Show 11 xa C kaar Z I 1 am a ja 7 0 V me by AUSTIN ARNOLD mccausland 1903 by the authors pub sh nj ng company though a traveling man and soliciting for a house that sent him con scantly on the road clyde evans had yet the temerity to become engaged to be married the selvage edge to this interesting situation had been put on by letter and now preparatory to div ing the usual expression of this to the hand of his fiancee he was in mer mod jaccard a fingering over dia mond rings his fancy was hovering over a splendid so liture uniquely set which he took up and stood turning back and forth in enjoyment of its perfection yes it shall b this or nothing he was saying over to him belt self and so full of it was he that he instinctively looked around to find a sharer in his pleasure other than the ea baleman leman the person u nearest him vas was a richly dressed woman young bad delicately beautiful she was bending with apparent interest over a tray of jewels chica a clerk held for her lier inspection ohp was one of too exclusive an order to ask of her a chance notice and giving himself an inward smile over the boyishness of his feelings he went on to complete his own purchase and too it was near the time of departure tor for the t am ain on which he wished to leave st louis in order to be in kansas city with my lady fair on the morrow this he ex pla ined as the reason for not waiting to have the ring sent up and wrapped end paying across the counter be he snapped to the box bestowed it in the breast pocket of nis vest and hur ried away As it was he misled his train and waa was forced to wait an hour tor for an other and this on a route the other side of the river this would hae have wrought him small Lu inconvenience convenience but that he found the later train to be crowded with no un pled berth in the sleeper in a coach forlai d he was ing to content himself with what amplitude a double seat offered tor for the taking of a re posture had bestowed his grip and hat in the rack and was about to seat himself when a low and very musical voice faced him around with there is no other seat than this A woman tall shapely and fault lessly gowned stood with a hand upon the back of one of the faced seats in a breath avans took in the fact of the graceful presence the ob charming arming refinement of her and noted with an inward chuckle that sh eha had elected tor for a close associate from amongst the lower orders not the usual woolly snub nosed or die legged dog but she had instead a im r L yes it shall be this or nothing beautiful carrier pigeon perched upon her right wrist As he did not speak at once she said timidly I 1 hope hoile I 1 do not inconvenience you but the train Is full aroused to a full sense of the whole duty of man evans hast hastened enec I 1 to assure her that masculine salva tion hung upon the iving way before hor and such as she so great was his solicitude that he boigot lea got to turn the seat ond nd when finally settled the two sat facing each ther an attitude provocative of good fellow fellor ship I 1 wil will not you lent she volunteered d pleasantly pleasnt ly I 1 do not go farther than midnight or a little later will tal e me led captive for the time by the sub tie tle charm of beauty and womanly appeal in manner E ans chivalrously put himself at his oest and made a flow of bright enjoyable talk without effort it was not until near to mid night that on noticing a droop of hia his companion a eyelids he solicitously proffered to extemporize pillows with his grip and coat an I 1 insisted that she sleep she accepted this with the same carp and delicacy which had marked her behavior all along and was soon forgetful of all 0 q A beautiful carrier pigeon perched upon her r wrist things in a repose deep enough to draw over her lovely face the mask of statuesque immobility given by deep sleep all oti er occupants of the coach were likewise sleeping in every variety of relaxed attitude and evans making a pillow tor for himself by clasping bis his hands behind his head settled back and followed on into the realm of slumber the last thing to impress itself upon his optic as his lids went event down was the pigeon squatted a knot of sheeny grey on a very waite hand asleep also with head under wing when again he opened his eyes it was the bird of wh ch he was first conscious he had slept perhaps about an hour and heavily I 1 when he awoke the che train was slow ing up lip for moberly end and the lady opposite sat gat erect in her seat it was vas evidently ner intention to leav the train here hut iut she was ausy abo i a releasing a chain which was a mer thread of gold from around the leg of the b rd evans did not at once let her see that he was awake but watched through half shut dc d curious and nit n t without a premonitory chill upon hib nerves the bird bard being freed he saw it was hr intention to release it through the window and instantly from one of those flashes of intelligence which seem to come from some external source he hurriedly thrust his hand into his pod et the ring was wa again as from sone so ne outside source he knew this to be tiie tae woman he had turned towards in jaccard s with the diamond in hand indeed he now recognized this pert ct profile as the very same and philp this lightning conviction was flashing th ough his mind be he acted he put out one hand band to stay the flight of the pigeon and firmly gripping her wrist with the other he said in a low even give it back please his manner was that of a man of fering a courtesy and nd while he held himself in check as to tone there was no room left for I 1 ler er to mi sunder stand without the lightest attempt at evasion or self explanation the lady for such only could she be con raised to him those innocent calm and trusting eyes and said smoothly when you are ready to release the dove do so he knows his way this is te tie end of my journey goodnight and thank you very much for your lind 1 ness then the watery bw w sh swish of sll all ken raiment ran qu akly the aisle and evans saik back bach upon the seat conscience stricken A lp scotland a burning what an as have made of an myself so sure of this was he that he thrust his fla fingers igers in hi his pocket expect ing to find the ring there no then the pigeon whose feet be he was vas gripping in one hand gave a hoarse groat gr a t stretching and quivering its wings at full spread under one wing flashed the diamond attached by a fine silver wire it lung 1 ung pendant but secure bewildered by this uncanny corn com bin of eyes that looked innocence voice of a paradise dweller apil the ring so ait fully concealed evans was half inclined to send off the bird without reclaiming it notions about suggestion absent in fluentes fluen ces bent upon people to provoke irresponsible acts etc ran rail through his mind finally when he did throw off the bird after ater tal ing back his ring it car ned ried under its win a tiny written scroll which said I 1 know there Is some explanation you have my regard and a real dios |