Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-03-05

unduly sohcitous of specific ac
quaintance. Therefore the lady passenger
permitted herself to be Garlanded and
McFaranded and SolomOned with equal
five miles from Paradise to Sunrise City.
Compagnon de voyage is name enough,
by the gripsack of the Wandering Jew /!
for so brief a journey.
Soon the little party Of wayfarers were
happily seated An a cheerful arc before
the roaring fire. The robes, cushions,
and removable portions Of the coach had
been brought In and put to service. The
Lady passenger chose place near the
hearth at one end of the arc. There she
graced almost a throne that her subjects
had prepared. She sat upon cushions
and leaned against an empty box and
barrel, robe bespread which formed a
defense from the invading draughts. She
extended her feet, delectably shod, to the
cordial heat. She unglOved her hands,
but retained about her neck her long fur
boa. The unstable flames half revealed,
while the warding boa half submerged,
her face, a youthful face, altogether femi-
nine, clearly moulded and calm with
beauty's unchallenged confidence. Chtv-
airy and manhood were here vying to
please and comfort her She seemed to
accept their devoirs-not piQuantly, as
one courted and attended nor preeningly
as many of her sex unwOrthily reap their
hOnors; nor yet stolidly, as the OK re-
celNes MS nay out COncOFuauLy WIN
natures own plan-as the lily ingests
the drop of dew foreordained to its re-
freshment.
Outside the wind roared nightly, the
fine snow whiZzed through the cracks,
the cold besieged the backs Of the i'm
mOlated six; but the elements did not
lack a champion that night. Judge
Menefee was attorney for the storm. The
weather was his client, and he strove
by special pleading to convince his com
paniOns in that frigid jury-bOx that they
sojourned in bower of roses beset
only by benlgnant zephyrs. He drew
upon fund of gaiety, wit, and anecdote,
sOphistical, but crowned with success.
His cheerfulness communicated itself ir-
resistibly. Each one fastened to con-
tribute his quota toward the general OPP
timism. Even the lady passenger was
moved TO expression.
Il think it is quite charming" she
said In der slow crystal tones.
At intervals some one of the passen-
gers would rise and humOrously explore
the room. There was little evidence to
be collected Of its habitation by old man
Redruth.
Bildad Rose was called upon viva
ciously for the ex -hermit's history Now,
since the stage-driver's horses were fairly
comfortable and his passengers appeared
TO be so, peace and comfy returned to
him.
somewhat irreverently, Infested this here
house about twenty years. He never al
lowed nobody 10 come nigh him. He'd
duck his head inside and slam the door
whenever team drove along, There
was spinning wheels up in his loft, all
right. He used to buy bis groceries and
tobacco at sam Tilly's store, on the
Little Muddy. Last August he went up
there dressed in red bedquilt, and told
Sam he was King Solomon, aud that
the Queen Of Sheha was coming to visit
him He fetched along all the money
he had-a little bag full OF silver-and
dropped II in Sans well. She won't
come says old man Redruth to Sam,
If she knows I've got any money
LAS soon as folks heard he had that
sort Of q theory about women and
money they knowed he WAS crazy so
they sent dowI and packed him to the
foolish asylum"
WAS there a romance in his life that
drove HIM to solitary existence Z"
asked one OF the passengers, young
man who had an agency.
No" said Bildad, mot that ever
heard spoke Of Just ordinary trouble.
They say he had had unfortuuateness In
the way Ct love arrangements with
he contracted red bedquilts and had his
auancial conclusions disqualified.
never heard Of no romance
"Ahg' exclaimed Judge Menefee, I'm
pressively; "a case OF unreq quilted az
lection, no doubt"
NO, sir" returned Bldad. mot at all.
She never married him. Alarmaduke
Mulligan, down nj Paradise, seen q man
once that come from old Redruth's town.
He said Redruth was fine young man,
but when YOU Kicked him on the pocket
ali you could hear jingle was cuff
fastener and a bunch Of keys. He was
engaged to this young lady-Miss Alice
something was her name. I've forgot
This man said she was the kind of a girl
you like TO have reach across YOU IN
car to pay the fare. Well there come TO
the town a young char all affluent and
easy, and fixed up with buggies and
mining stock aud leisure time Although
she was a st8ked claim, Miss Alice and
the new entry seemed to strike a mutual
kind Of n clip. They had calls and coin
cidences of going 10 the pestofflce and
such things as sometimes make a girl
send back the engagement ring and
other prcsents--'a rift within the loot
the poetry man calls Il.
zone day folks seen Redruth and Miss