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When the long overland train paused a moment before the ancient box car that served as the depot for the town of Haskell, nestled in the gulch half a mile away, it deposited Miss Stella Donovan almost in the arms of Carson, the station-agent, and he, wary of the wiles of women and the ethics of society, promptly turned her over to Jim Westcott, who had come down to inquire if the station-agent held a telegram for him a telegram that he expected from the East.
"I don't want any other doctor," she murmured. "I'd rather have you." "But I'm not a doctor." "No," she acquiesced. "Who are you? Did you tell me? You are one of the passengers, aren't you?" "I'm the station-agent at Manzanita." For a moment she looked at him wonderingly. "Are you? I don't seem to understand. My head is very queer." "Don't try to. Here's some tea and crackers."
I'm the station-agent of the Atkinson and St. Philip Railroad Company." "Now you're trying to provoke me." "No. But to get success you've got to want it, haven't you?" he asked more earnestly. "To want it with all your strength." "Of course. Every man ought to." "I'm not so sure," he objected. "There's a kind of virtue in staying put, isn't there?" She made a little gesture of impatience.
In a few months he could handle the key about as well as the station-agent. About this time the ice had carried out the telegraph-line between Port Huron and Sarnia. The telegraph people were in sore straits. Edison happened along and said to the local operator, "Come out here, Bill, on this switch-engine and we'll fix things!"
"Not unless she was a very dull and stupid woman with little to understand," smiled Miss Van Arsdale. "What are you doing to-day?" "Riding down to lunch with your paragon of a station-agent." Miss Van Arsdale shook her head dubiously. "I'm afraid he'll miss his daily stimulant after you've gone. It has been daily, hasn't it?" "I suppose it has, just about," admitted the girl.
He would elbow his way to the gate, scold about the delay of the train, declaim against the station-agent, the company, the government; say to Delobelle in a loud voice, so as to be overheard by his neighbors: "I say suppose such a thing as this should happen in America!"
A few days ago, Wilkie, the station-agent, was sitting in his office when a man who had some grievance against the railroad walked up to the window. Wilkie told him he must send his claim to Winnipeg, and the fellow retorted that he would have satisfaction right away out of the agent's hide.
The station-agent at Manzanita " "Was E. Banneker," interposed the owner of that name positively. "A small puddle, but the inhabitant was an individual toad, at least. To keep one's individuality in New York isn't so easy, of course." "There are quite a number of people in New York," pointed out the philosopher, Vanney. "Mostly crowd." "Yes," said Banneker.
He would elbow his way to the gate, scold about the delay of the train, declaim against the station-agent, the company, the government; say to Delobelle in a loud voice, so as to be overheard by his neighbors: "I say suppose such a thing as this should happen in America!"
Complete stoppage, east and west. Between Manzanita and Stanwood the track was out, and in the other direction Dry Bed Arroyo was threatening. Banneker reported progress to the lodge and got back, soaked and happy. Io was thoughtful and content. Late that afternoon the station-agent had a shock which jarred him quite out of his complacent security.
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