Show v 1 AT HALFWAY I 1 S T O 0 R Y T H E P L A I 1 N S Y E HOUGH authol OF THE STORY OP THE COWBOY ayr lehti d 1903 bs D attleton Ati leton new york f capter cont aued in orning the little street car as was its wont at the terminus track near the front of the wide ds of the old mansion house was far out upon the edge of the city and few were the patrons might be expected but it was but mere courtesy to offer the es of the street car line to this so jong recognized as one of unimpeachably best of this so ith ity this modern innovation of theet car was not readily taken the conservative community hough it had been established for years it might be questioned ler its shares had ever paid much st upon their face value this terminus of the line at the arts of the town there was each ng enacted the same little scene river slowly unhitched his mules arned them about 0 o the other t the car in readiness for the journey matters having pro d this far the mules fell at into a deep state of dejection somnolence their ears lopping their bodies drooping and jno ss save as now and then a taint of tall or wag of a weary ear ke the knowledge of some bold iding fly the driver perched on eat his feet upon the rail his pushed toward his chin sat with road hat drawn down upon his ead his bands clasped between gs and all his attitude indicative bently from a side street faced large brick dwelling there came agular and unhurried tread a tall figure crowned with a panama and tapping with boffl ane As it approached the car iver straightened a trifle on the od lawnin judge allson he ah good lawnin james re the judge uh ah late this lawnin eh uh ah good lawnin miss beech am good lawnin said judge wll son and good lawnin said dr gregg good morning judge wilson re plied mary ellen as she entered the car good morning dr gregg the gentlemen made way for her upon the shady side of the car and lifted their hats ceremoniously L il late thi lawnin miss beech am seems like said the judge with no trace of resentment in his tones dr gregg upon this morning began his customary reproach also but it halted upon his tongue miss beech am he said pardon me allow me are ou 1119 for mary ellen settling herself for her regular morning ride with her reg ular companions all at once went pale as bhe gazed out of the window she scarcely heard the kind remark she was looking at a man a tall man with a brown face with broad ders with a long swinging steady stride chis man was coming up the side of the street along the path be tween the fences and the burdocks that lined the ditch his shoes were white with the lidstone lim stone dust but he seemed to care nothing for his way of locomotion but reached on his head up his eye searching eagerly not with equipage not mounted as a southern cavalier no announced but in the most direct and swiftest way in his power had edward frank lin come strong eager masterful scorning the blazing sun his reckless waste of energy marked him as a stranger in that place he stopped at the gateway for one moment look ing up the path and then turned swift ly toward the car as though called audibly As with a flash his face lighted and he strode straight on toward a woman whose heart was throbbing in a sud den tumultuous terror she saw him stoop at the car door even as once before she had seen him enter at another lowly door in another and isah seems like said the daiv head again falling perhaps five or ten minutes per half an hour there would be the tapping of another cane r gregg also tall not quite so and wearing a white beaver in t a soft panama would appear he opening of yet another side tributary to the car id lawnin james said the as he passed and the driver ed respectfully id lawnin you Is lawnin seems like 11 dessah I 1 may be a beetle ut a beetle good lawnin how are you this lawnin well sah thank you step in an right this lawnin he judge and the doctor sat n the car and conversed easily no haste perhaps tor alve or perhaps for halt an hour id then the driver cast a glance the side of his eye over toward n headed gates but no one was or anxious the mules were arent view very sad and still ally very happy within their ng lady HI late this lawnin like remarked the judge yes but shell be long direck ckon replied the doctor you how bout these young folks on t always realize the bressin business matteas s must fo give hen judge we give heh fob she suh tinly Is ath baitin fob yes indeed ih quite right quite fine young lady fine young old stock yes indeed beech too bad cousin clayton keeps heh so close she fitten to be received sah received ece ived indeed assented the doctor ah now ain t that the young oman down the walka i and doctor and driver now their gaze beyond the lion gateway to the winding walk ased among the trees up to the aslon house far off through at columns of the trees there indeed this morning now be ie flutter of a gown of white nt sounds of voices might be mary ellen conscientious mar as discussing joints and salads tr aunt and then mary ellen tying the strings of her under her chin turned answer