equipped
I saw that I should have to revise
my opinion Of him---certainly he was
not conceited.
rence?" ! 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 ne
tried desperately to control IL.
won't you tell me about it?'
"Is il necessary" he questioned mis-
erably II don't want to talk"
Il 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 a mighty
effort. "Of course you must. Only
give me time. Tm--rm--."
"All the time in the world I as
sured him. and settled back in my
chair to listen.
I'VE had a bad grade crossing just
east of Elizabeth" he began. after a
moment, in a steadier tone. 1T was
an ugly place, with a driveway coming
down a stiff hill and meeting our
I'll. Ia tab, Tod n
clear view Of them. We kept a flag
man there, of course, but nevertheless
accidents happened right along. A
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. l had seen just such muir
derous crossings.
CSC the company determined to
build a viaduct there, and last Deem
Der sent me out to look over the
ground. reached there about 8 o'clock
in the morning, and by noon had all
my data and was ready to come back
to the city.
"'Can you flag this train for me,
John" ! asked the flagman. as
heard a whistle down the line.
No, SIR he answered; cant do it,
sir. That's the limited. but thereIl be
IL.
All right / said, and went up the
bank bit to sit down and wait for It.
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. 1
Jumped UP and saw that buggy con-
tanning two women 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
pride. and stop him. i held the track
record for everything up to the half
mile while l was at Shelf" he added
with a little apologize smile.
L nodded again; only, / thought. I
should like to hear the fagman tell
the story.
The horse had knocked me about
a Bit" he went on, land kicked me IN
the legs once or twice, so when let
go the bride l was q little WobbIv--
made fool of myself, suppose. Anv-
way, was bundled into the buggy
and taken back to Elizabeth, where
the women lived"
Yes" l encouraged him. for no
seemed to have come to a full stop;
"and them" r'
Wei, they took me home with
them and fixed me up as though I
were plaster baby. The elder Won
an introduced herself as Mrs. Law
iciCc anu tHS as her taugh-
ter, Marcia. They made me stay for
tea"
He stopped again.
Il don't know how to tell the rest.
Mr.. Lester" he blurted out only
Marcia Lawrence was the diyinest
woman I ever met. Royce used TO
laugh at me for having an ideal"
Yes, he told me-" said.
We'll. I knew instantly th& I'd
found her. And she was verxEgood
to me-better. than knew how to
deserve. Three months ago, she
promised to be my wife-we were TO
have been married at noon today"
He sat with bowed head and work
ing face, unable to go on.
I'VE were happy-she was happy.
! know it," he cried fiercely, after a
moment. There wasn't a cloud-not
a single cloud 1t was too perfect, l
suppose-too perfect for this world.
I've heard that perfect things don't
last. But l don't underestimate can't
understand"
Mr.. Royce told me she'd disap-
peared," l said gently.
disappeared utterly" He was on
his feet now and striding madly up
and down the room, his self control
gone from him. There wasn't a
cloud. tell you: not the slightest