The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-10-13


occurred to him that he might go on to
New York If the spell lasted. During the
day he telegraphed ahead for accommo-
cations 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 he was at the station. and at SIS
he passed her in the aisle. She was stand
Ing in her stateFoOm 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 ne saw her. but If she saw
him it was when he was not looking at
her. Once he caught Uncle Caspar star
ing at him through his mOnocle, which
dropped instantly from his eye in the
manner that is always self-explanatory
She had evidently called the uncle's atten-
ton TO him, but was herself looking Sc
dately from the window when LOrry I'M
fortunately spoiled the scrutiny. His Spir-
it's took a furious bound with the realiza-
ton that she had deigned to honor him by
recognition. if only to call attention to
him because he possessed a certain coin.
Once the old gentleman asked him the
time of cay 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
platform while the train waited at a sta
Thule and he was compelled to step aside
to allow her to pass He did not feel par
ticularly 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 70
get Uncle Caspar into a conversation and
use him. but Uncle Caspar was as distant
as an iceberg. eff there should be a
wreck Grenfal caught himself thinking.
then my chance would come; but don't
see how Providence is going to help me
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 AIIeghenies
Bellaire, Grafton and other towns were
left behind and they were soon whirling
up the steep mountain, higher and
higher. through tunnel after tunnel, near
er and nearer to Washington every min
ute 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 it would be necessary to re-
place it before the run could proceed
LOrry strOlled up to the crowd of pas
sengers who were watching the engineer
and fireman at work A clear. musical
voice almost in his ear startled him for
he knew to whom 1T belonged. She ad-
dressed the conductor who, impatient
and annoyed. stood Immediately behind
him.
How long we to be deIayed?'' she
asked Just two minutes before this
same conductor had responded most IN
graci0usly to a simple question Lorry had
asked and had gone so far as to instruct
another inquisitive traveller to go to a
warmer climate because he persisted in
asking for information which could not be
gwen except by clairvOyant. But now
he answered in most affable tones:
Well be here for thirty minutes. at
least, Miss-perhaps longer"
She walked away, after thanking him.
and Grenfall looked at his watch
OH the main street of the town ran little
lanes leading to the mines below. They
all ended at the edge of a steep decIi1-i+,-
There was drop of almost four hundred
rect straight into the valley below Along
the SIDES of this valley were the entrances
to the mines. Above on the ledge was
the machinery for lifting the ore to tho
high ground on which stood the +o1.-, ~
railroad yards.
Down one of these streets walked tba
young lady, curiousIy interested in All
ABOUT her She seemed glad to escaDs
from the train and it's people and sba
hurried along, the fresh spring wind
blowing her hair from beneath her can
the ends of her long coat hutterine
Lorry stood on the platform wafcbino
her; sthen he lighted cigarette and FOL-
lowed. He had vague feeling that she
ought not to be alone with all the WORT
men, She started to come back before
ne reached her, however, and he turned
again toward the station Then he heard
a sudden whistle and a minute later from
the end of the street he saw the train
pulling out. L1Orry had rather distin
guished himself in college az a runrer
and instincttvely he dashed up the street.
reachlng the tracks Just in time to catch
the railing of the last coach. But there
he stopped and stood with thurnpiDo,
heart while the coaches slid smoothly mn
the track, leaving him behind He re-
membered he was not the ONLY one Left
and he painted and smiled. 1t occurred
to him-when 1t was too late-that he
might have got on the train and p,I1Ied
the rope or called the conductor but thar
was out of the question now. After all
1t might not be such a merry game IN
stay in that filthy little town: it did not
follow that she would prove friendly.
"A few moments later she appeared
wholly unconscious Of what had hap
pened A glance down the track and
her face was the picture of despafr
Inen she saw him coming toward her
with long strides. flushed and excited
Regardless of appearances, conditions or
consequences, she hurried to meet him.
Wnere IS the train?'' she gasped. as
.S'0'4iNO OoCWeeH Inem grew short,
her blue eyes seeking his beseechingIv'
her hands cIasped.
1T has gone"
Gone? And we've are leftY'
he nodded, delighted by the word I'VE"
The conductor said thirty minutes: If
mas been but twenty" she cried. half
tearfully, half angrily. looking at her
watch. "Oh, what shall do?" she went
on, dtstractedly. He had enioyed the
sweet despairing tones, but this last wall
called for manly and instant action.
Can we catch the train? We must! 7
will give thousand dollars. I must catch
1t. She had placed her gloved hand
against a telegraph pole to steady her
trembling, but her face was resolute i'm
perious, commanding. She was ordering
him to obey as she would have com
manded a slave. In her voice there was