t aunt s summons tor replevin forgotten tan then slowly the gown of white became as she came nearer her re composing well with the set this scene for her patiently the judge and the doctor and I 1 lawnin miss beecham driver as she passed touch hat and infusing more stiff to his aspli e I 1 morning sir she replied ly it ahls far off land she felt again the fear which then she half admitted but in a moment mary ellen knew that all tear and all resistance were too late the eyes of franklin direct as almost sad asked her no ques alon but only said here am I 1 and mary ellen knew that she could no longer make denial or delay her thoughts came rapid and confused her eyes swam her heart beat fast afar she heard the singing of a mock er in the oaks throbbing thrilling high and sweet as though his heart would break with what he had to say judge wilson and dr gregg polite ly removed their hats as franklin entered the car and addressed mary ellen confused by the abruptness of it all it was a moment before she rec local requirements and pre dented franklin to the gentlemen foran instant she planned flight es cape she would haye begged frank lin to return with her fate in the form of the driver had its way git ep bewel sounded from the front of the car there was a double groan A little bell tinkled lazily the rusty wheels began slowly to revolve it s an awful hour to call admit ted franklin under the rumble of the I 1 coulden couldn t get a carriage and I 1 haan hadn t any horse there gasn wasn t any car forgive me it la only to be said that both judge and doctor were gentlemen and loyal to beauty in distress they both earned mary ellen s love for they got off eight blocks sooner than they should have done and walked more than half a mile in the sun before they found a place of rest oh well dessah judge said dr gregg half sighing we were young once eh judged young once auh selves lucky dog said the judge lucky dog but he seems a gentleman and it he has camly an resources it may be dessah it may be she s lucky too oh northern Nort hehn dessah I 1 admit it but what would you expect sah in these im told cheh are some behy fine people in the no th deep through said the doctor communing with himself carries his trunk granly splendid splendid have hima 0 cose shell have him what women wouldn f what a cadaver what a good god my dear sir said the judge really franklin and mary ellen sat looking out before them silent at last he turned and placed his hand over the two that lay knit loosely in her mary ellen stirred her throat moved but she could not speak franklin leaned forward and looked into her face I 1 knew it must be so he whis what what must you think broke out mary ellen angry that she could not resist there there dearest he said don t trouble I 1 knew it was to be I 1 came straight to you he tightened his arti iknon her hands mary straightened and looked him in the face admit it she said I 1 knew that ou ere coming I 1 must have dreamed it there in the car upon the public highway franklin cast Ms arm about her waist and drew her strongly to him dear girl he said it was to be we must work out our lives to gether will you be happy out there with mea again mary ellen turned and looked at him with a new fi akness and un reserve that s the oddest of it said she out on the prairies 1 called the south back home now its the other way they fell again into silence but already lover like began to read each other s thoughts and to find less need of speech you and I 1 dearest said franklin finally ou and I 1 together forever and ever well live at the halfway house don t shiver child I 1 ve built a fine new house there you ve built a housea yes yes well confess it I 1 bought the place myself then it was your moneys and it is your money I 1 ve a notion began mary ellen edging away biting her lip and so have I 1 said franklin stooping and bising her fingers with scandalous publicity I 1 ve a notion that wu shall not speak of that it is ours we ve more than a thousand acres of land there and plenty of cat tie curly shall be foreman he s mar ried the little waiter girl and has come back to they live next door to sam and nora aunt lucy shall be our cook we shall have roses and green grass and flowers and you and I 1 apu and I 1 shall live and shall do that which has been sent to us to do mary ellen dear mary el len again the girl threw up her head but her pride was going fast then then you think you think it is no 7 Is there no lapse in this for mea you think I 1 shall not be franki n diew her closer to him that which is before us now is life he said dearest how sweet how very sweet A caged mocking bird at a little near by house burst out into a shrill paean fellow to that of the wild bird of the oaks mary ellen felt her senses melting into a mysterious bewildering joy unconsciously she swayed slightly against the shoulder dei of her lover in her heart the music of the bird thrilled on even when the tinkle of the 1 atle bell ceased even when franklin stepping from the car held up his hand to her and whis come the end |