The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-15


them, his father told me that the high
altitude had knocked his son up. so that
he had had to be helped from the or
| dinarv sleeper 70 the special and had
gone 10 bed Immediately. Out west we
have to know something of medicine,
and nv car had its chest of drugs. So l
| took some tablets and went into his
stateroom.
Frederic was like his brother in APP
/ pearance. though not in manner. having
| a quick, alert way He was breathing
| with such difficulty that / was almost
tempted to give him nitrogIycerin, in
stead of strychnine, but he said he
would be all right as soon as he became
accustomed TO the rarefied air, quite
/ poohpoohing my suggestion that he
/ take No. 2 back TO Trinidad. And while
! I was still urging the train started.
/ Leaving him the vials of digitalis and
strychnine. therefore, went back and
dined solus on my own car, indulging
/ at the end in cigar the smoke of
which would keep turning into pictures
of Miss Cullen. | have thought about
those pictures since then and have con-
| cluded that when cigar smoke behaves
like that a man might as well read his
destiny in it, for 1T can mean only one
! thing.
After enjoying the combination I
went to No. 21S to have a look at the
son and found that the heart tonics had
benefited him considerably. On leaving
him went to the dining room, where
the rest of the party were still at din
ner, TO ask that the invalid have
strong cup of coffee, and after deliver
ing my request Mr. Cullen asked me to
join them in a cigar. This I did gladly.
for cigar and Miss Cullen's society
We're even pleasanter than cigar and
Miss Cullen's pictures, because the pic
lures never quite did her justice, and,
besides, didn' t talk.
Our smoke finished, we went back to
the saloon, where the gentlemen sat
down TO poker, which Lord Rallies had
just learned and liked. They did not
ask me to take hand, for which was
grateful. as the salary of railroad su-
perintendent would hardly stand the
game they probably played. And had
my compensation when Miss Cullen
also was not asked to join them. She
said she was going to watch the moon
light on the mountains from the plat
form and opened the door to go out,
finding for the first time that No. 81
was the lender. In her disappoint-
ment she protested against this and
wanted to know the why and wherefore.
eve shall have far less motion,
Madge," Mr.. Cullen explained. And
then we shan't have the rear end man
i'll our car at night =
'.But / don't mind the notion
urged Miss Cullen, land the flagman is
there only after we are all in our
rooms. Please leave US the view.
II prefer the present arrangement,
Madge, said Mr.. Cullen in very
positive voice
was so sorry for Miss Cullen's dis
appointment that, on impulse, said
1.-the platform of 81 is entirely at your
service, Miss Cullen - The moment it
was out 1 realized that / ought not to
have said it and that 1 deserved re-
Duke for supposing she would use my
car.
Miss Cullen took it better than l
hoped for and was declining the offer
as kindly as my intention had been in
making it when, much to my astonish /
ment, her father said:
''By all means, Madge. That relieves
us of the discomfort of being the last
car, and yet lets you have the scenery
and moonlight.
Miss Cullen looked at her father for .
a moment, as if not believing what she (
had heard. Lord Rallies scowled and
opened his mouth to say something, but /
checked himself and only flung his dis .
card down as if he hated the cards.
''Thank you, papa" said Miss Gull |
len. But l think I Will watch you i
play.
Nov, Madge, don't be foolish, -
said Mr.. Cullen irritably. ''You might
just as well have the pleasure, and
you II only disturb the game if you stay
here
Miss Cullen leaned over and whisper
ed something, and her father answered /
her. Lord Rallies must have heard, for
he muttered something which made
Miss Cullen color up, but much good it
did him, for she turned to me and said,
''Since my father doesn't disapprove,
will gladly accept your hospitality, Mr.
Gordon. - And, after glance at Lord
Rallies that had challenging I'm do
as please in It, she went to get her
hat and coat.
The whole incident had not taken ten
seconds, yet it puzzled me beyond meas
ure, even while my heart beat with an
unreasonable hope, for my better sense
told me that it simply meant that Lord
Rallies disapproved, and Miss Cullen,
like any girl of spirit, was giving him
notice that he was not yet privileged to
control her actions. Whatever the scene
meant, his lordship did not like it, for
he swore at his luck the moment Miss
Cullen had left the room.
When Miss Cullen returned, we went
back TO the rear platform of 81. 1 let
down the traps, closed the gates, got a
for her to sit ON, with cush-
ion TO lean back on and footstool, and
fixed her as comfortably as could, even
getting a travelling rug to cover her lap,
for the plateau air was chilly. Then /
hesitated moment, for / had the feel
ing that she had not thoroughly approx
ed of the thing and therefore she might
not like to have me stay. Yet she was
so charming in the moonlight, and the
little balcony the platform made was
such a tempting spot to Finger on, while