The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-07-25
CHAPTER IT.

CHAPTER IL.
En- the Land OF No Twilight.
long days and nights Of railway
11ve4. visions Of wide brown fields.
sare I'm the early winter, and snug
eEW-h0uses, with smoke-coils. nestled
1nom6 the hills; the roar of large
aetes In which soft coal was burned
~ the air heavy with pestilential
s3ocs. even the sunshine growing
GARNER and the sky, seen in little
through the car-window, growing
<suer; ever a change of faces among
GLOW passengers and an occasional
&isnge Of train-crews; ever success
6oa az flashing landscapes and eye
$ztas strained with gazing at them;
ever the clank and rattle and roar and
nzoh and jar of the moving monster
T6Sch bore her; then wider fields,
Thfch Were prairie, and darker woods,
aasd crossed the Texas line into coun-
sy as dissimilar from that in which
he had been reared as If it had be-
~uged to another world. All railway
EsaEet. after a time, becomes alike
ao0oto1ous and depressing, weari-
sseas to the flesh.
On the fifth day after leaving Gray
rough she stepped from the dusty
akn To little station platform more
d4n a hundred miles west of San An
'tenfo. Around her, far as the eye
o.zld reach, rolled a brown sea OF
:aaSa Near to the station grew half
-afrSea discouraged cottonwoods. There
-ssere u well and MINDLESS, little
rane-house fifty yards away, about
<aicH wandered a score Of tired chick
us, ehree or four bridleless, riderless
'.nukeFs. apparently eating dust; on
me fxr western horizon thin line Of
sess. marking a water-course; over
..sszd brilliantly intensely blue sky
t9Eninated by glaring sun. The air
Ess thin and dry and cool, however.
nd the girl felt certain exhilaration
Eom It as she stretched her tired limbs
~ rapid walk up and down the plat
.oFM- The station agent and telegraph
operator, shirt-sleeved and smoking to-
iacco rolled in a corn-shuck, came to
ler and said with mild interest:
You are Miss Lois English, amt
coa!"
She said she was.
We'll" he went on, IT got tele-
gam last night from Fort Clark, sent
Of Mr.. Glynn, the BALCONIES boss, and
ia told me to tell you that the mules
sBIH he after you to-day"
The u1ules?"
Fep- The ambulance, you know
tie ranche trav'lin' rig. It had orter
-show up pretty soon. Won't you walk
sver 70 the house? My wifes there.
8een married most a year"
Thanking him, but declining this in
citation, Lois resumed her walk. Her
three trunks were piled at one end of
the platform and as she passed and re-
:nNssed them she noticed that they were
'EEuch worn and battered. Evidently
some Of the men up St. Louis way had
been I'm a hurry. After half-hour of
exercise she began to feel hungry.
Then away to the eastward her eve was
attracted by small cloud of dust So
's;2sart that it was scarcely discernible
It grew rapidly larger. Fifteen min
sCses Later it resolved itself into a largo
eehfcIe, with canvas top and sides
drawn by four mules. On the front
4'ezt vas Mexican driver doing moth
eRE. BY him sat slender young fell
trw Who held the reins carelessly in
SEQ hand while the other swung whip
eEfxh a long lash. His feet were braced
and hts elbows we're squared. He was
Gooffng" the outfit in approved Lon
Man fashion. The mules dashed IN to
faaee platform at swinging gallop, half
rIrcted and came to a dead stoo tho
ambulance not a foot from the boards
Ere young fellow shifted his whip TO
the left band. raised huge gray som
hrero. heavy with silver tinsel. and
Aaowed Eravely. There was a flush Of
pleasure on his face. Mr.. TON" Al
syu, Of Devonshire, rather fancied his
driving. Lois returned the bow. AL.
,eeudy she liked the dash and swing ~
tire arrival and the frank bIue-evad
Case OF portentous gravity which
cooked at her from under the sombrero
stt was all SO unlike Grayborough. Ar
f2Rta moment the station agent rean-
,peaxed and announced that 1.-The
'uausea'' had come. Seeing that all four
sc them were within twenty feet of her
1Ot& booked at him a moment in aston
Eminent. then thanked him gushtnply
sdar the Information. The young fell
&aw with the reins laughed gaily and
tI1sged them to one side of him. The
Sseepy Mexican had sprung to the head
&C The leading pair OF animals and held
a1he0 by the bits. Allyn leaped to the
Eround, ren1arkinE: That's one on YOU
ennsnaaa. Bear hand with these
1C1nlu, will your" Together the lug
UHge was piled into the rear end of the
SsGacse and the tail-gate put In place.
Da1y then did the director Of ceremon-
o. tnE1 to Miss English, remove his
~ anA hoal cut his hand with a frank
s1afe, mi . look Of unconscious adj
.1lE1l1na u alis eyes: Il
Tan delighted to welcome you. Miss
'1hG1 he said we are i little late
q esA eoming Alene one Of tbs mulss
,1ak k Into his had TO climb On an