The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-11


and says she'll watt
"a woman! "A newspaper woman
O'Nei1 rose and seized the instrument
roughly. His voice was freezing as he
said: EsHello! refuse to be interview
ed. Yes! There's no use His tone
suddenly altered. Miss Appleton! I
beg your pardon. I'll be right down -
Turning to his subordinates, he an
nounced with wry smile: ''This seems
to terminate our interview. She's Dan
Appleton's sister, and therefore, He
shrugged resignedly. "Now run along.
I'll see you in the morning.
His tboys'' made their way down to
the street, talking guardedly as they
went.
OiNeil entered the ladies' parIor with
a feeling Of extreme annoyance, ex-
peeting to meet an inquisitive, bold
Young woman bent upon exploiting his
plans and his personality in the usual
inane Journalistic fashion. He was
surprised and offended that Dan Apple
ton, In whom he had reposed the ut
most faith. should have betrayed his
secret. Publicity was a thing he de-
tested at all tines and at present he
particularly dreaded it's effect. But he
was agreeahly surprised in the girl
who came toward him brislSly with
hand outstretched.
Miss Appleton was her brothers dou-
bic. She had his frank blue eyes. his
straw gold hair, his humorous smile
and wide awake look. She was not by
any means beautiful = her features
we're too irregular, her nose too tip
tilted; her mouth too generous for that
but she seemed crisp, clean cut and
wholesome. What first struck O'Neflf
was her effect of boyishness. From
the crown of her plain straw sailor
TO the soles of her sensible walking
boots there was no suggestion of fenni-
nine frippery. She wore plain shirt
waist and tailored skirt, and her
hair was arranged simply. The wave
in its pale gold was the only conces-
sion to mere prettiness. Yet she gave
no impression of deliberate MASCULINE
ty. She struck one as merely not In
terested in clothes, fnsfinct1vely ex-
pressing in her dress her own boyish
directness and her bJlsinesslike absorp-
ton in her work.
you're furious, of course. Anybody
would be- she began, then laughed so
frankly that his eyes softened and the
wrinkles at their corners deepened.
II fear was rude before learned
you were Dams sister, he apologized.
t'But you see I'm a bit afraid of news
paper people"
81 knew you'd struggle, although Dan
described you as perfectly angelic
person
@Indeed!''
eBut I'm a real reporter, so won't
detain you long. I don't care where
you were born or where you went to
IF CT
you eat Tell me. are you going to
build another railroad %
II hope so, I'm always building
roads when my bids are low enough to
secure the contracts. That's my bust
ness
care you going to build one in Alas
ka9'
.fPossibly. There seems to be an OPP
portunity there, but Dan has probably
told you as much about that as am
at liberty TO tell. He's been over the
ground
She pursed her bps at him. ..You
know veryaEvell, or you ought to know,
that Dan wouldn't tell me a thing
while he's working for you. He hasn't
said word, but Is that why you
came in frowning like thunder
cloud? Did you think he set me on
your trail?'
ST think / do know that hefwouldn't
do anything really indiscreet,' Muir
ray regarded her with growing favor
There was something about this boyish
girl which awakened the same sponS
taneous liking he had felt upon his
first meeting with her brother. He
surprised her by confessing boldly:
81 am building a railroad-to the In
terror of Alaska. I've been east and
raised the money. My men are here
Wen begin operations at once.
That's what Mr.. Gordon told me
about his scheme, but he hasn't done
much so far
My line will put his out Of bust
ness; also that Of the trust and the
various Wildcat promoters"
.tWhere.does your, road ,sstart from 2
"The town Of Omar, GA King Philip
sound. near Hope and Cortez. It viii
run up the Salmon river and past the
glaciers which those other men re-
fused to tackle
eff I weep it is for joy" said the
girl. II don't like Curtis Gordon. |
! call him Simon Legree.''
WHY
well he impresses me as real old
time villain with the riding boots and
the whip and all that. Uncle Toms
Cabin'@is nay fayorIte playi It's. sc Gun
ny. This is a big story you've given
me, Mr.. O'Neil.''
ssI realize that
1T has the biggest news value of
anything Alaskan which has broken
| for some time. I think you are q very
nice person to interview. after all. .
wait. I don't want you to use a
word of what I've told you.%
(To Be Continueds)
Germany is reported to have con-