Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-23
CHAPTER III.


A breakdown near Niagara The train
/ was run off on a side track and word went
through the cars that no start would be
made for o couple of hours.
s'Luciy it's Sunday night" kildare said.
| Bird, we will take a look at the falls
The girls face was white.
'Isn't it rather walk?" she asked
| family.
eff you are going to whine about it"
"No, Bob
Kildare looked gloomily down on her.
| The contrast between the two was striking.
Possibly her frail, childish face appealed to
him from its very lack of color and beauty,
for he said with change to gentleness:
Likely it is far. You stay here and keep
quiet-there! I'll wrap you up" After
tueking the robes about her, he patted her
| cheek, and, turning up his great collar,
said "Goodby, Baby" and left His last
infection was half caressing, half mocking.
Bird lay still, where he had left her, on the
couch in the little private saloon at the end
of the parlor car. The place was packed
with travelling cases, rugs, shawls, a big
| open box of cut flowers lay on the seat op-
posite, and filled the close air with heavy
perfume, small dog curled in basket on
the floor, and half closed hamper showed
tissue paper wrapped packages, and fresh
fruit. Presently Bird lifted her left hand,
thin white hand, the nails manicured care
fully. Each finger was ringed. On the
fourth finger were two pearls and large
turquoise. The veins along the back of the
hand were almost as blue. Bird traced
them idly with finger of her right hand,
then began slowly turning the stones of her
rings toward her palm. AS the plain gold
circles showed on her fourth finger her ewes
shadowed. She pulled off all the rings
from her left hand, except one, and this
one had the jewel toward the palm of her
fourth finger.
She looked at her hand, barred save this
one band of plain gold, and, while smile
touched her lips into a new sadness the
tears rolled down her cheeks. To check
herself she turned her palm that she might
see the stone the plain band held, but at
sight of the pearl she began to sob, and so,
with the back of her wrist against her close
drawn lips, and her hand clenched, she lay
CRYING, while the loose lot of scattered
jewels cleaned in the folds of the rug.
Meanwhile, Kildare walked briskly up
the track. As he neared the bridge span
ming the rapids he sprung down the bank to
continue his tramp along the cliff. The sun
was cleaving through dull orange and red
clouds, low at the west, and a ruddy glow
sunused eNerytHlnSJ e turning Ine nlgn
lights of the snow to pink and giving the
railing along the cliff bronze edge. A
little way down the rapids two girls leaned
over the rail Kildare looked at them curl
ously. One spoke and her voice reached
him.
I'm getting the horrors, Daisy; I'll 60
back to the train. No reason why you
shouldn't stay, only don't get left. -
"Freda," said Kildare to himself, i'm
patiently, watching her as she swung up
the crisp path. The look that followed her
was not a pleasant one. Her freedom of
movement, the well-poised grace of her run
up the bank to the track, the flash of her
red Tam, and the CLEAN her brown hair
took in the slanting orange light, all irri-
tated him. Daisy? So the other girl was
Miss Granite. He looked at Marguerite's
figure discontentedly and then again after
Freda.
"Wish it had been the other way" he
grumbled, and strobe briskly toward Mar
guerite.
At the crunching of the snow behind her
she turned with a cry, and receding came
heavily against the unsteady railing. Kill
dare, with a hoarse exclamation, sprung for
ward and caught her in his arm. Then, re-
moving his cigar, made an exclamation I'M
der his breath.
T-you-I .didn't know who IL was,"
stammered Daisy.
Kildare did not heed her move to with |
draw from his hold, but, with one arm still |
about her, and feeling he had made fine |
start, he leaned heavily upon the rail
81 thought you were going over" he ex-
plsined; cit turned me i'll for q moment"
"Daisy's eyes widened, and she made q |
quick move as if to support him.
81 followed you here" he went on,
bluntly, as does a man who in the reaction |