The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-05-24

A Girl Who Waited
rs Years
By MYRA c. LANE
"a 1922. Western Newspaper Union-l

"a. 1922, Western Newspaper Union-)
He certainly was voluble. the rathe
shabby, middle-aged nan in the con
partment, but then, again, he was II
teresting. He had been over all tn
world, made and lost four fortunes
md now was coming back to his HON
J town after an absence Of Is years wit
a modest competence.
sand, boys" he said, I'm up agains
the greatest problem Of my life"
We all looked at him with renewed
interest. We had been a little bi
bored by his account Of the habit
of the Puam-Puam islanders likewis,
by his story Of the shark and the cut
fetish.
"When l left Linstoek-that's thu
station after next-there was I neet
hardly tell you, a girl. ! was a young
fellow of twenty-five, and she was
two and twenty. We were In love
| We'd always cared for each other, and
we'd sworn that so long as we lived
there never should be any one else
for either of us. I'm going back abb
solutely confident that that girl, II
she lives, and lives there, Is still wait
ing for me"
'That's what I'd call an optimist,"
said the fat drummer. "The girl
doesn't live Who"
mo, nor oughtn't to, neither" whis-
pered the man in the gray felt hat.
..The selfish old hog! He seems to
thing that after %trapesing the world
for a quarter Of a century he's comm
home to find that Griselda's been wait
ing for him all through the marrying
years of her life. I jest hope she's
married to a stock broker and has
three sets Of twins"
"Of course, you. realize that your
expectation is not according to human
nature" put In the man who looked
like a book-agent.
."Gentlemen," began the m~iddle-aged
man, Il know what I'm talking about.
stop half an hour at Linstock,
and as her house is about 30 yards
from the railroad line, I invite you
all to get out and accompany me
there. This here stations Alma.
Linstock's the next"
"What are your grounds for this be-
lief" inquired the man with the pur-
pie tie.
"Why, she swore always to be true
to me-" answered the m~iddle-aged
man.
"Has your experience Of life taught
you that a woman's word is usually
to be relied on In such mattersY" in
quired the man with the gray felt
hat.
Gentlemen, frankly, mol" answered
the ~middle-aged man. "But this girls
different. If she hasn't been true to
me, then all my faith In womanhood
Is. blasted"
"The Internal impudence Of himP
whispered the man in the purple tie.
"Ah, well, we'll see what we shall
ZEE" said the man, who looked like a
,ook agent.
"Linstockl" sang out the conductor.
The train was slowing down. 1t
vas a largish village, a junction, and
here would be at least half an hours
top waiting for the limited to pass.
rs the train drew up there was a ST.
nultaneous hasty move toward the
Ioor.
"Poor cuss !" whispered the mar in
he gray felt hat.
"Say, If I'd as much faith as that
ID be manager Of the district east Of
he Mississippi" muttered the drum
aer. "Must have been taking a faith
curse, that guy mustl"
The middle-aged man solemnly led
be party out Of the depot. They
lade their way down the untldy street
oward a row Of neat, but aged cot
ages sheltering In the shadow Of some
,fty elms. The middle-aged man
urned and waited to gather in the
arty.
"The old cottage" he said, pointing
0 the second from the end of the row.
Not pulled down. I knew It wouldn't
e."
AS they approached it the sound Of
.afantile screaming within was borne
pom the slight breeze. The drummer
"Seems to me-" he said, "our friends
opes are doomed to be busted"
"If she'd married she. wouldn't be
wing there" objected the man In the
urple tie.
"Might have come home for a VISIT"
bjected the man In the gray felt hat.
"Gentlemen," said the middle-aged
an. "she swore that she'd be waiting
,r me at the gate and-there she Is"
We stared. A prettyish, faded
,oking woman of about forty-two was
Gaming on the gate, looking at US.
he mlddleaged man ran forward and
Iasped her in his arms.
Darling. I've come back to your"
II knew You would, darling" she re-
lied.
They were kissing, actually kissing
ach other, as If they were young
,vers. We were all taken aback.
r- y-A