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1 A Story
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TEN minutes before tin* 8:40 train
loft the Union station Thanks
giving morning a young wo
man in a datk green suit took
possession of the first section in the
rear Pull man anil proeeeded to make
herself eomfortahle.
It was Harriet Stillwell, runaway
spinster, known to her Vassal - mates—
mid to a few others as Ilnrry the
IMlafory, beeause before committing
herself to any course she looked at it
long and thoroughly from all sides.
"My first celebration of Thanksgiv
ing alone,” she confided to her mirror.
Intending the thought to lie a happy
one, but lusteud she found It accom
panied by a sigh. This eertainly was
not logical, and Harriet had prided
herself until recently on her logic.
Bettltug back in her seat, animated
by a grim determination to enjoy her
self, she turned her attention to the
scene outside.
The train, westbound on the Itto
Hrsnde road, sbiod before the Union
station in Denver, and the first thing
her eyes lighted on was a pair of etk's
antlers branching majestically over a
load of express trundled across the
pavement.
“Oh," she exclaimed aloud, "what
beauties!”
She pressed her face against the
pane to watch them out of sight. “Ray
promised me a pair two years ago, but—
well. It’s quite like a man to forget!”
Put it was not like Hay, and she
knew it. Ray had never forgotten a
promise to her. She thought of a dozen
which he had fulfilled to the letter, but
how inconsiderate of memory toehoose
this of all days w herein to distract her
attention when she had been anticipat
ing eagerly her first sight of the Royal
gorge! Then she fell to wondering how
many guests Ray was having to dinner
that day in his bachelor apartments.
In the section opposite the porter
was stowing away two suit cases sus
piciously new in appearance, behind
him stoed the owners, also suspicious
ly new as to dress. The lady, who was
no longer young, wore a suit of gray,
n gray hot with a white veil and gray
gloves. The man also wore gray-dark
gray from the rim of hair visible be
neath his hat to his brand new fash
ionably cut trousers.
The porter straightened himself, dos
ing his hand over a silver piece with a
“Thank you, sah, thank you!” and re
tired, grinning. Presently the Pullman
conductor sauntered in. pulled his mus
tache and looked knowing, while the
passengers gradually awoke to the fact
that the wonderful Royal gorge would
have a rival in the interests of the day.
As for Harriet, she distinctly disap
proved of the open delight which the
“MY FIRST CBIjEBR ATI ON OF THANKSGIV
ING Al/ONE.”
couple opposite took in their own soci
ety, maintaining thut ton years of wed
ded life alone give married people the
right to devote themselves to each
other in public. “And at the end of ten
years they never care to!” thought this
runaway spinster, with a glance as
scornful as her soft eyes could express.
“How glad I am that I have escaped a
wedding trip!”
With this Thanksgiving declaration
her lips set themselves firmly, but her
eyes grew’ wistful as she fell again
into a reverie, going over certain rea
sons she had gone over so many times
before, perfectly logical, but she was
not at all sure they satisfied her. That
was the trouble, if ouly she could be
usure—
“Sleeper tickets, please!’’ demanded
the conductor.
Khe produced her ticket, at the same
time asking. “Is the upper berth of
this section taken, conductor?”
“Vos. ma'am, bv a gentleman.”
“Ah thank you.” Then the mur
mur, caught only by the window, “I
hope he sees fit to stay in the smoker
all day.”
But lie did not see fit. Half way "
Colorado Springs he deserted the
smoker and came swinging down tlie
aisle toward Ills lawful seat in section
!, while Harriet, glancing back, gasp
ed half in dismay, half in delight,
wholly astonished.
But hr was not looking at her. His
eyes were on the couple across the
aisle, and a faint smile flushed across
his fine face, a smile of sympathy and
not derision, she noticed. Then he
reached section 1 and removed his hat.
i M .g_ Marry Stillwell, by the
gods immortal!”
For an instant they looked at each
other in silence, Harriet's eyes- before
she got them under control- sparkling
and dancing over this unexpected
meeting.
Then she laughed outright. “Well.
Ray, don't you think we better shake
hands'/”
“Perhaps.” He held his out gravely,
and to Harriet the knowledge came
with a shock of wonder that the face
she could read so well was not ex
pressing unalloyed pleasure at sight of
her.
