Barbour County index., 1906-08-29
CHAPTER 1

1lSSOur1 december OF milo Ieuperd-
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 short pipe
and the other swapping the ash from a
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,
glancing at his watch. I'VE are over
an hour late now. Do we get any OF
It back on the run to Denver?"
The pipe smoker shook his head.
Hardly, l should say. The Limited
Is a pretty heavy train to pick up lost
time. Blu. 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"
Mr.. Morton P. Adams flung away the
Hall VI HIS ClSdlCIIC oho
masked a yawn behind his hand.
It's no end of a bore, Wfnton, and
that is the plain, unlacQuered fact he
protested. Il think the governor owes
me something l worried through the
Tech because he insisted that l should
have a profession; and now am go
ing in for field work with you in
int wild
insists on a practical demonstration"
'Humph! it's too bad about you,"
said the other, ironically. He was
1T 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,
therei"
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
passing Winton read the name on the
panelling.
1.-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
slant summing-up of her, and he,
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 a work
ing hermit so far as the social gods
and goddesses were concerned. Ye
he had a pang-of disappointment OF
pointed jealousy, or something akin t
both-when Adams lifted his hat ts
this particular goddess, and was re
@arded by a little cry of recognition
'She is a friend of yours, them" h,
said, when Adams had taken the bait
ed hook open-eyed.
The technologian modified the as
sumption.
mot quite in your sense of the word
fancy. l met her a number of time
at the houses of mutual friends il
Boston. She was studying at the con
servatory."
But she isn't Bostonian," sal
Winton, confidently.
Miss Virginia ?-hardly. She is
Carteret of the Carterets; Virginia
born, bred. and named. Stunning CIR
isn't she?"
NO." said Winton, shortly. resent
ing the slang for no reason that b
could have set forth in words
Adams lighted another OF th
scented villainies, and his clean-shave
face wrinlSled itself into a slow smil,
Which means that she has winge
you at sight, l suppose. as she doe
most men," Then he added. calmly
"It's no 60"
What's no go'?'
Adams laughed unfeelingly.
You remind me of the fable abor
the head-hiding ostrich Didn't 1 Sc
you staring at her as If you wei
about to have a 1T? But it is ju,
as tell you; it's no go. She ism
the marrying kind. If you knew he