The Detroit times., 1912-10-24

and they started back TO wait with
the others by the machine until the
farmer came.
The still hush OF evening was over
everything, creeping with the length
ening shadows across the pasture. A
hock OF turkeys was making noisy
preparations for bed in some trees
near by. The frogs had begun TO
croak and once in a while whip
poorwill called from the woods. In
an adjoining bayfield,. hurrying to get
IN the last load before dark, the Wa
termelon saw the farmer A pair OF
sorry looking nags dropped drearily,
attached TO the cart with its high,
shaky load OF new-mown hay.
I'm going TO speak 10 him my
self, said the Watermelon, stopping.
Tt will save time You wait here
won't be long"
Give me The food" said Billy. 81
will take /: to the others. Poor
things, they must be starving"
II won't be long" objected the Wa
termelon. you can't carry It alone"
Indeed, can" protested Billy.
The Watermelon laughed down at
L
side OF the crossing" he teased.
"A GIRL" said Billy sagely, lis a lot
moro capable when she Is alone than
when she lie with a man"
She took the ungainly bundle and
he watched her hurry away across
the fields, slim and graceful. dainty
and sweet, while he was-a tramp,
His eyes darlened with pain and he
threw one hand out after the small
| figure in a gesture that was full OF
mingled longing and hopelessness.
Billy, Billy" he whispered, then
turned from the thoughts which were
coming thick and fast, and started
for the distant field and the farmer.
The farmer listened with blunt stu
pidity, hot and tired and cross. Yes.
he would come for the car as soon AZ
he could. but the hay had to be got
In first. II was late now. That train
whistle you could hear was the seven
o'clock express. His horses were
tired, too, but, of course, II he were
paid, why that made a difference. He
would be around as soon as he could
get his load In. II was the last load.
anyway.
The Watermelon turned and far in
the distance, echoing and re-echoing
through the hills, he heard again the
scream OF the approaching train.
BILLY will be across the tracks by
this time" he thought. II will have
to wait for 1t to pass. Glad II amt q
freight"
He hurried moodily through the
field. His position had become intol-
erable and yet he could find no chance
to get away without revealing his
Identity, and to do that now would
do no good. They could not reach the
railroad any sooner than they were
trying to. He longed for the morrow
that would end II all and yet dreamed
! the barrenness OF the future without
Billy.
| AS he approached the cut, he saw
the smoke OF the train rising above
the bushes, an express. tearing its
way through the evening calm like
some terrible passion soaring the
soul. The Watermelon stepped to the
edge OF, the cut and glanced carelessly
downward.
There was Billy on the track, strug-
cling to free herself from the rail-
which held one small foot. Around
the Den0 came TIE hubO chbAhC "ASA
It's headlight already lit for the wild
night run.
The next two minutes were ever az
ter & blank to the Watermelon. He
was in the cut, beside the white-faced,
struggling girl almost simultaneously
with seeing her As he shot down the
bank, he felt for and drew his knife.
The engineer had seen them and the
engine screamed a warning, while the
emergency brakes shrieked as they
slipped, grinding on the rails. On his
knees, with one slash, the Watermel-
on cut the lacings which, becoming
knotted, had held her prisoner. then
with one and the same move, he had
regained his feet and forced her fiat
against the bank, as the train whirled
by in a cloud OF dust ana cinders,
brakes grinding. wheels slipping,
whistle screaming. white-faced engi-
neer leaning Mortified from the cab
window.
trembling violently, Billy clung
sobbing TO the Watermelon. her face
!