The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-08

was a coin from her far-away homeland,
and she was betrayed into the involuntary
exclamation. Instantly, however. she re-
gained her composure and dropped the
piece into his outstretched hand, a proud
flush mounting to her cheek. a look of cold
reserve TO her eyes. He had hoped she
would offer some comment on what she
must have considered a strange coincidence,
but he was disappointed. He wondered If
she even heard him say:
Il am sorry TO have troubled you"
She had resumed her seat. and, to him,
there seemed a thousand miles between
them. Feeling decidedly uncomfortable and
not a little abashed. he left her and strobe
TO the door. Again a mirror gave him a
thrill. This time it was the glass in the
cars end. He had taken but a half dozen
steps when the brown head was turned sly
~ and a pair of interested eyes looked after
him. She did not know that he could see
her, So he had the satisfaction of observ-
ing that pretty. puzzled face plainly until
he passed through the door.
Grenfall had formed many chance &C
quaintances during his travels, sometimes
taking risks and liberties that were re-
freshingly bold. He had seldom been re-
pulsed, strange to say. and as ne went to
49, 1870 61A ~ O0c 49, o.
fortune that had been his in other attempts.
and asked himself why it had not occurred
to him 10 make the same advances in the
present instance. Somehow she was differ
ent. There was that strange dignity, that
pure beauty, that imperial manner, all
combining to forbid the faintest thought Of
familiarity
He was more than .astonished at himself
for having tricked her a few moments be-
fore into a perfectly natural departure
from Indifference. She had been so reserved
and so natural that he looked back and
asked himself what had happened to fiatter
his vanity except a passing show of inter-
est. With this, he smiled and recalled SINH
lar opportunities in days gone by, all OF
which had been turned to advantage and
had resulted i'm amusing pastimes. And here
was a pretty girl with an air of mystery
about her. worthy of his best efforts, but
toward whom he had not dared to turn a
frivolous eye.
He took out the coin and leaned back in
his chair, wondering where it came from.
"In any case he thought, it'll make a
good pocket-piece and some day I'll find
some idiot who knows more about geog-
rapny than / do" Mr.. Lorry's own ideas of
geography were jumbled and vague-as if
he had got them by studying the labels on
his hat box. He knew the places he had
been to, q q he recognized a new country
by the anLoyances of the customs house,
but beyond this his ignorance was complete.
The coin. so far as he knew. might have
come from any one OF a hundred small
principalities scattered about the continent.
Yet it bothered him a little that he could
not tell which one. He was more than curl
Gus about a very beautiful young woman
in fact. he was undeniably interested in
her. He pleasantly called himself an Ass
to have his head turned by a pretty face,
a foreign accent and an insignificant coin,
and yet he was fascinated.
Before the train reached ST. Louis he
made up his mind TO change cars there and
go 10 Washington with her. II also oc-
Cured to him that he might go on 20 New
York if the spell lasted. During the day he
telegraphed ahead for accommodations;
and when the flyer arrived in st. Louis
that evening he hurriedly attended to the
transferring and rechecking of his baggage.
bought a new ticket and dined. AT s he was
in the station, and at S:15 he passed her in
the aisle. She was standing in her state
room door. directing her maid. He saw a
look of surprise fit across her face as he
passed. He slept soundly that night, and
dreamed that he was crossing the ocean
with her.
At breakfast he saw her, but if she saw
him it was when he was not looking at her.
Once he caught Uncle Caspar staring at
him through his monocle. which dropped
instantly from his eye i'm the manner that
is always self-explanatory. She had evil
IDENTIFY called the uncle's attention TO him,
but was herself looking sedately from the
window when Lorry unfortunately spoiled
the scrutiny. His spirits took a furious
bound with the realization that she had
deigned to honor him by recognition. if
only 10 cell attention to him because he
possessed n certain coin.
Once the old gentleman asked him the
time of day and set his watch according to
the reply. In Ohio the man servant scowled
at him because he involuntarily stared
after his mistress as she paced the plat
form while the train awaited at a station.
Again, in Ohio. they met in the vestibule,
and he was compelled to step aside to al
low her TO pass. He did not feel particularly
jubilant over this meeting; she did not even
glance at him.
Lorry realized that his opportunities were
fast disappearing, and that he did not seem
to be any nearer meeting her than when
they started. He had hoped to get Uncle
Caspar into a conversation and then use
him, but Uncle Caspar was as distant as an
iceberg. IF there should be a wreck"
Grenfall caught himself thinking, then my
chance would come; but L don't see how
Providence is going to help in any other
way"
Near the close of the day, after they left
st. Louis, the train began to wind through
the foothills of the Alleghenies. Bellaire,
Grafton and other towns were left behind,
and they were soon whirling up the steep
mountain. higher and higher, through tun-
mel after tunnel, nearer and nearer 10
Washington every minute. As they were
pulling out OF a little mining town built on
the mountain side. a sudden jar stopped
the train. There was some little excitement
and a scramble for information. Some part
of the engine was disabled, and ii would be
necessary to replace it before the run
could proceed.
Lorry strolled up 10 the crowd OF passen-
gers who were watching the engineer and
fireman at work. A clear, musical voice, al
most in his ear startled him. for he knew
to whom it belonged. She addressed the
conductor, who, impatient and annoyed,
stood Immediately behind him.
How long are we 10 be delayed?' she
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