The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-13
CHAPTER Xxx.
foiIed Aoajn.

Voueo again.
Mallory tucked Marjorie under his
arm and Marjorie tucked Snoozleums s
under hers. and they did a sort Of
three-legged race down the platform.
The porter was pale blue with excite
ment, and 1t was with the last gasp Of
breath In all thyse 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 1t 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 1t together, but
In gloomy silence. They sat in Mar.
1orie's berth throughout the appalling
ly monotonous afternoon in q stupor
or disappointment and helpless deiec.
tion, speaking little and saying meth.
Ing then.
Whenever the train stopped, NAL
Iory 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, 1t 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 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
70 be clergyman? The man replied
Dy asking Mallory If he happened to
be 1ea-bitten maverick, and embel.
hshed his question with copious flow
OF The words ministers use, but with
a secular arrangement Of them. In
fact he split one word in two to insert
a double-barrelled curse. All that NAL
iory could do was to admit that he
was fea-bitten what-he-said, and
beck away
After that. if vicar in full uni
form had marched down the aisle
heading procession Of choir-boys.
Mallory would have suspected him. He
vowed in his haste that Marjorie
might die an old maid before he would
approach anybody else on that sub
ject. -sv...
Nebraska would have been a nice
long state for honeymoon, but its
TOUR hundred-odd miles were a dreary
length for the couple so near and yet
80 far. The railroad clinging to the
meandering Platte made the way far
longer, and Mallory and Marjorie left
like Pyramus and Thisbe wandering
along an eternal wall, through which
they could see, bu. not reach, one
another.
They dired together as dolefully as
II they had been married for forty
years. Then the slow twilight soaked
them In its melancholy. The porter
lighted up the car, and the angels
lghed 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
10 nag one another with an outburst
-or the benefit OF the eager.eyed pas.
sengers.
A little excitement bestirred them
as they realized that they were con-
rronted with another night-robeless
night and morrow without change of
gear
What pity that we left our things
In the taxicab." Marjorie sighed And
this time she said. Eve left them" I'm.
stead or you left them" IL was very
gracious of her, but Mallory did not
acknowledge the courtesy. Instead he
gave start and gasp:
Good Lord. Marjorie. we never
paid the second taxicab!"
Great heavens, how shall we ever
pay him? He's been waiting there
twentyfour hours. How much do YOU
suppose we owe him."
About a year OF my pay, guess"
You must send him a telegram OF
apology and ask him TO read his
meter. He was such a nice man-the
kindest eyes-for a chauffeur"
But how can telegraph him? /
don't know his name. or his number.
or his company, or anything"
It's too bad. He'll go through life
hating us and thinking we cheated
him"
We'll. he doesn't know our names
either"
And then they forgot him temporari-
~ for the more Immediate need of
clothes All the passengers knew that
they had left behind what baggage
they had not sent ahead. and rouch