The Washington times., 1902-01-05

1T was very hot in the cars. The train
was vestibuled one, and the win
dows of the drawing-room coaches
= seemed to be Theoretically sealed tc
their frames Denslow threw aside his
afternoon paper and wheeled about in his
chair seeking an avenue of escape from
The sense of suffocation that was oppress-
ing him.
He rose and began walking through the
cars. 1t had occurred to him that pos
sibly the swift movement OF the train
last platform, enough, at any rate, to
cool him off for a moment or two.
1t was carly in May. Denslow had just
returned from a two years stay in Port
land, Greg, starting there branch of
business for his father.
Your aunt is in Atlantic City" the lat
ter had told him when he met him at the
station. She is not we'll and has gone
down there with her maid. She is very
anxious to see you, and promised that l
would suggest to you to run over and
stay a few days before you settle down
here"
Mrs. Roslyn had taken a mothers place
to Warren Benslow when he WIS six. The
young man felt that he owed her both af-
fection and respect, and SO he had set of
in the 1:50 train the next afternoon.
"Tbe Blytheways can hold over for a
few days" he told himself.
The winter before he lad gone West he
had met Agnes Blytheway at dance. She
had invited him 10 call and he had en-
joyed the visits at her house exceedingly.
The interruption of his friendship caused
by his departure for Oregon was source
of deeper regret to him than he cared to
admit even to himself. II he had known
Agnes lenger he might have asked per-
mission TO correspond: as it was he felt
that their intimacy was only just begin
ming when his absence came to break it
off.
"She may be out OF town next week, -
he was telling himself now. and at that
very instant he caught sight CT her in
the rear coach, which he had just entered
She was facing him. but did not see
him. me- eyes we're nxeu on 4. Iraii VINO
sat in the adjoining chair and who was
talking with her. Denslow was compelled
20 step aside at this point for an instant.
A small child was walking down the aisle
toward him. its nurse close behind it. AS
Denslow waited for the two TO pass he
overheard a wOman's voice just in front
OF him remark to n companion: "Of
course they're bride and groom, Sadie
The speaker was looking straight at
Agnes. The train rounded curve just
then. Denslow caught at the chair
back TO steady himself. He won
dered whether lie would not have
been obliged TO 90 this II the curve had not
teen there. There was certainly q strange
feeling at his heart. He had not realized
till that moment how much he cared for
Agnes Blytheway. and here she WIS mar
ried and he was on the came train in
which she was taking her bridal trip!
Bvt when the nurse and child had pass
ed him he kept straight on. He had
started to reach tae end of the train. He
was not going TO turn back simply be-
cause he found girl whom he had known
two years before was on her honeymoon.
If she looked up ne would stop and speak
TO her. She could not imagine that she
had occupied a very deep place in his
heart She did not look up, however. Her
companion lad just called her attention
to something out of the window. Dens-
low passed on and reached the little gate
at the extreme end OF the train. He