The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-09-30
Copyright, 1911, BY II. Z Fly Co.
CHAPTER Xxx.
Foiied Again,

Foiied Again.
Mallory tucked Marjorie under his
arm and Marjorie tucked Snoozleums
under hers, and they did a sort Of
threelegged race down the platform
The porter was pale blue with excite
ment, and it was with the last gasp Of
breath in all three bodies that they
scrambled up the steps of the only
open vestibule.
The porter was mad enough to give
them a piece of his mind, and they
were meek enough to take it without
word of explanation or resentment.
And the train sped on into the
heart of Nebraska, along the unpoetic
valley Of the Platte. When lunch
time came, they ate it together, but
In gloomy silence. They sat in Mar
jor1e's berth throughout the appalling
ly monotonous afternoon in a stupor
Of disappointment and helpless dejec-
ton, speaking little and saying moth
ing then.
Whenever the train stopped, Nal
Tory watched the on-getting passen-
gers with his keenest eye. He had a
theory that since most people who
looked like preachers were decidedly
lay, it might be we'll to take a gam
bler's chance and accost the least
ministerial person next.
So, in his frantic anxiety, he select
ed a horsey-looking individual who got
on at North Platte. He looked so
much like a rawhided ranchman that
Mallory stole up on him and asked
him to excuse him, but did he happen
to be a clergyman? The man replied
by asking Mallory if he happened to
| be a 1ea-bitten maverick, and embel-
| lished his question with copious flow
| Of the words ministers use, but with
secular arrangement of them. In
fact he split one word in two to insert
a double-barrelled curse All that Nal
Tory could do was to admit that he
was a fiea-bitten what-he-said, and
back away.
After that, if a vicar in full uni
form had marched down the aisle
heading a procession Of choir-boys,
Mallory would have suspected him. He
vowed in his haste that Marjorie
|
approach anybody else on that sub
ject.
| Nebraska would have been a nice
long state for honeymoon, but its
four hundred-odd miles were a dreary
length for the couple so near and yet
so far. The railroad clinging to the
meandering Platte made the way far
| Ma1 1nff
like Pyramus and Thisbe wandering
along an eternal wall, through which
they could see, but not reach, one
another.
They dined together as dolefully as
If they had been married for forty
years. Then the slow twilight soaked
them in it's melancholy. The porter
lighted up the car, and the angels
lighed up the stars, but nothing light.
ed up their hopes.
We've got to quarrel again, my be-
loved" Mallory groaned to Marjorie
Somehow they were too dreary even
to nag one another with an outburst
for the benefit of the eager-eyed pas
sengers.
A little excitement bestirred them
as they realized that they were con
fronted with another night-robeless
night and a morrow without change OF
gear.
What pity that we left our things
in the taxicab," Marjorie sighed. And
this time she said, I'VE left them" in
stead Of you left them" 1t was very
gracious of her, but Mallory did not
acknowledge the courtesy. Instead he
gave a start and a gasp:
Good Lord, Marjorie, we never
paid the second taxicab!"
Great heavens, how shall we evel
pay him? He's been waiting tl..----f,
twenty-four hours. Boym1ch do yol
suppose hlm?"
About year of my pay, guess"
you must send him a telegram O.
apology and ask him to read hi!
meter. He was such a nice mantle
kindest eyes-for a chauffeur"
But how can l telegraph him?
don't know his name, or his number
or his company, or anything"
IT'S too bad. He'll go through lif,
hating us and thinking we cheated
him"
We'll, he doesn't know our name
either"
And then they forgot him temporari
ly for the more immediate need o
clothes. All the passengers knew tina
they had left behind what baggag
they had not sent ahead, and mucl
sympathy had been expressed. Blu
most people would rather give 20,
their sympathy than lend you thei
clothes. Mallory did not mind tn
. men, but Marjorie dreaded the won
l en-. She was afraid of all of them Blu
= Mrs. Temple.
She threw herself on the little lady
mercy and was asked to help herself
She borrowed a nightgown of extraol
binary simplicity, shirt waist Of a
ancient mode, and a number of othe
. things
If there had been anyone there t
see she would have made a most AMI
\ chronistic bride.
Mallory canvassed the men and oil
tanned shockingly purple shirt froI
Wedgewood, who meant to put him e
his ease, but somehow failed when b
said in answer to Mallory's thanks:
God bless my soul, old top, don
you think of thanking me. | ought I
n thank you. You see, the idiot VIII
makes my shirts, made that by mi
take, and I'd be no end grateful
you'd jolly well take the loathsom
thing of my hands. / mean to sa.