Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-01-18

faced her sQuarely.
Eleanor, had my punishment over
year ago, ami | have been hoping
you would let ii suffice. 1t was hard
enough to lose you without being
compelled to stand by and see auoth
er man win you. Can't you under
stand that?"
She did not answer him. Instead
she whipped aside from that phase OF
the subject to ask question Of her
own
Whatever made you come out here,
HowardT
TO the superintendency Of the Red
Butte Western? You did"
"Ridiculous,"
1T is true"
prove ii. IL you can. but YOU can't"
Il am proving 1t day by day. or try
ing to. didn't want 10 come, but YOU
drove me to it,"
Il decline to take any such hdrouS
responsibility" she laughed lightly
aud then, with calculated malice;
Howard, IL you were only MS brave
as YOU are clever, Why can't YOU he
a man and strike back now and thCnY'
strike back nj the woman | love?
I'm not quite down to that, hope,
even If was once too cowardy 10
strike for her"
Always that! Why won't you let
me forget?"
Because you must not forget. Lis
ten. Two weeks ago-ouly two weeks
ago-one OF the Angels-cr-pe accmak
ers stood up in his place and shot at
me, What | did made me understand
that had gained nothing in year"
shot at you?" she echoed, and now
he might have discovered a note OF
real concern In her tone If his ear had
been attuncd to hear It. Tel me
about It. Who was It? And why did
he shoot AT you?"
His answer seemed to be indirection
itself
How long do you expect to stay in
Angels and its vicinity?" he asked
81 don't know. This is partly pleas
ure trip for us younger folk, Father
was coming out alone. and THAT Is.
mamma decided to come and make
car party OF 1t. We may stay two
or three weeks If the others wish It,
But you haven't answered me- want
to know who the man was and why he
shot at you"
Exactly, and you have answered
yourself. If you stay two weeks or
, two days in Angels you will doubtless
hear all you care to about my troubles
When the town isn't talking about
what II is going TO do to me II is Cos
siping about the dramatic arrest Of my
would be assassin"
You are most provokingw she de-
clared did you make the arrest?"
Don't shame me needlessly. or
course didn't One of our locomotive
engineers, man whom | had dis
charged for drunkenness, was the hero,
1t was most daring thing" And he
told her Judson's story.
Miss Eleanor did not need to vocaliZe
her approval of Judson; the dark eyes
were alight with excitement.
"How finer' she applauded. "Of
course after that you took Mr.. Judson
back into the railway serviceW
Indeed | did nothing Of the sort,
nor shall until he demonstrates that
he means what he says about letting
the whisky alone"
"'UntiI he demonstratesr Don't be
so cold blooded, Howardi Possibly he
saved your life"
quite probably. But that has moth
ing to do with his reinstatement as an
engineer Of passenger trains 1t would
/ be much better for Rufford to kill me
than for me to let Judson have the
chance to kill n trainload OF innocent
people"
And yet few moment ago you call
ed yourself coward. cousin mine.
Could you really face such an alter
native without Ginching?"
ut doesn't appeal to me as ques-
ton involving any special degree Of
courage" he said slowly 81 am n
great coward, Eleanor. not little one,
! hope"
1T doesn't appeal to your" she said.
and have been calling you But
would you do It, HowardT
lie smiled at her sudden earnest
ness.
How generous your heart Is. Flea
nor, when you let II speak for itself!
If you will promise not to let 1t change
your opinion Of me-you shouldn't
change 1t, you know. for ] am the
same man whom you held up to scorn
the day we partedif you will prom
ise I'll tell you that for weeks | have
gone about with my life in my hands,
knowing It. It hasn't required any
great amount of courage. II merely
comes along In the line Of my plain
duty to the company It's one Of the
things | draw my salary for"
You haven't told me why this des-
perado wanted to kin you-why you
are In such deep sea Of trouble out
here, Howard" she reminded him.
mo II Is long story. and It
would bore You II had time to tell II.