The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-01-15

MO express ever, stopped az Steeple
liamptoh Three or four times a day
"a snoring psihns little engine OF an
/ tiQuated structure jerked 10 a stand
stu beneath the pretentiOus bridge
/ lhlt united The two minute platforms.
/ and even the great folk of the land
had tO content themselves with "a
pace or fifteen miles an hour and "a
regular and lengthy stc2page every
/ few minutes.
But Diana was In NO hurry. Hers
, was one OF those natures whose fierce
1 JOY I'm life makes every Z minute
1 precious. every detail OF absorbing
I interest and when she was not silent
/ ~ greeting the familiar landmarks her
mind was busy with the past and
present and building thereupon a fu.
! iurc which was very close 20 her. She
came armed with knowledge culled
IN many different quarters. FOR IL was
a fact though she never sCandalized
nor INDUCED in the Bazaar Cup" com
mon 10 all indian stations. she knew
everything that the worst gOssiper
| knew and good deal more besides,
The truth was that people came TO
her not with their neighbors' affairs
so much as with their own. and her
way OF accepting their condolences
rendered them oblivious 10 the fact
that she never talked about herself
Thus she knew most OF the events
that had excited Steeple Hampton and
was prepared 10 face a trouble which
on the surface was not very apparent.
All that She had heard made her
afraid, and il was destined that be
fore her journeys end her fear should
be douDly confirmed. one station be.
fore Steeple Hampton two men got
into her compartment. They were OF n
type very familiar TO her--snrewd.
hard headed and International farmers
OF the better class and their CONVEX
sation, evidently the end OF long
discussion, Immediately caught her
attention
Well / don't quite know what To
make OF H. the elder man remarke I'd
unfolding the local paper II likes the
lcok az him and what he says is
sense though it isn't the sense OF
most people But he's queer He
talks, to my thinking, biz TOO free.
And then there's the wife"
Aye, there's the wife" echoed the
other with grimace THAT tells
against him We aren't accustomed 10
that sort OF thing IN these parts"
They do say that She wolshps
wooden IDOLS" went on the frs sneak
err with lowered voice. and neither
OF them aren't ever seen in church.
Now that's what don't like. When
/ gives my vote | want 10 know that
NY man is a Hurst and a Christian
gentleman NOW this young chap
well, il he gets me he gets me in spite
OF myself, SO TO speak. He don't hunt
and he don't go 10 church and he's got
a black woman for a wife, and none
OF them things is much 10 my liking
NV old woman swears shen talk the
roof OF ii | votes for him"
There was a moments thoughtful
silence. The train began 10 reduce
speed and Diana Chichester to collect
her belongings. AS is the way with
men OF their class. her two cont
panions watched her without noticing
her
That fellow Gray has got some
queer tales about Sir David" the more
loQuaciUus OF the two went on. II hap
Iened 10 hear his last address and
he sWOre he was going TO bring down
a speaker who knew something OF
sir David's doings out in India. I'd
like 10 know the truth about all that
before makes up my mind
We'll, II ! don't vote for Sir David
don vote at all, the other retorted
TO my mind Grey Is a dirty scoun-
drel, and nor one of my folk has ever
turned Socialist yet, thank God"
With an inspiring jerk the train
came TO standstill and Diana made
for the door. She had considerable
struggle with the handle before eth
or OF them realized that she was en-
deavoring 10 get out. and she thanked
them for their belated assistance with
a graciousness that startled them eff
fectually ont of their phlegm.
And by the way" she said as she
reached the platform. you can take
il from me that those queer stories are
very ordinary lies. / know Sir David
better than most people, and promise
YOU that he is brave and honorable
gentleman. AS to his wife--she is
worthy Of him. and the man who
Judges woman by her color is fool"
And with that She smiled upon
them and slammed the door in their
faces and left them breathless. Half.
way down the platform she met Hurst
himself. She hardly recognized him.
llF oftlhtu W lltl 10 nave RIOWH
taller. and as he lifted his cap she
saw that he had aged more than the
eighteen months OF their separation
justified. In spite OF HRS years there
was already a suggestion OF gray in
the thick black hair. aud his mouth
though II had lost its moody cynical
curves, had narrowed To straight
repressed-looking line Yet when he
smiled she recognized in him the boy
whose dreamy gentle. II Intellectual.
ways had once reused her childish
irritation. and that old expression OF
awkward appealing friendliness. side
by side with new strength. struck her
as oddly attractive She gave him
both her hands and he clasped them
with an energy that brought the
blood to her cheeks
1T Is so good OF you hi" he said
and again in his voice she recognized
The familiar gratitude for some little
service done
II hardly dared 20 believe you were
really coming. I've brought the dog
cart. It's wretchedly cold day. bnt
| thought you'd like It better than
being co0ped up in a state CarT1aBe
! Your luggage can come on afterWard
NnftfUn hrnitOhk Va.