The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-16
THE EVENING STORY
Across the Aisle.
-Rv Lola Forrester. }

That's Eagle S Nest russ nov,
said the man across the aisle eagerly.
Mighty pretty in this sunset light, EN-
| Jess opened her eyes She had been
browsing for the last hour The view
was gorgeous from the car windows
She leaned forward. and looked out at
tho great encircling mountains, the
still dark lake far below the track, the
vast outreaching distances beyond the
Pass itself. Somewhere over toward the
| golden sunset lay her brothers rancn,
and the new life that had swept her
! out of the rut down east She looked
| toward it happily, seeing in the sunset
/ glory only a portent of what lay ahead
| of her. After ten years of teaching IN
! the country, it seemed like enchant-
lment that she should be out here, SKIM
ming over the last ridge of the Rockies.
1T won't be all easy work, Jess"
| Tom had written but I've got the
/ upper hand of things here now, and
think you'll like it There's lots of fine
people settled around me, and the
Deerfoot mines arc only seven miles
from us, you won't be lonesome"
Lonesome? Jess thought of the long
school term back at Lamson Center,
ar how her happy western nature
was steadily Quelled by the sto1id, I'M
imaginative fathers and mothers of the
young idea. She knew she would never
be lonesome with Tom, anyway.
The man across the aisle was talking
to his fellow passenger, a sleepy old
and Fused to warm UP to the glories
of tn scenery.
II wouldn't give a hands breadth of
this country up here for all Man
haitian
"Whers are you from?" growled back
the other.
"Deerfoot. sir. Finest section and
richest out here. Come into the smok-
ing compartment with me and let me
tell you about it."
limbed youngster, with all the vivid
assurance and hope Of the West in his
face. Suddenly he hesitated and looked
across the aisle at the girl thera.
Their eyes met. He almost smiled, and
reached for handbag in the upper rack
could 7 leave this with you lust
while step into the smoker" he asked
4 won't be more than half an hour"
Jess bowed her head assentingly and
he slipped the bag beside her own s1lit-
case on the floor. It seemed very
heavy After he had gone Jess threw
her fur scarf over it and wondered who
its owner was.
Not ten minutes later the train slow
ed up. The was the sharp hiss of air
brakes The wheels seemed to CRATE
and grind along the rails. Almost in
stantly shots sounded up forward
Some OF the men passengers rose. less
held her breath and wondered if. after
an, she was not to reach her new life.
The doors at the end of the car
swung open. A brakeman came
through on a run, calling out that the
train was held up.
They're at the express car" he
can't do any good"
1t all seemed frightfulIy ordinary
and commonplace. There were M
dramatic heroics no screams. less
heard him tell somebody that they had
shot the express messenger and triaf1
to get the engineer, too. Then there
came into the car two men. both
masked, both armed with revolyers
Hands up and shut up, and no.
pody II be hurt said one tersely. The
o I started Systematically to search,
pul IN new way. He passed bv
o1ered watches and bill books and or
Qered Su1tcases opened. Over each one
ne leaned and took a quick inventory
Of contents as If he had been a Gus
TOMS oIflcer. At Jess's seat he reached
lor her suitcase and saw the girl had
tainted. Her pretty head lay back ON
the roll top of the seat. white and
death-like, and it checked him. He
glanced at the suitcase, back at her
face, and passed on. Under her skirts
rested the leather satcheI unobserved. |
When she came to someone was
talking to her cheerily, anxiously. 1t !
was the man across the aisle.
'Plucky? Well, rather. That's bet
ter It's all right now. We're on our |
way ana the gang didn't get what it /
wanted after ALL he leaned nearer.
thanks to you"
I don't know what you mean" fa1t-
cred Jess
~of course you don't, but I'm mighty
obliged to you just the same. They |
passed by the smoker and missed me,
and didn't look for my belongings in |
your seat. that's ALL
You mean the satcheI?"
He smiled.
you didn't try to lift it. did vou2
It's full of solid gold. 1 think you de-
serve to know, don't you? Do YOU
mind if I sit here? Wen be into Eagle
View in twenty minutes, and 1 leave
the train there
$50 do t. said Jess. shyly.
Where bound p There was no mis-
taking his eagerness.
ITO the sawtooth Ranch. It's my
brothers,.
''Tom McQuaid's? Why. we're
neighbors. It's queer little juggler's
ball that we dance on, this world
isn't it? I'm Raleigh Sayres. superin-
tendent at the DeerfOot works NY
out here with me, and she'll
be awfully glad to meet you. Why,
when 1 first spoke to you, and YOU
look d at me, why, I just felt as If
we must know each other. Don't you
know what I mean ~
Jess long dark lashes dropped
Il know she said. I'm glad too,
that you Will be near-Tom.'
But do you know what you've done
of the whole valley, We pay off in
gold up there. Three months ago
rain robbers held up the express and
cleaned out the whole Deerfoot treas
ury. Old Reardon himself was on the
train, and he hasn't got over the shock
vet He's our boss up at the works
and sole owner So this time he want
"a to pay the boys in checks. I said
Il 70, Do