The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-12-14


mission. T shall make it my business to
see that he gets IL
What do you meang' she said, wide
eyed. How could you punish your
self? You cannot still deny that you
wrote the letter"
Il still deny that l wrote 1t, or ever
saw it until you handed 1t to me just
now"
The girl looked at him. nonplussed,
more than half convinced, in spite OF
reason.
But isn't that your handwriting?"
1T is not. Look!'I
He took out his fountain pen and,
holding the letter on the arm OF her
chair, ne wrote rapidly in his natural
hand her OWL name n address be-
meath the address on the envelope, then
held 1t up TO her.
DO they look alike p
The tWo VIKINGS were as utterly I'M
like as possible, rle letter being adj
dressed III an almost u~nreadable sc!awl,
and the fresh writing standing fine and
clear, in q script thaI spoke OF mar
acter. and business abiiity. Even a.
child could see at a glance that the
two were MOI writtcn-by The same hand
-and yea, OF course, IL might save been
practlced Tor ne purpose OF deception.
This thought flashed through the
minds of both even as lac leld 1t
out for her 10 look.
She looked from the envelope to his
eyes and back 10 the letter, startled,
not knowing what to think
But before either OF them had time
for another word, the conductor, the
porter and several people from the "a
behind came hurrledfy through, and
they realized that while they talked
the train had coIne to a halt, amid the
blazing electric lights OF a great city
station.
why" said Gordon, startled, I'VE
must have reached Pittsburgh. Is this
Pittsburgh he called out 10 the van
ishing porter.
Vas, sah!" yelled the porter, putting
his head around the curve of the pas
sageway. You bettah hurry, sab, foh
dis train goes on TO Cincinnati pretty
quick. Yves late gittin' in, you see
Neither of them had noticed a man
in rough clothes with SLOUGH hat and
hands in his pockets who had board
ed the, train a few miles back and
walked through the car several times
cycling them keenly. He stuck his head
in at the door furtively and drew back
quickly again out OF sight.
Gordon hurriedly gathered up the
baggage, n they wen out OF the car,
porter rushing back as they reached
the door,, TO assist them and get a last
tip. There was no opportunity to say
anything more. as they mingled with
the crown, untl the porter lanueQ their
baggage in the great station and hur-
ried back to his train. The man with
the SLOUGH hat followed and stood I'M
obtrusively behind them.
Gordon looked Town at the white,
drawn face of the girl, and his heart
was touched with compassion for her
trouble. He must make her some sat
isfactory explanation at once that
would set her heart at rest, but he
could not do 1t here, for every seat
about them was filled with noisy, chat
tering folk. He stopped and whispered
low and tenderly:
o worry, little girl! lust try to
trust me, and / will explain ALL"
Can you explain it?" she asked anx-
iously, as If catching at a rope thrown
out to Save her life. o
Perfectly" he said, "if o will be
patient and trust me. But we cannot
talk here. lust wait in this seat until
/ see IL l can get the stateroom on the
sleeper"
He left her with his courteous bow,
and she sat watching hts tall, fine fig
ure as he threaded his way among the
crowds. to the Pullman window, her
heart filled with mingling emotions. In
spite of her reason, a tiny bit Of hope
for the future was %springing up in her
heart and without her own will she
found herself inclined to trust him. At
least 1t was all h could do at present.