Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-01-28


short. sweet and comprehensive, con
tainlng an order which you are going
to obey. II reads somewhat as fol
lows:
any friend. John s. Webster, wires
me from Blank that re boarded train
at Blank and was refused tirst-clasS
accommodation because he looked like
a hobo. Give him the best you have in
stock. II you have to throw sOmebOdy
off the train to accommodate him.
Signed, Sweeney
do hit the target?"
The conductor nodded. "YOu win,
Mr.. Webster" he admitted.
Occasionally l lose, old timer.
WellT
mo Offense. Mr.. WebSteR no Offense.
can let you have staterOOm-"
"Ttat's trading talk. I'll take It,"
The conductor gave him his receipt
and led him back to the staterOOm In
the observation car, AT the door Web
ster handed him five-dOllar bill. "FOr
you, son" he said gently, Just to take
the sting out of what I'm about to tell
you. Now that possess your receipt
and know that ten men and boy can
not take 1t away from me, I'm going to
tell you who Sweeney ls."
"WhO is he?" tie conductor querled.
Already he suspected he had been out
generated
Sweeney" said Mr.. Webster, sis the
chief clerk In one of Chicago's most
preteatlOus hotels and a young man
who can find all the tangles Of sit.
uatiOn without working 1t out In lOga-
rithms. wired him the details of my
predicament; he heard the Macedonian
cry and kicked in. Neat, Is it nOt?"
The conductor grinned. 81 hate to
take your money" he declared.
Don't. Just at present I'm very
flush. Yes, sir, I'm as prosperous as a
yearling burro up to his ears in alfalfa
and the only use have ever found for
money is to make other people happy
with 1t, thereby getting some enjoy
ment out of it myself. When I'm broke
I'll make some more"
And Mr.. Webster retired to his hard
won sanctuary, where he removed ms
much alkall and perspratiOn as he
could, carded his long hair and whisk-
ers, manicured his finger nails with
jack-knife, changed his shirt, provided
five minutes of industry for George,
with his whskbrOOm and brush, and
set himself patiently to await the first
call to dinner.
Presently pink-jOwled, well
curried, fiashily dressed big man, Of
about Webster's age, passed in the cor
ridOr, going toward the head of the
train. An instant later wOman's
voice said very distinctly:
81 do not know you, sir; do not
wish to know you, and it is lOathsome
Of you to persist In addressing me. If
you do not stop your annoying atte1-
lions, | shall call the conductor"
"Ah! Beauty In Distress" John
Stuart Webster sOliloquized. II look
so much like an Angora gOat l might
as we'll butt in" He stepped to the
door of his staterOOm. A girl stood in
the vestlbule. confronting the man who
had just passed Webster's door. Web,
ster bowed.
Madame or mademOiselle, as the
case may be-" he said, unlike this
other male biped, my sole purpose in
presuming to address you is to suggest
that there Ia not the slightest necessity
for taking this matter up with the con
ductOr. I am here and very much at
your service"
The girl turned-and John Stuart
Webster's heart Topped twice In rapid
succession, like a trout newly grassed.
She was as lovely as royal flush
Her starry glance began at his miners
boots, travelled up his old soiled. whip
cord trousers, over his light blue cham
bray shirt and found the man behind
the whlskers. She favored him with
quick, curious scrutiny and a grave
sweet smile. "Ttank you so much, sir"
she answered, and passed down the
corridor to the observation car.
"Well, Old-timer," Webster greeted
the fellow who had been annoying her,
"hOw about your What do you think
we ought TO do about this little at
fair7"
''The sensible thing would be to do
nothing. You might start something
you couldn't finish"
That's a dare" Webster declared
brightly. "and wasn't 1t the immortal
Huckleberry Finn who remarked THAT
anybody that'd take a dare would suck
eggs and steal sheepl" He was silent
few seconds, appraislng his man. 81
suppose you commenced operations by
moving into her section and asking II
she would like to have the window
open and enjoy the fresh air. She re
buffed You. but being a persistent
devil, you followed her into the OBJ
servatiOn car. and in all probability
you Ogled her at luncheon AND ruined
her appetite And just now, when you
met her In this vestlbule, you doubt