Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-03-02

| platform all to himself. After a time
he chose to walk quietly up and down,
thinking. The future looked very fair
| to him.
Bert" a sweet voice came to him
out of the darkness. He turned to dis
cover her standing in the door of the
car dressed as she should have been
for such an excursion had she at first
followed her fathers wise suggestion.
His heart thrilled to the use of the IA
miIiar name. Bert, I'm coming down
to you"
Hand in hand they walked to the
rear of the car, where the observation
platform was still brightly lighted. Alb
bott had gone and the other three men
were on their feet. They were about
to separate for the night, although it
was still rather early.
"Father," said his daughter out of
the darkness.
"Oh, you're there" answered the
colonel. Il wondered when you were
coming back. was just thinking of
going to fetch you. Is Mr.. Meade-?"
'Tm here, sir"
"Good night, gentlemen" said the
colonel as the others turned away,
leaving him alone on the platform.
He came to the edge and leaned over
the brass railing.
"Are you two going to make night
of it?'' he asked loosely.
Colonel nlingworth," began Meade
"Father," said his daughter at the
same time, 1--WE have something to say
to you"
Colonel nlingworth opened the gate,
lifted the platform, and descended the
steps.
"Here am" he said as he stopped
by the two.
His daughter took him by the arm
and they walked down the platform so
as to be out of any possible hearing
: from the car.
Snow" she said to Meade, who fol-
lowed her.
His heart was beating almost as rap
} idly as it had on the bridge, and for
: exactly the same reason-fe ar of los
ing her. He tried to speak.
"Well, young man?". said Hing
! worth, fiicking the ashes from his cigar
and wishing to get it over, "you said
: you had something to say to me-"
: "It's a very hard thing to say, SIR"
l He looked helplessly at the girl, but
she was speechless. 1t was his task
r If she were not worth asking for, she
was not worth having, she might have
said. "Well, sir" he began desperate.
ly, 81 love your daughter, Helen. ]
want to marry her."
"Umph," said the colonel, ST sup.
1 posed as much. How long have you
= and Helen known each other?"
4 "Over a year, sir, but I loved her
: from the very moment I saw her.
did not dare hope, / didn't dream,
l never imagined, and strange as it may
!. seem, sir, she-seems to love me-"
"Of course do" said Helen, realiz
; ing that it was now high time for hel
to come to the rescue of her lover
e "and so would any other woman"
r "You know, of course, that while
: am not rich, l am not poor, and I car
:. urged the man, greatly relieved by th'
e woman's prompt avowal.
"She'n need few luxuries besides
I'm thinking"
q Eyes, of course, sir, I'll see that sh
/ gets them. This bridge is going t.
L make us all famous, and / shall hav
my fathers influence and"
::fWhen the bridge is finished" sal,
IL the colonel decisively, "come to me an,
you shall have my daughter"
"Oh, father, the bridge won't be fin
ished for" began the girl.
i ST understand, sir" answered the en-
gineer, too happy at her fathers cor
u sent to make any difficulties over an
'e reasonable conditions he might impose
IL "Yes, Helen, it's all right; your fathe
re is right. This jobs got to be done be
fore /"
"Oh, don't say before you tackle al
r, other" protested the girl, half disaI
pointed, and yet seeing the reasonable
le ness of both men, while the colont
o. laughed grimly.
re 'That's about the size of it," said th
II old man, mo matter how you put i
eu One thing at time. Meade, l don
d know anybody on earth would rathe
N have for my son-in-law thar q cleal
e, honest, able American with a recor
"a like yours. A man who can look N
- in the eye and grasp me by the han,
a like this' =
q He put out his hand as he spok
"a Meade's own palm met it and the tW
n men shook hands Internationally bI
- firm II
Il restrained, practical American, who
"a always fearful of a scene and does M
n wear his heart upon his sleeve. II
"a colonel threw away his cigar, slippe
"a his arm around his daughters wais
IA kissed her softly on the forehead.
M Il hate to lose you, Helen. / hate
III give you up to anyone. We have bee
ri very happy together. since your moth
N died, leaving you a little girl to M
sS but it had to come, 1 suppose, and pc
q haps l shall be glad in the end. Coz
night, Meade. You will be coming
presently, Helen?"
He turned and walked away as tn
- answered him. They watched him
"A slowly with bended head. TIL
watched him climb, rather heavily, !
the steps to the car-that he was
old man seemed rather suddenly Dor
~ in upon them. He stood for nome
in the light, smiling, remembering, a
then turned and marched within t
Nm car. He switched the light out as
passed down the corridor.
"Wasn't he splendid?" said Hele
lnd when she had time to breathe and FRI
his dom to speak.
"One of the finest old men on ear
1 He and father would make a gre
Il team"
my 81 was interested in the bridge,
ure FORE" said the woman, 'but think b,
I shall watch it now. You must WI
she me every day and tell me every in
that you have gained"
"Trust me, I'll measure it in mi
aid, meters"
now HAnd now cwopt love good niob