The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-10-09
36e Fast Mail VI I
r. 0A1SO FbN
BY GENEvIEvE ULMAR

!@e@&e@&S>H%@~~&%@@1%HH<t1
| The post Office at Ferndale paid
| only four hundred dollars year, and
/, because Silas Moore, it's incumbent in
| charge, was old and poor, the position
had been awarded to him by common
| consent. 1t occupied a railinged-of
space in the general store of the viii
| lage, and his stepdaughter, Etiie, an
| orphan, kept track Of things generally.
The old man was selfish and exacting
and would not appear upon duty until
| nearly noon. At dusk he went back !
home, but Eftie would remain to get
the bag Of mail brought down the line
ut eight o'clock. :.
After the morning mail Effie would
+, do double duty, helping as clerk IN the
4 store. She had tried to save up from
this, but her stepfather would borrow
from her little store, and the purpose
she had in view grew DINNER as time
| went on. >a- - #
When Effie was eighteen she told
her stepfather that she. felt she had
done her duty by him and asked him
to consent to her going to the city
where she could earn fair wages.
Don't do 1t, Effie," pleaded the old
man. II know this isn't the life for
you. but l couldn't get along without
| you. Wait for one more year. At its
end 1 shall have paid off the last Ave
hundred dollars owe on the old place
and then I could maybe afford to hire
some one to take your place. Then
there's Royden to, think of: Why can't
| you like him? He can afford to get
| married and" s%% 49,.
"Never! flashed OUT Effie decisive
ly. ~. %a.t' 49, ~, @
Efie was thinking deeply as she
| heard the fast mail In the distance
and went down to the depot. The train
did not stop, the Ferndale mail bag
! being tossed out as it passed the
depot. Eftie watched it roll and land.
She walked toward it and as the Sleep
er and dining car flashed by some
thing cut the air, hurled from one of
the coach windows. .,2E W: =
| "Mercy! what's that?" gasDed Efie.
for the object had landed directly
against her cheek. She felt a sharp,
singing contact and, startled and Curl
Gus, walked over to where the object
had landed. At her feet lay something
wrapped up in Il large silk handker-
chief. As she picked it up there was
metallic jangle From the handker-
chie&protruded one-half Of jeweled
| stick pin. 1t was it's pointed end that
had abrased her cheek. She heard
approaching footsteps, made out the
advancing figure of Royden and con-
cealed the package under her cape.
= Thought I'd come and see you
home, Efie, spoke Royden, and he
picked up the mail bag, which was left
at the. post office, and as soon as they
reached home .Eftie left her stepfather
to entertain Royden, pleaded weari-,.
ness and went to her room. XIX
She drew the shades, locked the
door, opened the mysterious package
| and stared down fairly affrighted at a
mass Of bewildering richness. There
was a diamond bracelet, a necklace of
pearls, rings, charms, vpins. For two
or three days after that Life was I'M
easy and sleepless. She watched the
newspapers and made many guarded
Inquiries. One evening she CHANGED
to overhear her stepfather and Roy
den cOnversng jim low tones. The old
man had come across the jewels. He
and Royden were discussing their
seizure and disposition.
| That night Effie stole from the
house at midnight and the next day
! was in the city. She had a small sum
, Of money and installed herself in
cheap quarters, depicting her savings
by advertising in newspapers for 'the
owner of some valuables found in a
, silk handkerchief at Ferndale."
! Effie did not find work as hoped for.
: Finally all her money was gone. Then
came foodless days.. A letter came to
, her. 1t was in reply to her advertise
ment. There might be possibility of
dale Arnold, % Walsingham build
, ing, being interested. Would she please
call?" E|s.g.l| x.
! Eme had eaten nothing since the
| day before. When she reached the
| Office designated in the letter she was
told by stenographer that Mr.. Ar
mold would be down little later, and
Efie sat down to- wait for him; waver-
/ ing and exhausted. Then she knew
nothing more for many hours to
awaken in q beautifully furnished
room with kindly-faced, motherly
woman bending over her solicitously.
She was the mother Of Dale Arnold,
who had found his strange visitor in a
dead faint and had learned from a
physician hastily summoned that lack
of food was the cause. Discovering the
jewels he surmised that a poor and
honest girl had gone without the nee
.essaries of life, rather than apprbpri- !
ate What did NOT belong RI hpr'