The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-05-08
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Hour Of Life.
by 8. 3. HAckLEY.
Copyright, 1919; by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

ram nau ceabeos put ZIG h4bnS
was tnlSy black. o'Neal sat IN
( the train, his big hands clasped around
one propped-up knee, his sensitive
face bent over them, his warm Irish
heart aching with a new sense OF the
grief from which he was fleeing.
II had been four weeks since Mar
jorie Ballew had told him OF her en-
Ragement to Sheriff. Leeds-a four
weeks whose every moment had gone
10 arrange his affairs that he might
make this prospecting trip TO the state
or Washington to find home where
he would not have daily to see her az
Leeds, wife
Sheriff. was the grandson Of one OF
the aristocratic founders OF the town,
md had q fortune besides, and he,
John O. Meal, brought up and educated
though he was, by the childless old
minister OF the place, was but the
orphaned son OF Dennis oNeal, brick
layer.
But o.Neal had not thought this
would make. any difference to Marjorie
Marjorie whom he had loved since
he first carried her lunch basket to
school, and fought Sherry Leeds for
calling her "Ted:head!"
He had waited TO ask her TO marry
him. until he could tell her that his or
ders for house building material war
I. ranted him building house for him
aelf, only to find she intended TO mar
!, ~ Sheriff. Leeds.
"But you made me believe you
loved met" he had cried helplessly.
y .oh, Margie, darling, / love you bet.
teri need you more than he"
- Mother wishes 1t, john" had been
s her defensive answer. "And IL don't
!. want you to quit being my friend. /
want you to come to see me often"
) /, Il cannot bear to see you again.
Margie." In the bitterness OF his dis.
him miserably. II never want to see
you again unless 1t is In the hour of
death
ss On the hour OF DEATH" she had
= echoed unhappily, holding out trem-
4 bling hand which he could not trust
i himself to take. "Good:by then, John,
Il until the hour of DEATH
Gibson! All out for Gibson!"
- The.coach door banged open and the
i train drew to standstill in pros
= porous little town halfway across the
West. ~.
A gay group. bringing the fragrance
g Of carnations with II, came in at the
! rear of the coach aud took seats be-
1 hind o'Neal! There were three young
girls in the party, an elderly woman
+ and two young men. From the girls
chatter o'Neal learned, they we're go
Ing anShour's ride down the road to be
present the next day at a. morning
u wedding at which the three young
i women were to be bridesmaids.
80 Madge, you'll be almost too
5 busy. after this wedding, with millin-
b. ers and dressmakers, to help anybody
,heise get married, won't you?' The
= voice OF the girl rose clear and loud.
Z "Right you are, Laurestine!' One
O ftfe young men laughed as he spoke
/. andyhis voice. strangely familiar to
Z o,Neal. somehow grated on him. "oc'
tober is only two months off, October,
when Madge plays the part OF leading
lady at my wedding!"
1.-TWO months is long time. Many
:Gthings may happen in two months"
o'Neal clutched the arms OF his
chair. It was her voice, and the man
who laughed was Sheriff. Leeds! Sup
pose they should recognize him! Once
she had told him, banteringly. that she
would know the back of his black
head, the shoulders of his over-big
sslbody, across the Mississippi river. "
4"I'm a coward Ia weakened
coward" o'Neal rebuked himself, "but
can't face her-I can't face them to.
u sether!"
- The next moment there was a ter
fific wrench of the car. a creaking and
groaning OF steel and timbers, and the
engine went down in the boiling wa
tiers OF the river through the broken
6ridge. BY strange sort of miracle
though the baggage car hung down
into the water, the passenger coaches
still stood on the track, in imminent
danger of at any moment Of being
= drawn into the flood.
The engineer and his fireman had
gone down to death, but none OF the
passengers were more than bruised
and shaken, and there was frantic
exodus from the coaches to the safety
Of the solid ground beside the track.
us everybody out all safe?" Mar
jorie Ballew, standing white and shak
en- ION the sodden ground, asked man
Beside her.
...All out but one man." he answered
Hes not hurt, but one OF his legs Is
4 fastened some way. They've sent UP
the road for tools, butts doubtful
y whether they get back in time to get
Him out--you see. the coach is likely
to 60 over any minute"
WHO Is he? she asked pityingly.
Says his names John o'Neal
Wants the Rev. Philip Lavender, Of
Woodside, New York. informed, it,
But the girl was gone.
o'Neai, waiting calmly, felt q light
touch on his shoulder. and looked UT
into pair OF terrified blue eyes.
'Margie!" He caught her arm in q
tense grip. go backE
.Johns she breathed, and his heart
beat strangely, joyously, while there
came calls Of distress from the elder
lykinsEoman and the girls outside the
car. sif II is the hour OF death to you
am going to pass It with you'll"
Come out, Margie." pleaded sher
riIrs voice through the open window
Don't risk your life!" III
There was no answer from the girl
Leeds voice hardened with fear.
Marjorie. I'm coming in to carr
you outis,i
eco, Marjorte!" besought oNea,