Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-10-11
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CHAPTER ]

Missouri December of mild tempera-
lures and saturated skies-and the
Chicago & Atoms fast train, dripping
from the rush through the wet night,
had steamed briskly to its terminal in
the Union station at Kansas City.
Two men, one smoking a short pipe
and the other swapping the ash from
scented cigarette, stood aloof from the
hurrying throngs on the platform
looking on with the measured interest
of those who are in a melee but not
of it.
More delay" said the cigarettist,
sglancing at his watch. I'VE are over
an hour late now. Do we get any of
1t back on the run to Denver"
The pipe smoker shook his head.
Hardly, should say. The Limited
Is pretty heavy train to pick up lost
time. But it won't make any particu-
lar difference. The western connec-
tions all wait for the Limited and
we shall reach the seat of war to-
morrow night, according to the Boston
itinerary"
MIR. Morton P. Adams flung away the
unburned half Of his cigarette and
masked yawn behind his hand.
Its no end of bore, Winton, and
that is the plain, unlacquered fact" he
protested. Il think the governor owes
me something. | worried through the
Tech because he insisted that should
have profession; and now / am go
ing in for field work with you in a
howling winter wilderness because he
insists on a practical demonstration"
'Humph! it's too bad about you,
said the other, ironically. He was a
fit figure of a man, clean-cut and Wig
orous, from the steadfast outlook of
the gray eyes and the close clip Of the
Van Dyck beard to the square finger
tips of the strong hands, and his smile
was of good-natured contempt. las
you say, it. is an outrage on filial com
plaisance. All the same, with the right
of-way fight in prospect, Quartz Creek
canyon may not prove to be such a
valley of dry bones as Look out,
there!"
The shifting engine had cut car
from the rear of the lately arrived AL
ton, and was sending it down the out
bound track to a coupling with the
Transcontinental Limited" Adams
stepped back and let it miss him by
a hand's-breadth, and as the car was
passing Winton read the name on the
panelling.
"The Rosemary somebody's 20
ton private outfit. That cooks our last
chance of making up any lost time be-
tween this and tomorrow"
He broke off abruptly. On the square
rear observation platform of the pri-
vate car were three ladies. One of
them was small and blue-eyed, with
wavy little puffs of snowy hair peep
ing out under her dainty widows cap.
Another was small and blue-eyed, with
wavy masses of flaxen hair caught up
from face which might have served
as a model for the most exquisite
bisque figure that ever came out OF
France. But Winton saw only the
third.
She was taller than either of her
companions-tall and straight and
1.-the; a charming embodiment of
health and strength and beauty; clear
skinned, brown-eyed-a very goddess
fresh from the bath, in Winton's in
stant summing-up of her, and her
crown of red-gold hair helped out the
simile.
Now thus far in his thirty-year pill
grimages John Winton, man and boy,
had lived the intense life of work
ing hermit so far as the social gods
and goddesses were concerned. Yet
he had a pang-of disappointment or
pointed jealousy, or something akin TO
both-when Adams lifted his hat to
this particular goddess, and was re-
warded by little cry of recognition
'She is a friend of yours, then?" he
said, when Adams had taken the bait
ed hook open-eyed.
The technologian modified the as
sumption.
Not quite in your sense of the word
4 fancy. l met her a number of times
at the houses of mutual friends in
Boston. She was studying at the con-
servatory."
But she isn't Bostonian," said
Winton confidently.
Miss Virginia Hardly. She is a
'Carteret of the Carterets; Virginia
born, bred, and named. Stunning girl
ISN'T she?"
NO" said Winton, shortly. resent
ing the slang for no reason that he
could have set forth in words.
Adams lighted another of the
scented villainies, and his clean-shaven
face wrinkled itself into a slow smile
Which means that she has winged
you at sight, I suppose, as she does
most men," Then he added, calmly:
Its no CO."
Whats mo go'?"
Adams laughed unfeelingly.
You remind me of the fable about
the head-hiding ostrich. Didn't l see
you staring at her as IL you were
about to have a fit? But 1t Is jus
AS I tell Won. it's no 60 She ISM