The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-04-04
CHAPTER I.
,eh Comes In Like the Lion.

March Comes In Like the Lion.
The train, which had roared through |
q whitening gale Of sleet all the way
up from New York. came TO a stand
still. with many an ear-splitting sign.
alongside the little station. and re-
luctant porter opened his vestibule
door to descend TO the snowswept plat
form: a solitary passenger mad
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
4 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. 50.
An order had been issued for the
stopping of the fast express at B
q noteworthy concession In these days
of premeditated haste. Not In the pre-
yious career Of flying 33 had 1t even 90
much as slowed down for the ineig
nificant little station, through which
Il swooped at midnight the whole year
round. Just before pulling out OF New
York on this eventful night the con
ductor received a command to stoi
50 at B and let down a single pas
senger. a circumstance which mean
trouble for every dispatcher along TN
line.
The woman who got down at b
in the wake of the shivering but defer
eutial porter, and who passed by Tn
conductors without lifting her face
was without hand luggage OF any az
scription. She was heavily yelled. an
warmly clad in furs. At eleven o'cloc
that night she Lad entered the con
partment In New York. Throughou
the thirty miles or more she had ga
alone and inert beside the snow
clogged window, peering through We
and frost into the night that whizze
past the pane. seeing nothing yet a
parently intent on all that stretche
n beyond. As still. as immoolle
death itself she had held herself fro
the moment of departure to the install
that brought the porter with the VOL
that they were whistling for B
without q word she arose and II
lowed him to the vestibule, where 81
watched him as he unfastened Il
outer door and lifted the trap.
single word escaped her lips and
held out his hand to receive the cru
pled bill she clutched In her glow
fingers. He did not look at 1t.
knew that II would amply reward ri
for the brief exposure he endured
the lonely, windswept platform OF
station. the name of whirh he did
know.
She took several uncertain steps
che direction of the station windo
and stopped, as II bewildered. Alrea
the engine was pounding the air WI
mick. vicious snorts in the effort
get under way; the vestibule trap a
door closed with q bang; the whe
we're creaking. A bitter wind sm'
her In the face; the wet, hurting si
crashed against the thin veil. blindl
her. -s,
The door of the waiting room acr'
the platform opened and man rusl
toward her.
MRS. wrandall?" he called abb
the roar of the wind
She advanced quickly.
Yes"
What a night" he said. as much
himself as to her. I'm cory
would insist on coming tonight.
morrow morning would have salts
the"
els this Mr. DrakeT
They were being blown through
a door into the waiting room as she
the question. Her voice was muf
The man in the great fur coat put
weight against the door to close II
yes, Mrs. Wrandall l have
all that could be done under the
cumstances. / am sorry to tell