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

essary?' In the question there was "A quiet
dignity. half submerged in scorn, so
pointed, so unmistakable that he flushed.
turned cold with modification, and hastily
removed the amorous fingers.
II crave your pardon. 1t IS such a strain
to hold myself and you against the rolling
of this wagon that / unconsciously gripped
your hand harder than l knew. You-you
will not misunderstood my motive?" he
begged. fearful lest he had offended her by
his ruthlessness.
II could not misunderstood something
that does not exist" she said, simply,
proudly.
by Jove, she's beyond comparison he
thought.
You nave explained. and 1 am sorry l
spoke as l did. 1 shall not again forget how
much l owe you"
Your Indebtedness, if there be one, does
not deprive you of the liberty to speak to
me as you will. You could not say anything
unjust without asking my forgiveness, and
when you do that you more than pay the
debt. 1t is worth a great deal to me to hear
you say that you owe something to me, for
1 am only too glad to be your creditor. If
there is a debt, you shall never pay it; it is
too pleasant an account to be settled with
- nc H0lCOluE- a " lAASASN NAA6~ 80 ~
much to me, 1 shall refuse to cancel the
debt, and allow it to draw interest forever"
What a fnancieri' she cried. THAT jest
was worthy Of a courtier's deepest fiattery.
Let me say that L am proud to owe my
| gratitude to you. o will not permit it to
grow less"
That was either irony or the p%rettiest
speech q woman ever uttered" he said,
VVarmlV- 'I also am curious about some
thing. You were reading over my shoulder
in the observation car
II was not!' she exclaimed, Indignantly.
How did you know that?" she inconsist-
emily went on.
You forget the mirror in the opposite
side of the car"
Zach, now 1 am offended"
witt a poor old mirror? For shame! Yet,
in the name Of our American glass industry.
1 ask your forgiveness. 1t shall not happen
again. You will admit that you were try
ing to read over my shoulder. Thanks for
that immutable nod. Well. L am curious to
know what you were so eager to read"
'Sinc you presume to believe the mirror
instead of me, L will tell you. There was a
dispatch on the first page that interested
me deeply
Il believe 1 thought as much at the time.
Oh, confound this oadl' For half a mile or
, more the road had been fairly level, but, as
the ejaculation indicates, a rough place had
been reached. He was flung back in the cor
ner violently, his head coming in contact
with a sharp projection of some kind. The
pain was almost unbearable, but it was
eased by the fact that she had involuntarily
thrown her arm across his chest, her hand
| grasping his shoulder spasmodically.
"Oh, we shall be killed." she half
shrieked. "Can you not stop MIN? This is
madness-madness!'
Pray be calm! / was to blame, for I had
become careless. He is earning his money,
that's all. 1t was not stipulated In the con-
tract that he was TO consider the comfort of
his passengers" Grenfall could feel himself
turn pale as something warm began TO
trickle down his neck. Now tell me which
dispatch it was. I read all of them"
you did? Of what interest could they
have been?"
Curiosity does not recognize reason"
'You read every one of them?"
"Assuredly."
'"Then l shall grant you the right to guess
which interested me most. You Americans
delight in puzzles, 1 am told"
Now, that is unfair
so it is. Did you read the dispatch from
Constantinople?" Her arm fell to her side
suddenly as if she had just realized its po-
sition.
1.-The one thai told of the French am
bassador's visit to the Sultan?"
Concerning the small matter Of a loan
of some miUions-yes. Well, that was of in
terest to me inasmuch as the loan, if made,
Will affect my country
will you tell me what country you are
from?"
Il am from Graustark."
Yes: but | don't remember where that
is"
rs it possible that your American schools
do not teach geography? Ours tell us wher
the United States are located"
Il confess ignorance" he admitted
Then / shall insist that you study a map.
Graustark is small. but L am as proud of it
as you are of this great broad country that
reaches from ocean to ocean. 1 can scarcely
wait until l again see our dear crags and
valleys, our rivers and ever-blue skies, our
plains and our towns. L wonder if you wor-
ship your country as l love NINE"
From the tenor of your remarks, 1 judge
that you have been away from home for a
long time" he volunteered.
I'VE have seen something of Asia, Aus
tralia. Mexico and the United States since
we left Edelweiss. six months ago. Now we
are going home-home!' She uttered the
word so lovingly, so longingly. so tenderly,
that he envied the homeland.
There was a long break in the converse
ton. both evidently wrapped in thought
which could not be disturbed by the whirl
of the coach. He was wondering how he
could give her up. now that she had been
tossed into his keeping so strangely. She
was asking herself over and over again
how so thrilling an adventure would end.
They were sore and fatigued with the
strain on nerve and flesh. 1t was an ex-
perience never to be forgotten, this roman
tic race over the wild mountain road. the
| result still in doubt. Ten minutes ago
strangers: now-friends at least, neither
knowing 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 which he was TO awaken and find
himself alone in his berth. the buzzing
clacking carwheels piercing his ears with
sounds so unlike those that had been whis-
pered into them by a voice. sweet and mad
dening. from out the darkness of a dream
land cab?