The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-07-09
On the Rural.
Delivery
BY OLIVE EDNA MAY

EDWARD Bartlett, on route No. 4, free
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. Ed" asked Irwin.
III there Is you'll get 1t in your box, "
replied the postman.
Pm going out OF town; on my way
to the station now. It would be an &C.
commodation II you would give 1t to
me now II there's anything for me.
Otherwise it'll have to be forwarded"
Bartlett pulled up. Irwin drew near
him. and while the former looked over
a handful OF letters the latter leaned
forward to see the addresses himself
There It Is" he exclaimed. making
a 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
handed them to Bartlett.
did you take the letter addressed to
you?" asked the latter.
mo. 1t wasn't for me. thought It
was, but was mistaken"
"Now, see here, George Irwin. here
after when I'm handling my mail you
keep your hands of 1t. 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. 1 didn't intend to inter
fere."
Bartlett drove on without making n
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.
tion. Bartlett had often delivered let
tiers to her addressed in 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 lover. Instead of
putting the mail in the box he hand
ed 1t to her. She looked over 1t and
her face fell.
Nothing mOre:" she asked. looking
up at the postman despairingly.
"That's all. Sorry-I 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. "If It was to
come at MI 1t would have come tOday."
Bartlett sighed alphabetically. Dur.
Ing the rest Of his "Trip over his route
his mind was more Oh Susie Warder
than on the mail. Her words "If It
was to come Mt all II would have come
today" remained with hini, and he
couldn't Danish them. What did they
mean: 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
Rgaln they jump CUPS. And yet there
is doubtless Il connection between the
two sides of the Cup too subtle for us
to distinguish. Bartlett's mind turned
from Susie's disappointment to George
frwin's grabbing ut the letters. Then
he made mental jump, for there was
no connection between his two
thoughts. Susie's letter didn't come
md perhaps George Irwin when he
picked up those that fell OH the ground
retained one for Susie.
Though he knew Of no reason for
such an act. he couldn't dismiss the
suggestion. II occurred 10 him to turn
back and charge Irwin with purloining
a letter, trusting TO have struck the
correct theory. He looked ut his
watch. 1t was 1 O'Clock. He had met
George about 300 There WINS no train
either way out of the station between
3:25 and i:40 He remembered to
have heard the whistle OF the 1926
train while he was talking with George.
The man had doubtless made his state
ment about going out OF town falsely
md for n pretext to steal the letter.
When Bartlett reached these Undue
tive conclusions he had finished his de.
livery. He drove rapidly back to the vii.
lase, occasionally asking one he met II
he had seen George Irwin. Presently he
found man who had seen him and
gave the postman a clew to find him.
Bartlett found his man on n road
where no one else was about
Give me the letter you took" he
said resolutely and confidently.
1.-The letter l took! What do you
mean:"
81 mean that when you picked up
those TINT dropped on the ground you
kept one"
Irwin stood ut bay. Presently he
said: "You have no right to accuse
me. II you know took letter. sure
ly you know to whom that letter was
addressed"
~ do-Susan Warder."
Irwin turned white. Bartlett must
have evidence against him that he did
not know OF.
"What'll you do IL I give 1t up"
"l'l tell you what I'll do II you don't
give 1t up" said Bartlett, jumping out
Of his buggy. "I'll break every bone