“I thought you were at home, Har
ry,” he remarked, resting his elbow
on his knee.
“Yon thought I was at home!”
echoed Harriet blankly. “Why. Ray
mond Merrill! Where have you been
all this time?” Her eyes were under
control now.
Ray leaned over and rubbed at a
spot on the window. “Let's see. I
went to North Woods In—August,
wasn't it?”
Yes, it was directly after the even
ing when they had their last talk,
such a logical talk—on her part—she
considered ft. She nodded and allow
ed a distant view of Pike's Peak to
absorb her attention.
“Well, I've not been back since then
—scarcely heard from home, in fact.”
(Then lie did not even suspect she was
running away from hint! She felt un
accountably defrauded.) "I’ve been
all-over (lie west, fishing and limiting.
By the way, Harry, I Just shipped a
pair of elk’s antlers hack to you from
Denver. If you remember, I promised
them to you long ago.”
She leaned forward eagerly. “Oh.
Ray, 1 do believe I saw them on the
platform! They are beauties. Thank
you. I can scarcely wait until 1 get
home to have them put tip.”
Again she was struck by his strange
reserve. Three months ago his face
would have glowed over her enthusi
astic thanks.
The groom's head lay against the
back cushions very near his bride's
lie was speaking low, and she was
smiling and pulling at her gray muff.
Quite illogicall.v the sight brought a
lump into Harriet's threat. They were
silly, of course, to act that way—but—
If only Ray would he Ids old self!
Then she strangled the thought and
took a fresh hold of herself.
“And you':” Ray was saying.
“Oh, I!" Tier lone was lightly flip
pant. “Why. I've been—since August
rambling too. Can’t say I’ve hunted,
but I’ve fished and ridden and explored
from northern Montana to here.”
“What for?”
Harriet's chin went up, and her tone
became more flippant. "What a queer
question! Rut if you w r ant reasons, for
tunately I can control the price of a
few railroad tickets. Being past Oven
ty-five and accounted discreet, 1 can
travel alone. I intend to see the west,
and I love my Independence.”
The last assertion escaped her invol
untarily. She stopped abruptly and bit
her lip. But Ray did not wince. He
merely looked at her iutently.
' “Harry, I believe I can sympathize
with you in that independence busi
ness. I've been enjoying a taste of in
dependence myself for the first time in
seven years.”
Harriet looked her amazement. Ray
mond Rfbrrill was a very model of in
dependence to Ids frieuds—lndependent
of family ties, independent in income,
in health, in habits. “What do you
mean?" she inquired directly.
Ray did not reply at once. He was
looking across the aisle again. The
bride had bent her face over a book,
which she held upside down, while a
pair of bearded lips almost against her
cheek were whispering. Unexpectedly
Ray turned and smiled into Harriet’s
eyes, with a flash of his old self.
“Disgusting, isn't it?” she said hast
ily to cover a sudden helpless confu
sion which sent tlie blood throbbing
into her temples.
‘•I rather enjoy watching them,” re
turned Ray quietly. “That chap looks
as though be expected to attend a per
petual Thanksgiving service, and she
wed. it looks as though she was satis
fied.”
“Watch them on a journey ten years
from now and if she's satisfied,”
Harriet retorted, furious at herself
for giving the conversation such a
tactless turn.
“Well, what would you see?” chal
lenged Ray.
“That novel u ill be rurht side
tl[| —| - f f Lf m •
‘TToiic so,” coolly. "I should ex
pect a companionship of ten years to
rob the situation of some of Its nov
elty.”
"And the groom, enveloped in cigar
smoke and a newspaper, will occupy
the smoker.”
“Doubtless. But he may lie as sin
cerely her lover as he is today, ’
Harriet shrugged her shoulders and
gazed back at Colorado Springs, which
they were leaving behind them.
“So long ns It's Thanksgiving day
let's lie happy and thankful and not
disagree." Ffer laugh was a trifle
forced.
Another bbw and another “Just as
you < Loose, Harry.”
She moved uneasily, striving in vain
o break through the barrier his man
ner had erected again*/ her. He was
perplexing, bewildering.
