Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-03
CONTINUED FROM LAST SUNDAY
CHAPTER xxx.
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A DARK JOURNEY.

Ss-assS Everything grew black peiore ~.
eyes, and she had to grasp the mar
bic table beside her to keep from fahhgc
Tessie ill-dangerously l-and she sent 'CE! m
Oh. there must be something worse tnah III
ness thus to bend Aunt Prues IRON WIFI
'She s'nt-isn't-" Trix could not force
the awful word from her white lips o..
tell ne the truth Miss Minerva, is Iessie-
"Dead-no," said Miss Minerva composer
ly. AT least she was not at the lllhe lo",
aunt wrote But the letter has been delaye1
two days. I cannot say what has happened
since You must start ut once. MY Drotnei
thinks it best to drive you to Wllton' SO liia'
you may catch the Western Express Ii inc
roads are not blocked, it will shorten your
journey by several hours. The sleigh VIII DC
at the door in twenty minutes; SO you nave no
time to lose You had better go dress at
once" .
1t seemed afterward like some chilling
dream to Trix-that strange, hurried depar
turc. Everything was arranged with the pre-
cison which characterized all arrangements
even of life and death, at Northwood. =,
. In twenty minutes exactly the still, Old
fashioned sleigh stood at the door, with the
professor, muifed up in furs until his sphlnX-
like contour was completely lost, seated with
in, and Trxs trunk, packed as II by H'agc'
strapped c behind.
Like tne tdlnJ leuUlSu lIBhI ChC N'S-Ao
was casting on the snow-capped heights, quite
a glow of Kindness llumined Irixs departure
The girls-Trixites and Lillites together
crowded around her in the hall, tull OF hteL
est and sympathy MISS NlnetTa L +o he S%op aope.
full of her ticket, and poor Miss Martina came
shuffling out of the kitchen at the last MIN
ute with a hot brick wrapped in carpet tor
her feet.
The professor touched up his horse-chris-
tened Euclid by the girls on account oil ms
being a problem in angles-and 1rlX was
whirled away from Northwood Institute never
to return. m
nor u main M to TriS now. Her heart was numb
and cold to everything but the aWtul agony
of suspense .u
Tessie had sent for her. Tessie ill-dyin1g
-ah, she dared not think further; she eould
The professor spoke to her kindly two
or three times. She did not seem to hear
him.
The cold wind grew colder and sharper as
the sun went down hike great red pau pe-
hind the mountain. The coppery glow IN
the west faded into the gray OF the short WIN
ter twilight, and then all grew dark;
Still the sleigh sped on, old Euchd,s bony
legs striking out bravely, while the wlna TORE
Trix's veil, froze the breath upon the profess
sor's beard into hoary frost, and made hun
pull down his cap until nothing was visible
but the end of his nose; :,
But Trix scarcely knew she was colo
Euclid's feet seemed to drag, the skimming
sleigh almost to a stand still.
Faster! faster!" cried her beating heart.
"Oh, if had but wings to tiy"
Wilton was reached at last-a busy little
town at the foot of the mountain.
The professor drove into the depot, bought
Trix's ticket, checked her trunk, and was all
ready, Just as the Western Express came
laundering in, white with the snow and ice
of the mountain passes through which 1T had
forced its way.
hands 'V1 With his s' pupil. you've got your
medal safe, hope 1 won't ask you to come
back Tell your aunt, for me, the climate
up here is too cold for you-altogether Too
cold Good-by,! and take care OF yourself,
Miss Beatrix."
And then the train whired off through TIE
darkness, and Trix felt as if she swere going
indeed on the wings Of the wind to Tessie'F
side
The car was crowded, and the passengers
were chilled and tired, for many of them had
made long and tedious journey from the
far off West
AT any other time Trix would have found
lots of fun in watching the people, but she
had no eyes OF ears for anything tonight
She did not even notice the tall, fnelookine
gentleman who made room for her on the
seat beside him and slipped his traveing-rue
under her feet to keep them warm.
As they sped along through the darkness
Trx's neighbor seemed inclined to be so
ciable He handed her drink of water il
a queer, folding cup that he took from hii
pocket; he bought paper of gum-drops from
a candy-peddler, and shook half the contents
into her lap.