The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-10-12

Gordon walked nervousfy up and
h1own the grass at the side of the track
looking anxiously each way for sign OF
The wrecking train. The thought Of
z lula did occur TO him, but he put IL i'm
patiently away. for he knew Just how
poorly Julia would bear a delay on q
Journey ven In his company. He had
been with her snce when b engine
got off the track on q short trip down
o a Virginia h~ouse-party. n b was
he most impatient creature alive, al
khough II mattered' not one whit to any
4 the rest of the party whether they
made merry On the train Or Mt their
friends house. And yet, II julia were
anything al all TO him, would not he
Ike the thought Of her sornpanionship
now?
A great white Ssg hebbIed up to him
Pnd fawned upon him as he turned 70
30 back 70 the train, and he laid his
hand Rindfy Der the animals head,
Ind noted the wistful eyes upon his
lace. He was q noble dos. n Gordon
etood for q msment fondling him. Their
back TO h sar again. But when he
Preached the steps ne found that the dog
}had followed him.
Gordon frowned, half In annoyance
half in amusement, and sitting down On
Ia log by the way5fde he Dol the dogs
pink nozzle into his hands, carsssing
1.-THE white fur above II gently.
| The dog whincd happily, and Gordon
tmeditated. How long would the train
Isyait2. Would he miss getting to New
kYork IN time for the dinner2 Would he
ksniss the chance TO rise In his chiefs
tgood graees? The chief would expect
him to get to New York some otheY way
IL the train were delayed, How long
ought he to wait on possibilities?
I All at Once ha "a w the TnpltlptDp and
trainmen coming back hurriedfy. Evid-
emily the train was about to start. With
f q final kindly stroke OF the white head.
M called a workmen nearby, handed
him half a dollar to hold the dog, and
sprang or board.
He had scarcely settled himself into
his chair, however, before the dog came
rushing up the aisle from the other
end OF the car, and precipitated himself
muddy and noisily upon him..
l. With haste and perturbation Gordan
hurried the dog to the door and tried to
filing him off, but the poor creature
pulled back n n to the platform
Just then the conductor came from
the other a n looked at him curl
ously.
mo dogs allowed 4, these ears" he
| said gruffly.
Well, II you know how to enforce
SANSs eNS u WISH yOo "Oulu, cdlo Jul
don. I'm sure / don't know what 70
I do with him."
Where has he been since you left
/ Washington" asked the grim conduc-
tor with suspicion in his eyes.
al certainly haven't had him Sc
GREETED about me, a dog Of that size"
remarked the young a dryly. Be
sides. he isn't my dog. l never saw
him before till he followed me at the
station. I'm as anxious to be rid Of
him as he Is to stay"
The conductor eyed the young man
keenly, and then allowed a grim sense
of humor to appear in one corner Of
his mouth.
Got a chain or a rope for him ?" he
asked more sympathetically.
We'll, no." remarked the unhappy
attache Of the dog. Not having had
an appointment with the dog l didn't
provide myself with a leash for him."
said the conductor briefly, and
slammed his way into the next car.
There seemed nothing else to be
done, but 1t was most annoying to be
thus forced on the notice Of his fellow
travellers, when his commission re-
CURED that he be as inconspicuous as
possible.
At Jersey City he hoped to escape
n leave the dog to the tender mercies
or the baggage man, but that official
was craftily waiting for him and hand
ed he animal over to his unwilling
master with a satisfaction Ill proper
toned to the fee he had received for
caring for him.
Then began a series of misfortunes.
Disappointment and suspicion stalked
beside him, and behind him a voice
continually whispered his chiefs last
Injunction: Don't let anything hinder
| you!"
Frantically he tried first one place
and then another, but all to no effect.
Nobody apparently wanted to care for
a stray white dog, and his very haste
aroused suspicion. Once he came near
being arrested as a dog thief. He could
not get rid Of that dog! Yet he must
not let him follow him! Would he
have to have the animal sent home to
washington as the only solution Of the
problem? Then a queer fancy seized
him that Just in some such way had
Miss Julia Bentley been shadowinE his
days for nearly three years now; ana
he had actually this very day been
considering calmly whether he might
not have to marry her, just because she
was so persistent in her taking pos
Isession Of him. Not that she was un-
t~ladyEke, OF course; no, indeed! She
was stately and beautiful and had
never offended. But she had always
quietly. persistently. taken 1t for gran
ed that he would be her attendant
| whenever she chose; and she always
chose whenever he was in the least in
clined to enjoy any othey woman's
company.
| He frowned at himself. Was there
| something weak about his character
that a woman or q dog could SO easily
master him? Would any other en-
ploye in the office, once trusted with
his great commission, have allowed Il
to be hindered by a dog?
I CONTINUED next week