Show SERI L AV 41 STORY M TITA ev LIT pu la AT NICHOLSON illustrations lay RAT h C 3 8 B SYNOPSIS thornas ardmore more bored and henry maine griswold professor in the university of Virgi virginia take trains out ot of atlanta griswold to hla his collep colle KP ardmore in pursuit of a girl who had w winked inked at him two days before as a their trains train tood stood is opposite each other CHAPTER I continued trot griswoldsr Gris wolds eyes van wandered dered repeatedly peat edly from his manuscript to the car ceiling cel ling then furtively to the uncompromisingly averted shoulder and headon head of the young lady then back bach to his bis lecture notes until he be was weary of the process the alligator hide suitcase suit case thrust und erthe sent seat bore the familiar label of a swiss hotel where griswold had bad once spent a week and poke of the girls acquaintance with an ampler world when phoebe had brought it forth the initials D B 0 in small mack black letters lettera suggested baltimore ohio to ao Gris griswoldsr wolds lazy speculations whereupon he reflected that while baltimore was plausible the black servant eliminated ohio and as every virginian knows every other virginian he ha tried to identify her with old dominion family names beginning with 0 but without result lie he went out outto to supper secured the only remaining table tor for two and was giving hla his order when wh eu the young lady appeared she had donned her hat bat and as she stood a moment in the entrance surveying the line of tables her distinction was waa undeniable there were but two vacant places in the car one facing griswold the other across the aisle at a larger table where ahr three ee men were engaged in animated discussion the girl viewed the prospect with evident disappointment as the waiter drew au out t the vacant chair at table she carried h herself I 1 bravely but wore still a air that touched griswoldsr Gris wolds sympathy lie he rose told the waiter that he would sit at the other table und and the girl murmured her thanks with a forlorn little smile aishe as she took his seat the appearance of griswold aroused the mississippian to a renewal of the discussion of the now new orleans incident he was in excellent humor and had carried to the car a quart bottle which he be pushed toward griswold As the governor ot of north carolina said to the governor of south carolina no thank you and as lie ae spoke griswoldsr Gris wolds eyes fell upon the girl and he be saw annoyance written fleetingly ou on her face well sir air the declared after you left us awhile ago we got to talking about dangerfield and his trouble with osborne there theres t r something back of this rumpus you see it if they lived in the same state you might account for a fierce rivalry between them doth both of em for example might have the senatorial bee in their bonnets tut but either one of em cm could make the senate any time he pleased I 1 guess thebie the yie the two biggest biggish men in the south right no now W too big to be touchy about any small all matter why I 1 reckon theres something this little racket over there at new orleans no passing remark would send men oft that way so wild that they travel on the same train together why gentlemen please pass the salt interposed griswold the enjoyed the so sound und of his own voice which boomed i out above the nofie of the train with i broad effects of dialect that these types will not bo be asked to reproduce Gris griswoldsr wolds eyes had again met those of the girl opposite and there was he felt a look of appeal in them the discussion distressed her just as the telegrams from new orleans in the afternoon papers had distressed her and griswold began at once to entertain his table companions with his views on an a number of national political issues aruea that were as vital to arl ari rona or Wyo wyoming taing as to the carolinas Caroll Caroli nag wien vlen he went back into the cor car a ad 11 he found the girl and her maid still sitting bitting in their sections sect lonn though most of the other berths including his bis own had bad been made up tip the train was slowing blowing down and wishing a breath of air before retiring he be went to the rear platform of the sleeper which was the last car of the train the porter bad nd opened the door in the vestibule to allow the brakeman to run back wilb his torpedoes tb the baggage car bad detelj duvel opeil a not hot box and jumping out griswold saw 11 arus flashing ahead where the trainmen labored with the sick alck wheel the porter vanished leaving griswold Gri awold aloiv alon the ariti tri u hail had topped stopped at the edge of a small town whose scattered houses housea lay darkly against the hIlls beyond the platform lamps of a station shone A quarter of a mile ahead the feverish steel yielded reluctantly to treatment and griswold went forward and watched the men at work for a few minutes then returned to the end of 0 the train lie he swung himself into the tha vestibule and leaned upon the guard rall rail gazing down the track toward the Drak brak emans lantern then he grew Imp atlant at tho the continued delay and dropped down again pacing back and for forth dorthin thin in the roadbed road bed behind the becalmed train iraln the night was overcast with hints of rain in the air and ana a little way from the rear lights it was waa pitch dark griswold felt mire awe that the train would not leave without tho the brakeman and he was lurther further reassured by the tha lanterns of the trainmen beside the baggage car suddenly us as he reached the car and turned to retrace his bla steps a man sprang up seemingly from nowhere and accosted him 1 I rahon r ron yure the govnor aint 7 yut U r 1 F yes certainly my man what can I 1 do tor for youa you replied griswold instantly 1 I reckoned it was yu fu when yu fu fust come out on the platform im to tell fell fu govnor that it if yu have nil bill arrested in south Ca carolina elina get something one of these days yu fu wont like and if yu try to find me get it quicker good cool night might govnor good night stammered griswold the least irony had bad crept into the word governor as the man uttered it and slipped away into the darkness darene s s the shadows swallowed him up the frogs in the ditch beside the track chanted dolorously then the locodo the th e whistled for the drakeman brakeman whose lantern was already bobbing toward the train As griswold swung himself into the vestibule the girl who had borrowed his newspapers turned away hurriedly and walked swiftly before him to her section the porter who was gathering her things together said bald as she paused in the aisle ty by her seat Begin beginning nin to get ready miss osbon were swine gwine antu columbia 30 minutes late all account dat hot box griswold passed on to the smoking compartment and and lighted a cigar ills his acquaintances of the supper