The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-11-21

| night.
That's encouraging" Tom remark
ed. What I've seen of this place
doesn't make me yearI to spend the
night here. Where's the town.
This is it."
| Isn't there hotel of any kinG?"
| mo, nothing in that line except the
farm house half mile down TIE track
where the night operator and
board
L suppose there's no hack?"
| None that I've ever heard Of"
| What time do you light up here
They ought to let you use plenty OF
oil in such lonesome place as this
It's getting pretty dark"
Just a minute. Here's my call"
| The operator turned to his instru
ments and Tom Harlow waited at the
ticket window, hoping there might be
encouraging news concerning the train
for Medford; but he was doomed to be
disappointed.
J Il guess you may as well make uE
your mind to hang around Eere al
night said the operator after the in
| strument had ceased clicking Che
spoke rather loudly for Helen's bene
fit; they say the track is washed oui
in half dozen places. There's beef
a cloud-burst."
| While Tom drummed with his finger
tiEH upon the ledge of the ticket win
dow the operator lighted the lamp II
bis office and then proceeded to illu
inmate the waiting room. which
served for both men ana women.
| For moment after the light had
been turned on Tom Harlow looked 81
! len at Helen, who sat with her bach
! toward him, her head bent and heI
+, face hidden in her hands. The opera
| to- turned to his instruments, which
were clicking frantically.
| Helen Tom said very tenderly aft
or he had paused beside her.
| She looked up at him, and he saw
that there were tears in her eyes. He
reached for one of her hands, but she
drew away from him and shrank 8
little farther into her corner.
Helen he said again, Tive come
to explain to you. | supposed you
were already at Medford. l was go
ing there to tell you
She stood up, and when he again at
tempted to take her hand in his she
did not object
| g'het's go outside he suggested
'ogt side, under the stars, where l car
| toll h I'M n @
will be between us and heaven"
The operator was busy, and did moi
notice that the waiting room was
empty.
| You see, Helen, It was necessary
for Mrs. Danforth tn >ske somebody
into her confidence" TcN said. "Fo1
some reason she selected lin. Her for
mer husband, who was scSsawag, had
informed the secret service agents that
she had been smuggling jewelW. II
was merely a case of blacksnail. See
had refused to support him and he
needed somebody to heir her establish
an alibi, Snd at the same me she
didn't want the story of hen troubles
to get out So she drafted me si1tc
her service, and / couldn't very vel
beg of. She was woman in dis
tress, that was all"
But why didn't you tell me I2fore?
Helen asked.
"She had asked me not to tell any
body until she gave me permission to
do So"
"Then she has given you permisFion
land you have seen her again."
"No, ! have neither seen her ,iol
heard from her. The man has mace a
confession, and the whole story is in
the papers,
She walked avn = from him, eros sed
the platform and stood for long time
looking at the silent hills that lay deep
in the gathering shadows of the night
At length she turned, came half Wy
back to him, and then stopped de
approached her, held oat his arNs
and asked:
Don't you believe | have told you
the truth, Helen-that / have told you
all there is to tell?"
She did not speak, but put her arms
about his neck and laid her neck
against his breast, while his arms
closed about her. Thus for a long
s,me they stood beneath the stars.
When they returned to the waiting
room the operator informed them that
tsle train for Medford would arrive in
ten minutes.
At Medford Helen had friends, snd
at Medford there were preachers.
/ copyright. 1912. by w. G.. ChapmaV.)
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