Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1920-06-17


time, then, Norma, dear" spoke Mrs.
Burton. 1--WE are not by any means
at pOyerty's door, but We can hardly
afford the outfit and other expense Of
Cape Bay trip"
at would be sinful waste,
mamma" declared the daughter. II
was so bored with affected ladies Of
feshion and posers and spooners
/. among the men last season that 1 was
glad when got home again"
Mrs. Burton was no maneuvering
mother, but the world had taught her
| many practical lessons The Burtons
had always held their heads high in
social way. They had been particular
and exclusive In their selection Of
friends, and when Norma was eighteen
drew the lines still more rigidly. It
was with a feultIess and tactical
chaperon that Norma had passed sea
son at Cape Bay. Proposals came
10 her innumerable, but she had only
laughed at the idea Of marriage and
had returned home heart free.
\ why not Uncle Darius, mammal"
/ Norma inquired srtlessly, and her
! mother at first held up her hands in
| dismay.
Norma" she said, don't you
/ know that he is as poor as
! church mouse7 He fills q very in
ferior position, learn, with q rail-
road. He and my sister have absolute
| ly receded from any social prestige,
and you will vegetate in the dead town
! where they barely subsist'
/ Il can't help IT," replied Norma. Il
| took a great liking 10 both Of them
| when they visited rs three years ago"
! 1t was relief TO Norma, after her
I mother had finally acquiesced in her
| plans, 10 pack up sensible attire and
/ anticipate how she could run TO her
| hearts desire away from the burden
/ some exactions Of fashion and society.
She arrived ar Brocton after dark, and
| certainly the single block Of down
town stores, the solitary railway shops,
! the little house and the unlighted and
( unpaved streets did not look very in
viting. Plain, homespun Uncle Darius
| piloted the way TO little old cottage
Of four rooms not 500 feet from the
depot.
4 don't know how you will manage
| TO put in the time, dear" said Aunt
Mary. You see, we lost the old home
stead and had to move TO humber
| quarters, and Darius has been obliged
to take position as signal man at the
Main street crossing"
There were woods and lakes near
the little town, and Norma did not find
any oppressive dizziness She took
pleasure in spelling Uncle Darius at
| his task. There was a little shed at
the crossing, and Norma liked TO sit
there with the old man listening TO
quaint tales Of his long life expert
ence. Whenever q train was coming
he had the conventional sheet metal
sign bearing the Ominous command
"Stopl" which he would wave to warn
approaching vehicles and pedestrians.
One day Norma noticed a sinister Wis
aged man hanging around the depot,
and several times when trains arrived
he wandered up and down the tracks
as though expecting somebody
She never forgot the morning when
No. s passenger reached the depot
She was on hand with the stop" sig
nal and waving il 10 halt an approach
ing farmers wagon, when g young
man stepped off the rear platform Of
the last car. light satchel in his hand,
and started 10 cross the tracks in the
direction Of the cay shops. He had not
proceeded ten feet when from behind
q pile Of ties there sprang before him
the sinister appearing lurker. With g
piece OF iron covered with 8 handker-
chief he dealt the newcomer a blow
that drove him PROSTATE, tore the
satchel from his hand and darted for
ward across the tracks. Norma was
startled. shocked. but she at once real
lied the object OF the assailant Of the
man was robbery. She acted on i'm
pulse. As the thief passed her she
swung the heavy stop signal. 1t came
squarely down upon the head Of the
fugitive, driving him of his feet. Nor
ma seized the satchel he had dropped,
flung it into the shelter shed. and.
darling back to where the miscreant
lay, menaced him anew with her
strange weapon as he weakly essayed
to regain his feet, meantime shouting
to some track men at distance for as
| siStance.
The young man despoiled was car
ried to the little house where he lay IN
til a doctor arrived. He had received
q bad cut in the head, but in few
| hours was able to proceed on his way.
Il developed that he was the presi-
dent OF the road. and the satchel which
he was carrying when assailed con-
tanned the pay roll OF the car shops.
Percy Cleveland stopped at the lit
tie cottage on his way back to the
depot. His bright eyes flashed adj
miration for the lovely heroine who
had saved the company a goodly sum.
A week later he made second visit
m Norma. this time In his automobile,