Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-05-09
CHAPTER I.

up from New York, came to a stand
still, with many an ear-splitting sigh,
alongside the little station, and a re-
1uctant porter opened his vestibule
door to descend to the snow-swept plat
form: a solitary passenger had
reached the journeys end The swirl
of snow and sleet screaming out of the
blackness at the end of the station
building enveloped the porter in an
instant, and cut his ears and neck with
singing force as he turned his back
against the gale. A pair of lonely,
half-obscured platform lights cleaned
fatuously at the top of their icy posts
at each end of the station; two or
three frost-incrusted windows glowed
duly in the side of the building, while
one shone brightly where the operator
sat waiting for the passing of No. SO.
An order had been issued for the
stopping of the fast express at B,
noteworthy concession in these days
of premeditated haste. Not in the pre-
vious career of flying SO had 1t even so
much as slowed down for the insig-
ni1cant little station, through which
it swooped at midnight the whole year
round Just before pulling out of New
York on this eventful night the con-
d1ctor received a command to stop
80 at B and let down a single pas
Senger, circumstance which meant
trouble for every dispatcher along the
dine.
The woman who got down at b
in the wake of the shivering but defer
entail porter, and who passed by the
conductors without lifting her face,
was without hand luggage of any de-
.scription- She was heavily yelled, and
warmly clad in furs. At eleven O'Clock
that night she had entered the COM
partment in New York. Throughout
the thirty miles or more she had sat
alone and inert beside the snow
clogged window, peering through veil
and frost into the night that whizzed
past the pane, seeing nothing yet ap-
parently intent on all that stretched
beyond As still, as immobile as
death itself she had held herself from
the moment of departure to the instant
that brought the porter with the word
that they were whistling for B.
Without word she arose and fol-
lowed him to the vestibule, where she
watched him as he unfastened the
outer door and lifted the trap. A
single word escaped her lips and he
held out his hand to receive the crum-
pied bill she clutched in her gloved
fingers. He did not look at it. He
knew that it would amply reward him
for the brief exposure he endured on
the lonely, wind-swept platform of a
station, the name of which he did not
know.
She took several uncertain steps in
the direction of the station windows
and stopped, as if bewildered Already
the engine was pounding the air with
quick, vicious snorts in the effort to
get under way; the vestibule trap and
door closed with a bang; the wheels
were creaking. A bitter wind smote
her in the face; the wet, hurtling sleet
crashed against the thin VEIL binding
her.
The door of the waiting room across
the platform opened and a man rushed
toward her.
Mrs. Wrandall?" he called above
the roar of the wind
She advanced quickly.
Yes
What night" he said, as much to
himself as to her. I'm sorry you
would insist on coming tonight To-
morrow morning would have satisfied
the
rs this Mr.. Drake?"
4ASg were OS1uS DlOWn through the
door into the waiting room as she put
the question. Her voice was muff1ed.
The man in the great fur coat put his
weight against the door to close it
Yes, Mrs Wrandall. have done
all that could be done under the cir
cumstances. l am sorry to tell you
that we still have two miles to go by
motor before we reach the inn. NY
car is open-I don't possess limou-
sine-but if you will lie down in the
tonneau you will find some protection
from
She broke in sharply, impatiently
Pray do not consider me, Mr. Drake.
i am not afraid of the blizzard"
Then we'd better be off," said he,
a note of anxiety in his voice-a GER
tain touch of nervousness. 81 drive
my own car. The road is good, but 1
shall drive cautiously. Ten minutes,
perhaps. II am sorry you thought
best to brave this wretched-"
Il am not sorry for myself, Mr..
Drake, but for you. You have been
most kind. 1 did not expect you to
meet me-"
Il took the liberty of telephoning to
YOU 1t was well that 1 did it early
in the evening. The wires are down
now. l fear" He hesitated for a mo-
ment. staring at her as If trying to
penetrate the thick, wet veil Il may
have brought you on a FOOLS errand.
You see, IL have seen Mr.. Wrandall
but once, in town somewhere and I