table had retired and he be was glad to be alone with his thoughts before the train reached columbia lie ile dealt harshly with himself for hla his stupidity in not having associated the tha girls perturbation over the breach between the governor of north carolina and the governor of south carolina with the initials on her traveling bag ie be had been very dull anit it was clear to him now mow that she was either the daughter or some so me other near relative of gov DObO osborne in a tew few minutes she would leave the train at t columbia where the governor lived and being a gentleman ho he would continue on his way to richmond and thence to tho the university and the incident would ie be closed but Griswold was a lawyer and tie lie had bad an old fashioned southern lawyers respect for the majesty of nf law on the spur nf curiosity or impulse he be had Tee Ived a threatening message intended for the governor off of south Ca who from the manner of the delivery of the message had bad been expected on this train griswold argued that the man who had spoken to him had been waiting at the little station near which they bad stopped in the hope of seeing the governor that the waiting messenger had bad taken advantage or of the unexpected halt balt of the train and further that some suggestion of the governor in his own appearance had deceived the stranger ile he felt the least bit guilty at having deceived the man but it was now clearly his duty to see that the governor was wan advised of the threat that had been communicated in so unusual a manner lie he was pondering whether he be should do this in person or by letter or telegram when the rattle of the train over the switch frogs in the columbia yards brought him to the point of decision the porter thrust life his head into the compartment columbia sab yo berths all ready salt yo yd gwine V t richmond yes sah ills hands were filled with the young lady ladys ladya a luggage the lettering on the suitcase suit sult case seemed in a way vay to appeal to griswold and an d to fix his determination porter put my things off ill wait here for the morning train CHAPTER 11 II the tha absence of gov osborne Ot borne griswold spent the night at ohp saluda house bouse columbia and rose in the morning with every intention of seeing gov osborne or tome some one in authority at his bis office as scon goon ba as possible and proceeding to richmond without further delay As he bo scanned the mornIn ir ar at breakfast he read with chagrin this item prominently headlined head lined gov osborne who was expected home from the cotton planters contention yesterday morning has been unavoidably detal detained ned in atlanta by important personal busi business nesa aless barbara osborne arrived last right night and proceeded at once to the governors mansion several matters of considerable importance await the tha governors return among these Is i the matter of at dealing with the notorious dill Apple weight it is IB understood that the north carolina clala are un unwilling rilling to arrest though his hading place placa la Is in the hills on the border near kai dare Is well known Alt although bough he runs back and forth across the state line at pleasure plea nuro he bo is IB a north caro finlan beyond question and ila about time bov dangerfield took note ot of the fact Ilo however wever the governor of south carolina may U a relied on to act with biff usual high donaa of 0 public duty in this matter prof griswold was not pleased to learn that the governor wax was still absent from the capital he felt that he be deserved better belter luck alter after tho the trouble he had taken to warn the governor it was now tuesday ho he had bad no further lectures at the university until the following Nion monday dayo and after he had taken me his bearings of 0 columbia where it occurred to him he had not an acquaintance he walked toward the capitol with a well vell formed idea ot of seeing the governors private secretary and it if that person appeared to be worthy of confidence apprising him of the governors danger it was not yet nine when lie he entered the governors office lie he waited in the reception room adjoining the official chamber but the sev oral cral desks of the clerical staff remained unoccupied lie he chafed chafee a bit as time passed and no one appeared for his northbound north bound arnin left at 11 and he could not fairly be asked to waste the entire day hero here ile ho was pacing the floor expecting ono one of the tha clerks to appear at any moment when a man entered hurriedly walked to the closed inner door shook it impatiently tient ly tind and kicked it angrily as an he turned away lie he was a short abort thickset man of 35 dressed in blue serge anti and hla his movements were quick and nervous ile he growled under his breath and swung round upon galko wold weld as though to tax him with responsibility for the closed door ilas has no one been here this morning he be demanded glaring at the tha closed desks if you dont count me I 1 should an ewer no replied griswold quietly ohl the two gentlemen regarded each other tor for a moment contemptuous dislike clearly written on an the smaller mans face griswold half smiling anil and indifferent 1 I am walling waiting for the governor remarked griswold thinking to gain information then youre lowre likely to watt wait some eoma time jerked the other the whole place seems to be abandoned I 1 never saw such a lot ot of people not having seen them myself I 1 must reserve judgment griswold remarked and the blue serge sult suit flung out of the room presently another figure darkened the entrance and the colored servant whom griswold had seen attending miss osborne on the train from atlanta swept into the reception room and grandly ignoring his presence sat down in a chair nearest the el closed ased door of tho the inner chamber felt that this was encouraging as lm im plying some link between the gover nor and his bis domestic bo household and lie be was about to ask the colored woman it she knew the business hours of the office when the closed door opened and miss osborne appeared on the threshold the colored woman rose roae and griswold who happened to be facing the door when it swung open with such startling suddenness stared an instant and bowed profoundly 1 I beg your pardon but I 1 wish very ery much to see eee gov Os osborne borine or his secretary miss osborne in white trailing a white parasol in her hand and with white roses in her belt still stood halt hall withdrawn inside the private office 1 I am very sorry that gov osborne and hla secretary are both absent i 1 I reckon vure the aint she answered and tho the two eyed each other gravely Oris briswold wold felt that the brown eyes into which ha be looked had bad lately known tears team but she held her head bead high with a certain del dallance dolla lance oven q TO ato on dr CONTINUED |