Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-27
Ford nodded again. Then he tried lit

| Ford nodded again. Then he tried lit
! tie shot in the dark.
| 1.-The presidents car is just below-at
the basin switch. He wants to have it
taken to the front and have been trying
to dissuade him. Is the track safe for
it?'
Frisbie guessed what kind of answer
was desired and stretched the truth a
little.
II should say not. It's something fierce,
even for the construction trains"
Miss Alicia's smile was seraphic.
you two gentlemen needn't tell fibs for
the possible effect on me-" she said, with
charming frankness. Nothing l could
say would carry any weight with Uncle
Sidney
"Stung-' said Frisbie half to himself,
and the two men laughed shamefacedly.
"Will it disarrange things so very much
If the Nadia Is taken to the front o.
asked Miss Adair.
well. rather said Frisbe bluntly.
Then he tried to excuse himself and
made a mess of it.
Just why?" she persisted. Forget the
conventions Mr.. Frisbie, and talk to me
as you have been talking to Mr.. Ford.
Is there any good reason. apart from the
Inconvenience, why our little pleasure
party shouldn't see your new railroad
l am appealing to you because Mr.. Ford
| won't tell me the truth
Ford stood aloof and let Frisbie worry
with 1t alone.
There are a dozen reasons, Miss Adair:
the track IS fearfully rough-realy. you
know. it isn't safe for big car like the
Nadia. There are only a few SidingS.
and what there are. are filled up with
construction stuff and camp cars, and
She was shaking her head and laughing
at his strvings.
Never mind" she said: you can't tell
the truth either. with Mr.. Ford looking
on But / shall find it out"
| Frisbie looked Mortified.
"You-you certainly will, Miss Adair If
Mr.. Colbrith insists upon having his car
dragged over the range" Then, being
quite willing to make his escape, he
turned to his chief. us there anything
else? If not, I'll be getting back to the
Riley mix-up before the trouble has time
| to grow any bigger"
Ford shook his head. and Frisbie lifted
his hat to Miss Adair and turned to climb
| to his engine cab. But at the moment
OF brake releasings Ford halted him.
zone minute" he said. and turning to
his charge. I'm borrow Dicks engine and
| take you down to the Nadia's siding, if
you'd rather ride than walk
| "Oh. will you? That would be fine. But
oughtn't Mr.. Frsbie to get back to his
work?'
yves" Ford admitted Thine Is
rather important just now
Then We'll walk" she said, with great
decision
u.
an eye open for Garcia. He might make
fiuke and shoot straight for once in a
way
| They stood In silence on the wind-swept
summit until the curvtng down rush of
! the western grade had swallowed the re-
| treating engine. Miss Alicia was the first
| to speak when the iron clamor was dis
| lance drowned.
Il like your Mr. Frisbie.'' she said. re-
! flectively. Isn't he the kind of man who
WnII1I - N
other Garcia?'
He is the kind of man who would stop
| a bullet for his friend and think nothing
of tiff the bullet should happen to leave
him anything to think with he returned.
warmly. And then he added. half alb
sently. He saved my life four years ago
| last summer
| There was genuine human interest in
| her voice when she said, gently:
Would you mind telling me about 1t 30
| 1T was up in the Minnesota pineries
where were building branch rail-
| road through the corner of an Indian
reservation. A half-breed pot hunter for
| the game companies had a right-of- way
| quarrel with the railroad people and he
! pitched upon me as the proper person to
| kill. 1t was a knife rush in the moon
| light. and Dick might have shot him,
only he was too tender hearted. So he
got between u.s.
'.Well?' she prompted. when it became
evident that Ford thought he had fin
| ished.
| THAT was all, except that it was touch
| and go with poor Dick for the next six
| weeks. with surgeon worthy of the
name nearer than st. Paul"
| Miss Alicia was more deeply impressed
| by the little story than she cared to have
her compa aion suspect. Her world was a
| world of the commonplace conventions
with New York as its starting point and
| homing Mace. and she thought she knew
| something of humankind. But it came to
l hat nn
! were not at all like these two
| Shall We go back now?" she asked
and they were half way down to the sid
ing and the private car before she spoke
| again. 1t took some little time to COM
pass sufficient humility to make amends,