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Show HARDING'S SURPRISE By Robort Cnrlton Brown Harding Jumped off tho tinln at 11:30 that night. The bare, desolate llttlo station looked lonesome, although al-though Its two tiny electric lights did their best to brighten the situation. "Cntrlage. bIi ?" came a harsh voice :losu beside him, somewhere In the Inrkness. With dilllculty Harding hunted out ho little carriage and handed his suit-aso suit-aso to the driver. "Ouews you're tlio only one what tot off to-night; where you goln'?" he gruff voice Interrogated. "Judge Kwon's," answered Harding limply, for every one In the little town mow the Judge. "O, to th' Judge's, eh. You ain't the 'ellor what's goln' ter marry his .laughter, air you?" grinned tlie sociable socia-ble driver. "Why, mnybe I will," admitted the young fellow, Impatiently. "Hut the quicker you got me there the happier I'll lie." "Just like all them young fellers Hint's goln' spnrkln'," snickered tho driver. Jumping to his sent and starting start-ing his soiry ting at a dogtrot. The darkness hit! Harding's con-scions con-scions blush, for surely he had como for no other reason, and the Impertinent Imperti-nent driver hud divined It in a moment. mo-ment. "I wonder," mused the young fellow, fel-low, "whether she'll be waiting for me or not. Slio probably thought when I didn't get here on the eight o'clock that I wouldn't bo down till morning. Hut still, Inst time I missed It alio was waiting for mo on tho vor-auda. vor-auda. O. 1 hope she'll bo thero tonight, to-night, lint no. she won't, for I told her not to expect mo till to-morrow If I wasn't there nt eight. No, she'f probably in bed long ngo, nnd I'll have to fumblo with that old latchkey fot an hour or wake up tho servant In order to get In. I wish I'd been more pntlent and waited till morning, because be-cause sho wouldn't sit up when I told her not to but still sho might." During tho remainder of tho ride young Harding revolved tho posslblll ties of his fiancee being on tho porch waiting for him, as she did thnt tlmo before. In the hope that she would bo thoro, ho stopped tho driver a block from tho house, Jumped out, paid his faro, and walked tho remainder of tho way. "Goln' to surprise her, air ye?" chuckled tho driver, remembering how he, too, had onco gone courting with all tho enthusiasm and strategy ot youth. Harding did not deign to reply, but hurried on toward tho house, walking on tho grass, that sho might not hear him coming If she wcro there. Cautiously as a burglar ho crept around to tho veranda. The night was black; ho could see nothing at first; then slowly the outline of a hammock became distinct to him. Ho crept closor; his heart gave a bound of Joy, for there, thero sho was; he could mako out dimly the linos of her form her white dress allowed plainly. Harding's heart Indulged In a series ot founds us he realized that she had sat up, ns before, for him. Ho Biniled Joyfully as ho thought of surprising her Btiddonly. Sho lay thero quietly, and as yet' had not heard him. He was hiiio ot that, for she had not moved, or possibly pos-sibly Bho know ho wns there and was pretending to bo ignornut of It, that his surprise might be tho moro complete. com-plete. Ho thought for n moment nnd then quietly set down his suitcase and stenlthlly drew nearer anil nearer until un-til he almost touched her. Ho could plainly henr hor breathing and It was evldont to him thnt sho was feigning sleep, for she was making an effort to breathe deeply and regularly, nlthougli her breathing was uneven, Irroguiar, and showed excltoinont. Ho drew nonror and put his nrm around her; she did not move, but ho heard a sharp gasp. Quickly ho loaned over, Inclosed her In his nruis, and kissed her. Sho struggled, nnd In a moment was free. With a loud cry, sho rushed for tho front door shouting, "Help! Help! Hurglars! Thieves! Help!" Harding stood amazed; ho could not account for It Bho must know him what could bo tho mnttor? Ho rushed toward hor, crying, "Helen, It Is I, It Is I, It la I; It was a surprise, don't you know mo?" All tho answer ho received was a now, moro strident sorles of "Help! Holp! Thieves! TIiIovcb!" ns Bho struggled vainly with tho door. A window nbovo opened quickly and a voice called, "Sarah, Sarah, what on earth Is tho mutter; whnt aro you shouting nbout?" A sudden thought (lashed ovet Harding as he heard tho volco In the window above; that was hor voice and tho other, sho had called hot Sarah. "Sarah, Sarah; who can alio bo?" his mind repeated, mid then suddenly tho answer came: "Why, sho'a tho cook." With a dexterous swoop ho secured his suit caso and lied down tho street, th- cries of "Holp! HelpJ" becoming ovir fainter in tho distance, Harding hnd changed his mind; It would bo hotter, after all, to arrive on tho morning train, nnd as ho lay In tho dismal llttlo station that night, his coat wadded under his head for a pillow, ho thought of that fool driver and hs meaningless query: "Goln' to surprise her, air yo?" Yes, O, yes, Harding had surprised her. |
