Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-24
CHAPTER l.

MdFcn comes IN Like tne IioU.
The train, which had roared through
whitening gale of sleet all the way
up from New York. came to a stand
still, with many an ear-splitting sigh,
luctant porter opened his vestibule
door to descend to the snow-swept plat
form: 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 OF
three 4frost-incrusted windows glowed
duly in the side Of the building. while
one shone brightly where the operator
sat waiting for the passing of No. 80
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-
vious career Of flying 80 had It even %
much as slowed down for the ineig
nificant little station, through which
it swooped at midnight the whole yeal
round. Just before pulling out Of New
York on this eventful night the con
ductor received a command to stoI
80 at B and let down a single pas
senger,, q circumstance which meant
trouble for every dispatcher along the
line. ~
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, ant
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 sal
alone and inert beside the snow
clogged window. peering through vel
and frost into the night that whizzet
past the pane. seeing nothing yet ap
parently intent on all that stretched
beyond. Az still, as immobne a.
death itself she had held herself from
the moment of departure to the instant
that brought the porter with the wore
that they were whistling for B.
Without . word she arose and fol
lowed him to the vestibuie. where sht
watched him as he unfastened tn,
outer door and lifted the trap. 4
single word escaped her lips and b,
held out his hand to receive the crum
pied bill she clutched in her glove,
fingers. He did not look at It. HI
knew that At would amply reward hin
for the brief exposure he endured Of
the lonely, wind-swept platform of
station. the name Of whinh he did no
She took several uncertain steps II
the direction Of the station window,
and stopped, a. II bewildered. Alread.
the engine was pounding the air will
quick, vicious snorts in the effort Il
get under way; the vestibule trap ant
door closed with q bang; the wheel
were creaking. A bitter wind smot'
her in the face; the wet, hurting slee
crashed against the thin veil. blindinl
her. use
The door of the waiting room acros
the platform opened and q man rushe'
toward her. .a 81 Err
MRS. Wrandall?" he called abov
the roar of the wind.
She advanced quickly.
Yes"
What a night" he said, as much t
himself as to her. I'm sorry 20
would insist on coming tonight. Tt
morrow morning would have satisne
the"
is this Mr.. Drake?" 6t
They were being blown through tn
door into the waiting room as she pu
the question. Her voice was mufie<
The man in the great fur coat put hi
weight against the door to close 1t.
Yes. Mrs. Wrandall I have don
ell that could be done under the eli
cumstances. I am sorry to tell 20