The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-01-20


seemed. the most inopportune time
possible to express his gratitude.
But there was his outstretched hand
should she ignore it? Anger swayed
her-yet something within her, and
something in Storms eyes and his
manner, pleaded against cutting him
dead. With ~furiously red cheeks but
sweeping aside the cost. Helen put out
her hand. 1T was nothing" she said
quickly. do not think of it." Then
she repaid Storms impplsive stupid
ity, as she thought it deserved, by
catching at something Seagrue was
saying and failing to see Storm again.
The engineer had come up prepared
really to say how grateful he was; he
found himself. in a fleeting second,
already well launched on the social
toboggan and shooting toward the bot
tom of a long hill. Seagrue, almost be-
fore Storms back was turned, was
laughing at Helen and pointing to her
glove. The white, soft kid now bore
beyond repair the heavy, black finger
prints of the e~ngineman's hand.
Questions and gatherings from her
companions contributed nothing to-
ward restoring Helen's composure. But
as the group moved To the waiting mo
tor cars, she unostentatiously drew
the offending glove over her wrist and
threw 1t away. One pair of eyes
watched the action closely; Storm,
collecting his wits after his social dis
aster, noted what she had done. He
was too philosophical to resent it. In
stead, crossing the platform. when the
party had driven away, he picked UP
the discarded glove and put it In his
pocket.
Nor did he. IN his turn, escape un-
seen. AS n of the cars whirled
around a nearby corner Helen, look
ing back at the scene Of her annoy
ance, saw Storm picking up something
white; she knew 1t was her glove.
On reaching home-where the ladies
were taken to their various rooms and
the mel went to their business
Helen, from her own room overlook
ing the passing track, watched the
freight, bearing Storm. draw out and
stop before the station for orders.
Turning to her glass more than
once to see whether her cheeks were
still as flushed as they felt, she was
gratified to find that traces of her hui
initiation had disappeared. Her mind
from which she had tried to dismiss
the whole incident, was now assailed
by a rebcllious curiosity concerning
what sac had een happen on the dis
tant platform when Storm crossed IL
to pick up her glove. AS his frank eyes
returned again and again to her imag
nation, something seemed to call her
strongly, back to where he still was
detained. She resisted longer; then
surrendering to q sudden impulse. she
ran downstairs, while her guests were
disposing themselves, stepped into her
racing car, drove to the station and
alighting just as Storm came out OF
the telegraph Office. she herself began
to search at the edge Of the platform
for something. The engineer. after
an interval, deliberately Joined her.
"You have lost something"
Helen glanced up with affected sur
prise. Nothing of moment. / missed
q ring when / got home." she fabricat
ed lightly. "and m of my gloves.
thought l might have dropped the one
with the other here"
Storms hand moved toward his
blouse. then regaining his composure,
he withdrew his hand, empty, and az
fected to search along the roadway
with her. 1t was q brief duel Of wits,
but one In which the railroad man was
no longer at q disadvantage. He was
quite willing to search as long as she
would linger and Helen. more than q
little interested, was capricious and
did linger until Storms slow sentences
began once more to bear too directly
on the episode of the wreck and his
gratefulness; then with q hasty good
By shc started Tor home and storm
climbing into his engine. pulled out
with his long train.
General Holmes. in the meantime
with his two Jealous groups Of direc'
tors, was striving In his drawing room
to arrive with them at Q mutually sat
isfactory settlement of the proposed
stock issue. In ~reserving 10000 shares
of this for himself and his friends,
Holmes had allotted 10000 to Sea
grue and his Wall street associates.
This both Seagrue and CapeIle had
bluntly refused to accept. since the
proposed line would work havoc with
the through ana apcal trafac OF the
Colorado and Coast road. seagrue de-
manded instead an equal distribution
OF the new stock. Holmes and Rhine
lander, alter 2 crSs$=eeafsrsnea. pint
the motion fatiy to the eleven direc-
tors. Seven Of them supported Presi.
dent Holmes' proposal.
6eagrue. white with anger. rose.
Cancel . allotment, then. We will
neht~