The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-01-31
CHAPTER 11.-(Continued.)

Cnears h0neymooning to distance of
20. 30. or 100 miles. Over there a
bridal Journey may mean 1000 or
5000 miles, and entail some days and
nights aboard train. Gervis Tenn
pleton and his newly made wife were
quite content with the prospect Of the
long journey as they sat in the palace
Gar, hand-in-hand, gazing out upon
the strange. unchanging landscape.
To the new wife, life was warm and
sweet; while for Gervis. who had
taken up his cross manfully before he
crossed Gladys vision, there was the
underlying sense of having given up
his all for others, which in itself is a
certain reward.
1T seems like years since we left old
Frisco. doesn't it. Gervis?" the bride
broke the silence to say blithely. Its
q bit queer to leave the old life behind
like this" she went on, half dreamily.
II never realized that was married,
think. until we stepped into this car
at Vancouver. And now here we are,
you and l, flying along through plains
and canons, through snow and ice. on
our way to old age together. If one
were superstitious the lookout is
ominous."
GLADLY waved her white hand at the
landscape whirling past, rocks and
hillsides, gray rivers and shimmering.
still lakes, and in the distance the
great, frowning Rockies.
Look on this picture, not on that"
Gervis with his hand gently turned
the small, round face, and Gladys
eyes fell on the cheerful, warm lux
uries of the car.
He was careful not to omit the low
er-like attentions bride would natur-
! ally look for. and it was only those
who knew him better than GLADLY did,
who would miss the spontaneous ele-
ment that was absent.
Never mind the wintry outlook"
went on the young husband. II don't
believe you've as much as glanced at
our fellow-travelers yet. They seem
rather a decent lott
do they?" GLADLY turned her
brown head to give comprehensive
look round the palace car. They're
not bad" she added indifferently.
. Then she broke off, and there was q
dead silence.
The round, blue eyes of the bride
had encountered another pair, black
and inscrutable, that were fixed with
a strange, tense gaze on her. Some
thing-she knew not what-instantly
arrested her attention. and a faint
/, shiver ran over her whole being.
The owner of the magnetic eyes was
a man of persaps 40, perhaps older.
His crisply curling hair matched his
y Intensely black eyes, and the olive tint
/ OF his bare. shaven face went admir-
ably with the darkness Of eyes and
hair.
That he was OF studious DISPOSE
ton was vouched for by the stoop Of
his narrow shoulders. He was care
fully, even punctiliously, dressed, and
as he leaned back in large, red
plush easy chair there was certain
distinction about his appearance.
He seemed to know none Of his fell
low-travelers. and while they chatted
and laughed, he sat, with loosely
clasped fingers, silent and watchful.
The strange thing was that nobody
seemed to be aware Of his presence in
the car. People talked across him,
colored walters passed and repassed
him, but nobody disturbed the think
S ing man.
The train jolted on It's way to the
great mountains, the everlasting
hills" It sped in and out Of the snow
Sheds which mans ingenuity has con-
structed to protect the railway line
from snowslides, in which thousands
OF tons Of snow, suddenly loosened,
came down with irresistible force to
devastate the low-lying country.
The startling whiteness of the out
side world was growing blurred. The
day was waning, the dusk gathering
slowly. and a few feathery flakes be-
gan to show up against the deepening
gray behind them.
We are going to have tremendous
snowfall tonight, Judging from the
Fmallness and dryness Of the flakes"
observed Gervis presently; but he got
no answer.
The young man pulled out some
home letters to read.
In a few moments he was back
again in the old home. Loyal and true
RS he was to the young wife at his
side, Gervis could not keep his mem
DRY from straying to the fair, summer
E glades Of Temple-Dene, through which
wandered youth and maiden whose
hearts were united though their lips
Jailed to speak of love-
For brief moment he wondered
how Leila had taken the news of his
marriage. which by this time must
have reached Temple Dene. Now, with
his face turned to begin an everyday.
practical existence. bereft forever Of
the old love Gervis suddenly felt faint
Qualms. Had he-had they sought
70 achieve more than human strength
was capable Of?
Leila he reverenced too deeply to
doubt Her pure, sanity woman's mo-
ture would be certain shield. And
that sweet purity of hers would act,
likewise, as his own safeguard.
Little wonder that the gravity in
the bridegroom's eye deepened as he
sat idly turning over the loose sheets
OF Lady James pointed writing. So
absorbed was he that he did not OBJ
serve q sudden hush that crept over