The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-04
On the Rural
Delivery
By OLIVE EDNA MAY


rural delivery. was driving his rattle
trap buggy along the road looking over
the letters TO be put in the next mail
box, when he encountered George Ir-
win walking
Anything for me, Ed7" asked Irwin.
IF there is you'll get it in your box"
replied the postman.
I'm going out of town; on my way
to the station now. 1t would be an ac-
commodation If you would give 1t to
me now IL there's anything for me.
Bartlett pulled up. Irwin drew near
him, and while the former looked over
handful of letters the latter leaned
forward to see the addresses himself.
There it isf' he exclaimed, making
grab for one of the letters. and his
interference resulted In the splitting OF
some twenty of them on the ground,
while dozen more fell within the bug
gy. Irwin apologized, and, picking up
the letters scattered near his feet. he
uduueu luelu 10 bhtlietts
did you take the letter addressed to
you?" asked the latter.
mo. 1t wasn't for me. thought 1t
was. but | was mistaken"
Now. see here. George Irwin, here
after when I'm handling my mail you
keep your hands off It The next time
you do thing like that I'll have you
arrested for interfering with a govern
ment officer in the discharge of his du-
ties"
Sorry, Ed didn't intend TO inter
fere"
Bartlett drove on without making
reply. At Deacon Warder's box he
found Susie Warder. the deacon's
daughter, aged eighteen, waiting for
him. There was an intensity in her
face that indicated anxious expecta-
ton. Bartlett had often delivered let
tiers to- her addressed in a masculine
hand. and by the way she Rugged
them TO her heart and ran into the
house with them he had surmised that
they came from a lover Instead OF
putting the mail in the box he hand
ed 1t to her She looked over it and
her face fell.
Nothing more?" she asked, looking
up at the postman despairingly.
That's all. Sorry | haven't one for
you today, Miss Warder. Perhaps I'll
bring you one tomorrow"
'No. you won't" replied the girl, tears
starting to her eyes. eff ii was to.
come at all 1t would have come today"
Bartlett sighed sympathetically Dur
ing the rest of his trip over his route
his mind was more on Susie Warder
than on the mail Her words IF 1t
was to come Mt all II would have come
today" remained with him. and he
couldn't Danish them. What did they
That the expected letter was
to have been from the lover he could
not doubt.
Our minds now roll smoothly from
one train of thought to another, and
again they jump gaps. And yet there
is doubtless a connection between the
two sides OF the gap too subtle for us
to distinguish. Bartlett's mind turned
from Susies disappointment to George !
Twins grabbing at the letters. Then !
he made a mental jump. for there was
no connection between his two |
thoughts. Susie's letter didn't come. |
and perhaps George Irwin when he |
picked up those that fell on the ground |
retained one for Susie.
~ - 81,
such an act, he couldn't dismiss the !
1t occurred to him TO turn |
back and charge Irwin with purloining
/ letter, trusting TO have struck the
correct theory. He looked at his
watch. 1t was o'clock. He had met
George about 800. There was no train
either way out of the station between
20 and 4:40. He remembered to
have heard the whistle of the 1925
rain while he was talking with George.
The man had doubtless made his state
nent about going out of town falsely
Ind for a pretext to steal the letter.
When Bartlett reached these Undue
i've conclusions he had finished his de-
livery. He drove rapidly back to the vii
age. occasionally asking one he met II
lie had seen George Irwin. Presently he
ound a man who had seen him and
ave the postman a clew to find him.
Bartlett found his man on a road
where no one else was about
Give me the letter you took!" he
aid resolutely and confidently.
THE letter | took! What do you
neang''
II mean that when you picked up :
hose that dropped on the ground you {
ept one"
Irwin stood at bay. Presently he l
aid:E.cyou have no-right to- accuse )