The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-01-26


opportunity for knighty combat in:the
service Of this extraordinary woman.
and in the absence of n formal intro.
duction, what man could desire finer
opportunity for getting acquainted! If
only their meeting had but been de:
layed two weeks, ten days, a week !
Once free Of his ugly cocoon Of rags
and wEiskers, the butterfly Webster
would not have hesitated one brief in
STINT to inform himself Of that young
lady's address, following his summary
disposal of her tormentor. }.''s. II:
But in all things there is limit,
and. John Stuart Webster's right eye
constituted a, deadline beyond which,
as. a gentleman, he dared not venture
so, with a heavy heart lie bowed to
the inevitable. Brilliant and mysteri-
Gus as meteorite she had flashed
once across his horizon and was gone.
In the privacy Of isstateroom Web
ster had ham and eggs for breakfast.
He was lighting his second cigar when
the porter knocked and entered With
nm envelope.
"Lady in the observation.car as ked
me to deliver this to you, sab" he an
nounced Importantly.
, It was a note, freshly written Oh the
train stationery. Webster read:.
SThe distressed lady desires to
thank the gentleman in stateroom,c A
for his chivalry of yesterday. She IS
profoundly sorry that in, her SERVICE
the gentleman in stateroom A wasisg
unfortunate as to acquire a red eye
with blue trimmings"
john Stuart Webster swore his
mightiest oath, "By the twelve apos-
ties, Simon, Peter, Andrew, James,
john, Philip, Bartholomew, MattheW,
Thomas, James, Jude and Simon, aud
not emitting Judas Iscariot, the scaly
scoundrel who betrayed his Lord and
,AIaster!" He searched through an old
wallet until he discovered a fairly
clean professional card, across the bot
tom Of which, he wrote, 'Thank you.
J. s. w." and sent it to the no-longer-
distressed lady.tHiL1*
"The most signal adventure of my
life is now over" he soliloquized and
turned to his cigar. "Forr the sake of
my self-respect, I had to let her know
I'm not hobo! And NOW to the task
of framing up a scheme for future
acquaintance. I must learn her name
and destination; so as q: preliminary
I'll interview the train >conductor2'
He did and under the ameliorating
influence Of a five-dollar, bill the5cen-
ductor bent a respectful ear to 1.-The
Websterian message. :, = :" :
"In Car Seven" lie began, "tlsere Is
a young lady, do not know what sec;
ton she occupies neither 10 I Know
her :,ame and destination. 7 I; only
know, what she looks like" So,
The conductor nodded. "And you
want to ascertain her name and dees1
tination" 49,. -.
II do" =,
"All right. I have the unused por-
ton of her transportation: to return
to her before we hit Salt Take; her
name is on, the. ticket ,a1dl the ticket
indicates her destination. I'll make a
mental note Of both as soon as I've
identified her ticket" =, > =, q.
A few hours later the conductor
came to Websters stateroom and
handed him a card upon which was
written: =! : j.. ! - NJ Il
!: Dolores ERuey. From Los Angeles,
via San Pedro, Los, Angeles, & salt
Lake. to Salt Lake City. Deliver & Rio
Grande to Denver, Burlington to st.
Louis, Illinois Central to New Orleans
Stop-over at Denver" 81 -. ~
John Stuart. Webster studied the
name after the conductor withdrew.
"Tkat's a Spanish NAME" lie so1ilo-
-quized, "but: for all that, shes not a
parakeet. All things considered,
guess I'll take a chance and investi-
gate. ! -