Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 166: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

TRAIN AND STATION. I think you have been a very bad boy not to come before.” “I suppose I have, but I really couldn’t possibly come before, as there was so much to do here,” protested Dash. “ ‘You’re excused, sir,” with the con- descension of a princess. “I know you would have come if you could.” “TI will come right now, if you per- mit me to escort you home,” suggested Dash. “Will you? How nice!” in glad surprise, and if Dash still had any doubts of the truth of Forsdyke’s as- sertion, he should have had none now. “ Can you really get away now with- out any inconvenience? ” “Yes; it’s all arranged with my night man.” Dash and the beautiful girl walked down the platform. Brakewood Fors- dyke saw them out of the end window of his office, and there was bitter envy and defeated malice in his heart. “ Miss Orloff,” began Dash, as they started down the track, which was the nearest way to reach Mrs. Handiford’s residence, “ do you know, if you hadn't come to the office this afternoon | wouldn’t have called this evening ? ” “Why?” in astonished tones. “ Because Brakewood Forsdyke ap- peared to know I was going to your house, and said that 1 was not wanted there.” “Did he say that?” exclaimed the young girl indignantly. “ The horrid thing! It’s not true, and you ought to know it. I guess the only one who doesn’t want you there is himself, and it’s the last time he will come if I can help it. If he comes, I'll not see him.” “T told him he was a li—base pre- varicator,” added Dash, checking the harsher term, with a smile, as ali his doubts took wing. “ And that’s why you two were in pugilistic attitudes, glaring at each other as 1f you wanted to eat some- . body?” observed Dofothy, laughing. “Yes; and I’m sorry I didn’t give 157 him a good pounding, now that I’m sure of his underhand work, the up- start,” exclaimed Dash, not very sav- agely. “And you believed what he said? ” said the young girl reproachfully. “ |’m afraid I did, a little,” respond- ed Dash sheepishly; “ but forgive me, won-t your ” “ You don’t deserve it; but I’m glad you didn’t fight—for Mr. Forsdyke’s sake,” laughed Dorothy, as she gazed at Dash’s muscular figure. She did not seem to have any doubt about which way the victory would have gone, and Dash blushed at her tribute to, and confidence in, his prowess. “ But how did Forsdyke know I was going to your house tonight?” con- tinued Dash. “You foolish boy! I don’t know, but I suppose Aunt Helen let it drop, for she’s a great talker. I’m sure I never told him.” The distance to Mrs. Handiford’s was almost a mile, but Dykeman wouldn’t have believed the statement if he had been told so that afternoon; it was, to him, the shortest mile he had ever walked. Mrs. Handiford’s cottage was situ- ated on a hill, only a few hundred feet from the railroad, around which flowed a shallow and brawling stream which nearly made an island of the elevation. As the opposite shore was an almost perpendicular cliff of flinty granite, the railroad had avoided it by crossing the river on a high bridge, skirting the foot of the hill on which stood Mrs. Handi- ford’s residence, and then returning to the other side, below the rocky forma- tion, over another high trestle. The first named structure was named High Bridge and the latter South Bridge. To reach Mrs. Handiford’s the short- est way, coming from the depot or the village, one would have to cross High Bridge. The old country road to the town led straight back from the house three quarters of a mile, to q le to Ret around eo