The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-12-28
A RAILROAD ROMANCE
81 LOUISE OLIVER.

u A
But the oilcioth-o0Fered counter was
J gBil1Iess Of food and the ticket olAce
minus an OCCUPANT
i Marian waited for someone TO come.
mean while watching the clock znx-
lously- Precious minutes we're pass
Ing sEd Sill 70 oae csras 70 serve her.
She was turning toward the door
when the stranger lifted his hat 4
beg your pardon. but as the agent
doesn't seem 10 be around Just nov.
perhaps you viii permit me TO hunt
sp a lunch for you He may have
something hidden under the counter"
Marian turned 10 the door again.
Thank you. bur as the train viii
leave II a minute ! am afraid / must
90. Good evening"
He hurried TO the door and held il
open for her. The storm had increased
in violence, almost carrying Marian
of her feet Fine sleet cut into their
faces He took her arm and together
fhcy fought their way across the plat
form through the storm. Then they
stopped suddenly, aghast The track
was empty and the train gonel 1t had
slipped away. its noise drowned BY
the screaming wind
by George, that's too bad!" he
shouted into her ear. Marian was
thankful now for the storm and dark
ness. for she could not keep back the
tears any longer
There seemed to be nothing to do
but TO 90 back to the empty station,
which offered protection at least from
the storm. She might have to wait
some time for the next train.
As they went into the little waiting
room for The second time the fumes
Of tobacco notified the travellers that
the agent had come in, evidently By
some other way.
Hello. Bobi Where on earth have
you been?" asked Marian's would-be /
benefactOr. While we were waiting
for you to hunt US bite to eat, the /
train yamoosed and left u.s.
Marian heard the other man whistle |
with surprise. Then / am afraid you
are up against 1t, Mr.. Hays. There
isn't another train tonight"
Marian dropped Imply to a seat.
The man went to the door and stepped
outside to tell his idea of the whole
business to the elements.
In few minutes he burst into the
waiting room. Say. Bob, there's a
gasoline work car down the track
Is she all right?"
Il guess so. The men left her there
ON the siding. Why, Fhat were you
thinking Of? It's frozen over like a
wedding cake"
Il was thinking" said the man,
that as | know enough about them
to run one, we might thaw off the
icing with hot water and / could get
this young lady to Drexel in time to
catch the express. ANY gasoline
around the place, do you suppose?"
Why, there's a barl of gasoline
back Of the freight house. Been there |
all winter. But, say, there's lots of
freight trains. You'd get killed"
No, we WON'T"
BY the time the little car was ready ,
the wind had Gained. and Marian,
wrapped to her ears in a borrowed {
robe, sat like queen on the soap box
the men had found for her. In a min
ute they were sliding along into the
darkness, their lanterns Illuminating
the rails only couple OF feet ahead.
Marian was frightened, but gave no
sign. She would have risked her life
On war balloon to get to Brighton
before twelve
The car sped on past little stations
nat were as quiet as cemeteries. No '
'rcights overlook them, and at last {
he lights Of Drexel appeared i
The man held his watch close to +
he lantern. Good" he cried "Ten :,
minutes and wen be on the express :,
o Brighton" =
There had been little opportunity 7
or conversation. In the waiting room L
It Drexel Marian tried to thank him. "
There were still two minutes before W
he train was due. r.
i wonder il you know how much n
ppreciate what you have done for :.
ne, Mr." a.
Hays. Endicott Haysl" u
Mr.. Hays! My name is Marian
.angley, and it is absolutely neces. ID
airy for me to be in Brighton today. th
seems that all the heirs to the Lang pr
7y estate are in danger of losing a pl
reat deal Of money if don't have my q
anne on some stupid paper. or other
efore midnight"
Endicott Hays looked at her in as
'nishment for an instant. Then, draw
ig paper from his pocket, he cried:
And this is the stupid paper. / was Cf
Ding to Brighton to find you. I'm the ch
-wyer in the case. They told me you fol
we'd there" ~
And after they had discovered their II
istake, they telegraphed me to meet 90.
'u there, as you had already depart -0'
1, laughed Marian. Isn't 1t too
nnyT :.
The mans answer was drowned in :,
q noise of the express as it thun.
'red in. But his look held inquiry.
I'D better get on anyway and 20 =
Aunt Martha'a FIR the r,iphtu ea;d \.