The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-04-16

II HOPE HAVEN'T MADE A MISTAKE"
dishly attired young woman, who was
watching the smoke of the departing
train with dismay.
II hope l haven't made a mistake .
she called to the man as she crossed
the tracks.
Depends upon where you think
you're at" he smiled grimly.
"1sn't this station Pollock"
pollock! Not by thirty miles,
ma'am. This is Hotbox. It's a flag
station"
Il thought he said Pollock" admitted
Agatha, genuinely frightened at her
dilemma. Aren't there any houses
or hotels around here?'
mot within fifteen miles. There
amt another train, neither, till tomor-
row morning"
What can l do?" demanded Agatha.
why, dunno, ma'am. / come down
here to stop the train so Hen LARA
bee could get aboard and go to Pol
lock, but I've got wagon here; 1 can
drive you as fur as CO."
as it anywhere near house9" Aga
tina was almost fearful
"Of course it is, but you wouldn't
want to stop there, ma'am. We only
keep bachelor quarters"
"Of colrFe not" agreed Agatha has
tily. "But there must be some place
where there's a woman?"
"Over to Piedmont ranch-why, you
are fixed all right, ma'aml There's
Jim, now" He put his hands to his
lips and vigorously shouted to the man
who was driving in a blackboard a
short distance away. Horse and rider
were the only living things in the ex-
panse of gray sagebrush that melted
into gray horizon.
The vehicle turned from its direct
course and came toward them. Aga
tina saw that the driver was a large.
lean, bronzed Individual, young and
far from Ill looking. Under the broad
brim of his hat she caught a glimpse
IF dark blue eyes before they were
burned questioningly on the fiagman.
"You want me, IvinsT' he drawled
yep. This here lady got off the
train here by mistake. Thought they
called Pollock instead Of 'Hotbox.
There amt another train till tomor-
row; can't you put her up over to your
placer"
Certainly" said the stranger quick
ly, and he jumped down from his seat
and gave Agatha hand In the other
hand he held his hat. thus barring a
mop of chestnut hair "My mother win
be very glad to welcome you," he SAID
rather shyly as they drove off.
"Thank you replied Agatha gravely.
Agatha Waite believed she had had
her share of trouble when she had
lost both parents in early girlhood. She
an ambitious aunt, who had planned
a brilliant marriage for her rich and
beautiful niece, but somehow Agatha
did not want to make brilliant mar
rage. What she had always wanted
was place she could call home, spot
that would shelter her as beloved oc-
cupant because she was herself, not
because she was rich To Agatha love
and marriage meant the foundation OF
a real home. Her aunt's house had
been merely a gathering place for
fashionable people, and Agatha was
weary of it all.
That was one reason she had left
New York and was on her way to the
home Of an old college friend, a class
mate who had married ranchman
and settled in a wilderness of the
west whose nearest railroad station
was at Pollock. Agatha's mistake in
getting of at the flag station was an
unlocked for adventure in the monot-
ony Of her journey.
Another reason for her departure
into the wilderness was that a year be
fore Agatha Waite had met a man
who loved her and who possessed ali
the qualities of mind and heart that
her own heart recognized as its true
mate. Agatha loved Jim Fenton in re
turn, and yet such was her fright
when he actually declared his love that
she begged for time to consider. This
he granted reluctantly and, as It prov
ed, fatally for their little romance.
Agatha's aunt had overheard bit Of