Graustark

. He dashed into the depot an

arest station

nswered the agent,

far i

r mi

d hold the train th

n don't s

gers-gave out wrong information, and he'll have to hold his train there or bring her back here. If you don't send that order I'll report you as well as

to P-- anyway," he said, while tu

n order from headquarters for some ninety-day lay-offs." The agent stared at him; then turned to his instrument, and

nute," he gasped, and dashed away. Her

s of which was printed in yellow letters: "Happy Springs." The dr

ten dollars?"

the driver, half fa

y minutes, and I'll give you t

you see, I'

ever make money easier. Can you

d road, either. Pile in, and we'll make it

ss train and don't ask questions. Kill 'em b

the track miserably. Already night was falling. Men were lighting the

; I have a wa

the open door of the odd-looking coach. He was beside her on

r slammed, the driver clattered up to his

he demanded, sitting ve

bumping along the flinty road at a lively rate, jolting about on the seat in a most disconcerting manner. After a few long, deep breaths he told her how the ride in the Springs

de street, and knew that you would be left. It would have been heartless to leave you here without

l of you. Oh, I should have died had I been left here alone. Do you not th

w, either. He may not miss you for a long time, thinking you are i

e?" she questioned, looking at the black mounta

h before we get half way there

" she said, decidedly, from the dar

response to this

s wisdom. You can escape a great deal of ugly jostling if you will take hold of my arm and cling

is side and wound her strong

le his heart thumped madly: "Had it occurred to you that after you ran so hard yo

ht of that?" he

convenienced yourself for me. What trouble I have made for you." She said this so prettily that he came gaily from the despondency into which her shrewdness, bordering on criticism, ha

venience, as you call it. I'm sure I must have lost my head completely, and I am ashamed of

ainly am not. Ach, how he is driving! Do you think it dangerous?" she cried, as the hack

he mountain side they were running. A false move of the flying horses and they might go rolling to the bottom of the ravine, hundreds of feet below. Still, he must not let her see his apprehension. "Thi

ear voice, her lips close to his ear

Jerry, the king of stage drivers." In the

red, not knowing that Jerry existed only in the ye

d feel her breath on his cheek, Her sweet voice went tingling to his toes with every word she uttered. He was in a daze, out of which sung the mad wish that he might clasp her in his

d placed his strong, firm hand encouragingly over the little one that gripp

hand clasped hers. "You

no danger. See! My hand does not tremble, d

top?" she cried, her hand resting calmly beneath its p

ncle will see to that, ev

does not stop or come back f

l are they, anyhow?" Then aloud: "At this rate we'd be able to beat the tra

rica, but this is the first time I have heard you

of the driver's whip, his hoarse cries, and the nerve-destroying crash of the w

ost in the car yesterday," she said at last, as if reli

found for me?" he ask

certainly rare

a little tighter, and there was a quick movement of her head which told him, dark as it was, that

derstand," s

o said some one gave it to him and told him to hav

she said, after a moment. He would have given a f

the injunction of the donor. As I am more likely to go to Europe than he

ed to withdraw herself from his side, her little

?" she asked at length, a per

eer bit of money as a pocket-piece. I intend to keep it forever, and let it descend as an heir

responded. "If you were in a land far from your own would you no

ne of its kind since leaving ho

ike it. In my purse there a

s particular coin should h

d, coldly, drawing away, only to be lurched back

rdon," he said

d he giv

ho

orter,

ight to questi

"I did not mean

ve it me inside of two hours

Denv

know I got o

he aisle with your lugga

g that she had really noticed and remembered him. Involuntarily his

speak of it," he said, in a stifled v

odby, too. Was one of them your wife, or we

incident that had been forgotten. He had kissed Mary Lyons and Edna

leman would think of pressing a lady's hand until it pained her. Is it necessary?" In the question there was a quiet dignity, half sub

this wagon that I unconsciously gripped your hand harder than I knew. You-you will not m

omething that does not exist

beyond compari

ry I spoke as I did. I shall not

you more than pay the debt. It is worth a great deal to me to hear you say that you owe something to me, for I am only too glad to be your creditor. If there is a debt, you shall never

ourtier's deepest flattery. Let me say that I am proud to o

lso am curious about something. You were reading over my shoulder in the observation car-"

rror in the opposi

w I am o

forgiveness. It shall not happen again. You will admit that you were trying to read over my shou

ad of me, I will tell you. There was a despatc

es, a rough place had been reached. He was flung back in the corner violently, his head coming in contact with a sharp projection of some kind. The pain w

alf shrieked. "Can you not stop

lated in the contract that he was to consider the comfort of his passengers." Grenfall could feel himself turn

t interest could

oes not reco

every on

ured

ess which interested me the most. You A

hat is

nstantinople?" Her arm fell to her side sudd

the French ambassador'

llions-yes. Well, that was of interest to me inas

me what country

rom Gra

n't remember w

ols do not teach geography? Ours tell u

ignorance,"

broad country that reaches from ocean to ocean. I can scarcely wait until I again see our dear crags and valleys

udge that you have been away from ho

e we left Edelweiss, six months ago. Now we are going home-home!" She uttered

by the whirl of the coach. He was wondering how he could give her up, now that she had been tossed into h

g the other. She was admiring him for his generalship, his wonderful energy; he was blessing the fate that had come to his rescue when hope was almost dead. He could scarcely realize that he was awake. Could it be anything but a vivid fancy from

ed, yielding completely to the long suppressed alarm. "Every bone

ng over boulders, hurtling through treacherous ruts and water-washed holes, rolling, swinging, jerking, crash

pping his arm once more. Again his ha

hrillingly, her disheveled hair touching his face so close were his l

ling glass window. Close at hand, higher up the ste

ights, the horses began to slacken their speed, a momen

ried, in ecstacy. "Here, on t

istended his heart almost to bursting. The coa

are! I m

enfall, climbing out and drawing her

, my good fellow," cried the la

s, O--, West Vi

tence. Several persons were running down the platform, dimly lighted f

ight-horse Je