"Sister Theresa told me this morning he was here.

He called on her and Miss Devereux last night. I

haven't seen him myself. I thought possibly I might

run into him in the village. His car's very likely on the

station switch."

"No doubt we shall find him there," I answered easily.

The Annandale station presented an appearance of

unusual gaiety when we reached the main street of the

village. There, to be sure, lay a private car on the

siding, and on the platform was a group of twenty or

Advertisement..

more girls, with several of the brown-habited Sisters of

St. Agatha. There was something a little foreign in

the picture; the girls in their bright colors talking

gaily, the Sisters in their somber garb hovering about,

suggesting France or Italy rather than Indiana.

"I came here with the idea that St. Agatha's was a

charity school," I remarked to the chaplain.

"Not a bit of it! Sister Theresa is really a swell, you

know, and her school is hard to get into."

"I'm glad you warned me in time. I had thought of

sending over a sack of flour occasionally, or a few bolts

of calico to help on the good work. You've saved my

life."

"I probably have. I might mention your good intentions

to Sister Theresa."

"Pray don't. If there's any danger of meeting her

on that platform-"

"No; she isn't coming down, I'm sure. But you

ought to know her,-if you will pardon me. And Miss

Devereux is charming,-but really I don't mean to be

annoying."

"Not in the least. But under the circumstances,-

the will and my probationary year,-you can understand-"

"Certainly. A man's affairs are his own, Mr. Glenarm."

We stepped upon the platform. The private car was

on the opposite side of the station and had been

switched into a siding of the east and west road. Pickering

was certainly getting on. The private car, even

more than the yacht, is the symbol of plutocracy, and

gaping rustics were evidently impressed by its grandeur.

As I lounged across the platform with Stoddard, Pickering

came out into the vestibule of his car, followed by

two ladies and an elderly gentleman. They all descended

and began a promenade of the plank walk.

Pickering saw me an instant later and came up hurriedly,

with outstretched hand.

"This is indeed good fortune! We dropped off here

last night rather unexpectedly to rest a hot-box and

should have been picked up by the midnight express for

Chicago; but there was a miscarriage of orders somewhere

and we now have to wait for the nine o'clock, and

it's late. If I'd known how much behind it was I

should have run out to see you. How are things going?"

"As smooth as a whistle! It really isn't so bad when

you face it. And the fact is I'm actually at work."




Most Popular