Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-12-01

" 4vO JNUS OS AO0AJ IAS
minute we stop and hustle across the
platform. Yes, yer OF this = side.
You can't miss 1t. It's only a step.
You'll see the Pullman cars. Don't
wait to SO up TO the station. Just
beat 1t right across"
Tho man thanked him and got his
belongings together, arxiously watch
ing out the window. for the nrst sign.
Of pulling into the station.
Hilda's resolve was taken. She
would follow that man to. the Wash
ington train. She would be all ready
to move the instant the train stopped.
And the man wouldn't Know It; nor
would the conductor tsshe would
Just slip OUT a. 81 she knew the way
perfectly weikkkShS.xShad.aher pass. and
In case It shoutdhsf happen to be good
on the Washington train, she had
money enough In that big roll, sure
" to carry, her to. washington. She
needn't wait for q ticket; She could
pay on the train.
The man hustled his hand luggage
back to the door to be ready<the min
ute tho train stopped. The conductor
came along, lifted the platform, OPEN
ed the door, and the man stepped
down to the lower step as the train
slowed into the big car shed at Broad
Street station. Hilda watched fur
lively, but would not move till the
train came to halt. and then she,
on. He started on q run up the plat
form to where q train was just puff
mig up preparatory to starting. She
tripped down the steps lightly,
lodged bebind q baggage truck and
was of after the man.
els this the Washington trein?Ty she
heard the man ask as the conductor
leaned down from the platform, his
hand up to the signal cord.
The conductor nodded. the man
ssprang aboard. and Hilda after him
Just as the wheels began to move.
She had to catch at the hand-rail to
keep from>falling back. The conduc-
o had gone in the car without see
ing her. AZ she followed the man in
to the car she caught q glimpse of
h attentive brakeman gazing
anxiously down the platform with. q
disappointed expression, but she, did
not know that he was looking for her.
Up at the station gates q stout man
studying each passenger who came
through with keen, anxious gaze, and
a German woman with a little shawl
around her shoulders questioned the
conductor az he came up to the gate
about a girl who had got on at Platt's
Crossing with a suitcase. The con-
,ductor told her the girl had been on
the train. The brakeman asserted
that he was sure Of that; she better
j n the waitine-room. He tried to
get the woman's address but failed:
He wouldn't have minded going to Zee
ifsHilda got to her people all right,
he thought. One didn't see q girl like
that every day. She was ,anparkntly
far superior to her people. Likely
she was city-bred and had been out
to the farm to. visit relatives.
Back at tho West Philadelphia sta.
ton another man In citizens clothing
WATCHED the trains awhile and then
went into. 2 ~telephons booth to re-
and get more particular directions.
Meantime, Hilda sat In the little end
seat of the Warrington train and
sped on her, way without hindrance.
molested her. 4
The afternoon dragged on and the
q Was hot and crowded. "a large
woman. ina satin gown, sAt down on
the end Of Hilda's scat and crowded
her close against the wall. There
was no window by that little end seat.
vas many hours since the voices un-
der her window, before daylighEs had
reused her to the world, and sheshad
come q long hard way. Her lashes
dropped over her pale cheeks, her
head and her back 6ched terribly.
and she felt 4 great goneneas in the
region Of her. stomach She had eat
on no breakfast, and the few mouth
fuls of coffee she had taken had long
.lie down and cry. she was % missr.
ID andihOt and faint. hf,t AAhn 49,