The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-20
A RAILROAD ROMANCE
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

4
minus an occupant.
Marian waited for someone to come,
meanwhile watching the clock anx-
| iously. Precious minutes were pass
ing and still no one came to serve her.
She was turning toward the door
when the stranger lifted his hat. Il
beg your pardon, but as. the agent
, doesn't seem to be around just now,
perhaps you will permit me to hunt
up a lunch for you. He may have
something hidden under the counter"
Marian turned to the door again.
Thank you. but as the train will
, leave in a minute am afraid l must
go. Good evening"
He hurried to the door and held it
! open for her. The storm had increased
in violence, almost carrying Marian
off her feet. Fine sleet cut into their
faces. He took her arm and together
they fought their way across the plat
form through the storm. Then they
stopped suddenly, aghast. The track
was empty and the train gone! It 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 go 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, Bob! 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 vamoosed and left u.s."
Marian heard the other man whistle
with surprise. Then am afraid you
are up against it, Mr.. Hays. There
isn't another train tonight"
Marian dropped Imply to q seat.
The man went to the door and stepped
outside to tell his idea of the whole
business to the elements.
In a few minutes he burst into the
waiting room. Say, Bob, there's q
gasoline work car down the track!
Is she all right?"
Il guess so. The men left her there
on the siding. Why. what were you
thinking Of? It's frozen over like q
wedding cake"
Il was thinking" said the man,
that as l 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 bar'l of gasoline
back of the freight house. Been there
all winter. But, say, there's lots Of
freight trains. You'd get killed."
mo. we WON'T"
BY the time the little car was ready
the wind had Gained, and Marian,
wrapped to her ears in borrowed
robe, sat like queen on the soap box
the men had found for her. In 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
that were as quiet as cemeteries. No
freights overlook them, and at last
the lights Of Drexel appeared.
The man held his watch close to
the lantern. Good" he cried. "Ten
minutes and we'll be on the express
to Brighton"
There had been little opportunity
tor conversation. In the waiting room
at Drexel Marian tried to thank him.
There were still two minutes before
the train was due.
Il wonder IL you know how much l
appreciate what you have done for
me, Mr."
Hays! Endicott Hays!"
Mr.. Hays! My name is Marian
Langley, and 1t is absolutely neces-
sary for me to be in Brighton today
1t seems that all the heirs to the Lang
ley estate are in danger of losing a
great deal of money II don't have my
name on some stupid paper or other
before midnight"
Endicott Hays looked at her in as.
constituent for an instant. Then, draw
ing paper from his pocket, he cried:
And this is the stupid paper. / was
going to Brighton to find you I'm the
lawyer in the case. They told me you
lived there!"
And after they had discovered their
mistake, they telegraphed me to meet
you there, as you had already depart.
ed" laughed Marian. Isn't 1t too
funny?"
The mans answer was drowned in
the noise of the express as 1t thun.
dered In. But his look held inquiry.
I'D better get on anyway and go
to Aunt Martha's for the night" said
Marian
And I'd better go to Brighton, too,
so | can come around in the morning
and be properly introduced May II"
Perfectly splendid" agreed Marian,
as they boarded the train for the re-
mainder of the trip.
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure Ncwspa.
per Syndicate)