Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-08-02
} coex1.o'sr v't r. H.k.rrr 60

with an ardor that suggested desir
for even more ardent greeting. Tn
passengers almost sprained their ears
to hear how they would make up such
a dreadful feud. But all they heard
was: We'll have to hurry, Marjorie,
Il we want to get any breakfast"
"All right, honey. Come along"
Then the inscrutable couple sour
sied up the aisle, and disappeared in
the corridor, leaving behind them a
mighty riddle. They kissed in the
corridor of that car, kissed in the yes
tibule, kissed in the two corridors of
the next car, and were caught kiss
ing in the next vestihule by the new
conductor.
The dining car conductor, who nat
tered himself that he knew bride
and groom when he saw them, es-
corted them grandly to a table for
two; and the waiter fluttered about
them with extraordinary considera-
ton.
They had plenty to talk of in pros
pect and retrospect. They both felt
sure that minister lurked among the
cars somewhere, and they ate with a
zest to prepare for the ceremony, ar
guing the best place for it, and quar-
reling amorously over details. NAL
Tory was for ono of the vestibules as
the scene of their union, but Marjorie
was for the baggage car, till she real
lied that Snoozleums might be unwill-
ing to attend. Then she swung round
to the vestibule, but Mallory shifted
to the observation platform.
Marjorie had left Snoozleums with
Mrs. Temple, who promised to hide
him when the new conductor passed
through the car, and she reminded
Harry to get the waiter to bring them
q package Of bones for their only
"child," SO far.
On the way back from the dining
car they kissed each other goodbye
again at all the trysting places they
had sanctified before. The sun was
radiant, the world good, and the very
train ran with jubilant rejoicing. They
could not doubt that a few more hours
would see them legally man and wife,
Mallory restored Marjorie to her
place in their car, and with smiles OF
assurance, left her for another par
| son-hunt through the train. She walt
ed for him in a bridal agitation. He
! ransacked the train forward In vain.
and returned, passing Marjorie with
a shake of the head, and sour
| countenance He went out to the OBJ
servation platform where he stumbled
on Ira Lathrop and Anne Cattle, en-.
gagged in a conversation Of evident
| intimacy, for they jumped when he
opened the door, as II they were guilty
of some plot
Mallory mumbled his usual, Eek.
! cuse me- whirled on his heel. and
dragged his discouraged steps back
through the Observation Room, where
various women and a few men OF evil
dent unclericality were draped across
arm chairs and absorbed in lazy con.
versation or bobbing their heads over
magazines that trembled with the mo.
ton Of the train.
Mrs. Wellington was busily writing
at the desk, but he did not know who
she was, and he did not care whom
she was writing to. He did not OBJ
serve the baleful glare Of Mrs. Whit
comb, who sat watching Mrs. Yelling
ton, knowing all too we'll who she
was. and suspecting the correspond
ent-Mrs. Whitcomb was tempted to
spell the word with one II"
Mallory stumbled into the mems
portion Of the composite car. Here
he nodded with sickly cheer to the
sole occupant, DR.. Temple, who was
looking less ministerial than ever IN
an embroidered skull cap. The old
rascal was sitting far back on his
lumbar vertebrate. One of his hands
clasped a long glass filled with .
liquid of a hue that resembled some
thing stronger than what 1t was
mere ginger ale. The other hand
toyed with long black cigar. The
smoke curled round the old mans
head like the fumes of sultan's
narghile, and through the wisps his
face was one of Oriental luxury.
Mallory's eyes were caught from
this picture OF beatltude Dy the en-
trance, at the other door. Of man
who had evidently swung aboard at
the most recent stop-for Mallory had
not seen him. His gray hair was
crowned with a. soft black hat, and
his spare frame was swathed In q
frock coat that had seen better days.
His soft gray eyes seemed to search
timidly the smoke-clouded atmos'
phere, and he had a bashful air which
Mallory translated as one of difi1dence
in a place where liquors and cigars
were dispensed.
With equal dif1idence Mallory ad'
yanced and in low tone accosted the
newcomer cautiously:
Excuse me-you look like clergy
man."
The hell you say!"
Mallory pursued the question no
further.
ITO be continued)
s,nO REWARD arnN