A Young Man in a Hurry and Other Short Stories   By: Robert W. Chambers (1865-1933)

A YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY AND OTHER SHORT STORIES

BY

ROBERT W. CHAMBERS

AUTHOR OF "THE MAIDS OF PARADISE" "CARDIGAN" "THE MAID AT ARMS" "THE KING IN YELLOW" ETC

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK AND LONDON HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS 1904

Copyright, 1904, by ROBERT W. CHAMBERS.

All rights reserved. Published October, 1904.

TO MARGERY

ILLUSTRATIONS

"'GOOD HEAVENS!' HE SAID. 'WHERE'S MY SISTER?'" Frontispiece

"'I LOVE YOU ENOUGH TO WAIT A MILLION YEARS!'" Facing p. 20

"'I MEANT TO TAKE SOME FLOWERS, ANYWAY'" " 28

"'HERE ARE THE VIOLETS; ... I WILL TIE THEM TO YOUR COLLAR'" " 34

"AWAY THEY WENT, KNEE DEEP IN DRY SILVERY GRASSES" " 132

"THERE WAS THAT IN BURLESON'S EYES THAT SOBERED HER" " 164

"'I WISH YOU'D GIVE MARLITT ANOTHER CHANCE'" " 242

"HE SAW HER THE MOMENT HE ENTERED THE WISTARIA ARBOR" " 250

CONTENTS

PAGE A YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY 3

A PILGRIM 23

THE SHINING BAND 51

ONE MAN IN A MILLION 95

THE FIRE WARDEN 123

THE MARKET HUNTER 171

THE PATH MASTER 197

IN NAUVOO 223

MARLITT'S SHOES 241

PASQUE FLORIDA 263

A YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY

"Soyez tranquilles, mesdames.... Je suis un jeune homme pressé.... Mais modeste." LABICHE.

At ten minutes before five in the evening the office doors of the Florida and Key West Railway Company flew open, and a young man emerged in a hurry.

Suit case in one hand, umbrella in the other, he sped along the corridor to the elevator shaft, arriving in time to catch a glimpse of the lighted roof of the cage sliding into depths below.

"Down!" he shouted; but the glimmering cage disappeared, descending until darkness enveloped it.

Then the young man jammed his hat on his head, seized the suit case and umbrella, and galloped down the steps. The spiral marble staircase echoed his clattering flight; scrub women heard him coming and fled; he leaped a pail of water and a mop; several old gentlemen flattened themselves against the wall to give him room; and a blond young person with pencils in her hair lisped "Gee!" as he whizzed past and plunged through the storm doors, which swung back, closing behind him with a hollow thwack.

Outside in the darkness, gray with whirling snowflakes, he saw the wet lamps of cabs shining, and he darted along the line of hansoms and coupés in frantic search for his own.

"Oh, there you are!" he panted, flinging his suit case up to a snow covered driver. "Do your best now; we're late!" And he leaped into the dark coupé, slammed the door, and sank back on the cushions, turning up the collar of his heavy overcoat.

There was a young lady in the farther corner of the cab, buried to her nose in a fur coat. At intervals she shivered and pressed a fluffy muff against her face. A glimmer from the sleet smeared lamps fell across her knees.

Down town flew the cab, swaying around icy corners, bumping over car tracks, lurching, rattling, jouncing, while its silent occupants, huddled in separate corners, brooded moodily at their respective windows.

Snow blotted the glass, melting and running down; and over the watery panes yellow light from shop windows played fantastically, distorting vision.

Presently the young man pulled out his watch, fumbled for a match box, struck a light, and groaned as he read the time.