“Let s go back,” she Itegan lightly,
although her hands were pressing hard
on cadi other ns they lay In her lap.
“You said something which makes me
curious—that you'd been enjoying your
independence for the first time in seven
years.”
Ray raised his head, with a mirth
less smile, and looked at her. Then he
hesitated, studying the people in the
opposite section. “1 never intended to
tell you, Harry. It's unfortunate I
should meet you just now"—
He stopped. Impulsively Harriet
filled in the pause. "1 thought you did
not appear glad to see me.”
“No,” he returned frankly, "1 was
not—am not glad. I remenibw you al
ways balance your ledger with Provi
dence on Thanksgiving day and count
your mercies. This meeting is so far
from being among mine that I intend
to leave (lie train at (Jlenwood Springs
this evening get away from you, in
short.”
“Why, Raymond Merrill!” The girl's
brearb was taken away. To run away
from Ray. that seemed to have been
fffff
"I WANT A HOME, NOT ENDT.I S3 BACHELOR
AFAIITMENTN.”
her duly in August, but to have Ray
i run away from her, why, it was un
thinkable!
“It sounds harsh, I know,” the man
went on steadily, “but you asked for
an explanation and,” obstinately, “I
Intend to make it in all its baldness.
But as I don’t care to shout it into the
i face of a ear full I’ll take the liberty
of silting beside you.”
He suited his action to the word, and
Harriet's fingers laced themselves to
gelhor with spasmodic strength as he
i spoke close to her ear.
“Let's see, Harry. It's just seven
years ago today that 1 gave my first
i bachelor Thanksgiving dinner, and
you were there. Do you remember?”
She nodded mutely.
"From that day to—well, our last
talk, 1 have known no independence
of your will. 1 have Served for you
faithfully seven years.”
Harriet's finger nails pressed into her
j palms, and her breath came irregular
ly. He went on:
"It was my study and work to win
you, and to that end I ordered my
life. You were worth it, Harry, had
, seven years won you. 1 have no word
lof blame for you. I'm not discussing
your side of the situation now, but my
own.”
The girl besfide him remembered,
with a pang of regret.
“I’m merely trying tq get at this.
Up in the woods last August I deter
mined that my happiness should no
longer be dependent on you”—
Ray suddenly broke off and looked
at her. Her eyes wavered and fell be
fore bis. Down in her throat was a
sob she was striving to keep there.
For the first time the man’s voice
softened.
“You’ll think it harsh, but I have S|>l
out to tell you the whole truth about
my new determination. I have thought
you the sweetest woman Hod ever
made, but In order to achieve my inde
pendence I am uuthinking that”—the
sob forced itself high in Harriet’s
throat—"and I fully intend”—
Again he broke off and glanced
across the aisle. The bride was look
ing into her lmslaiuT e< ;;.gS With a
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face Iri .wiling over with love and
trust. R: v drew a long breath, and
his v< ieo faltered when lie spoke again.
“1 want a home, not endless bache
lor apartments, and love returned as
well as given, and when I've achieved
my independence I shall seek them—
again.” He ended abruptly, with a lit
tle gesture across the aisle.
“Ray!” The sob broke out with the
word. “Ray!” It was a sob which
shattered seven years of logic, doubts,
questionings, and left her woman’s
heart pleading for love.
Instantly a big tanned baud lay on
the cushion between them, its palm
turned up in mute asking, and the next
moment it closed over a small one that
dropped into it with a quick passionate
movement, a very abandonment of giv
ing.
“Sweetheart. I was a long way from
achieving my independence,” whis
pered Ray, and the pressure of the
fingers within his answered him. Har
riet’s face, flushed, tear stained, happy,
was close against the window.
“Some way it was the sight opposite
that gave me courage—not a silly sight,
Harry, dear’’—
A vehement shake of the head
against the window proclaimed her
suddenly altered views, and then, de
spite tears and blushes, she glanced
around at the couple across the aisle.
The man was answering a chance ac
quaintance who had come in from an
other car, and his voice, bluff and mer
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of the Pullman.
“Think we’re on our wedding tour,
Cos they? Ha, ha!” laughed the roan
opposite. “That's a good joke. Do you
remember —It’s exactly ten years ago
today that we started on our wedding
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