Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-15
CHAPTER TX.
rhe H.Ioxon ereakfaet.

The HaIoyon Breakfast.
We were still dased. think. for we
wandered like two troubled children,
our one idea at first to get as far
away as we could from the horror be.
hind us. We were both bare headed,
grimy, pallid through the grit. Now
and then we met little groups of coun-
try folk hurrying to the track; they
stared at US curiously, and some
wished to question us. But we hur-
ried past them: we had put the wreck
behind us. That way lay madness.
Only once the girl turned and look
ed behind her. The wreck was hid
den, but the smoke cloud hung heavy
and dense. For the first time re-
nembered that my companion had not
been alone on the train.
ut is quiet here" l suggested. 't1f
you will sit down on the bank will
go back and make some inquiries.
I've been criminally thoughtless Your
travelling companion"
She interrupted me, and something
of her splendid poise was gone.
Please don't go back she said. Ct
I'm afraid it would be Of no use. And
| Il don't want to be left alone"
Heaven knows I did not want her to
ne alone. was more than content to
valk along beside her aimlessly, for
ny length of time. Gradually, as she
ost the exaltation Of the moment, I
ras gaining my normal condition Of
ind. l was beginning to realize that
had lacked the morning grace of a
have, that looked like some lost
ope of yesterday, and that my left
Zoe pinched outrageously. A man
oes not rise triumphant above such
andicaps. The girl, for all her disor-
cred hair and the crumpled linen of
er waist, in spite of her missing hat
nd the small gold bag that hung for
ornly from broken chain, looked exc
:eedingly lovely.
Then ! won't leave you alone"
laid manfully, and we stumbled on to-
yether. Thus far we had seen no.
ody from the wreck, but we'll up the
ane we came across the tall dark
voman who had occupied lower II.
he was half crouching beside the
DAD, her black hair about her Shout
'ers, and an ugly bruise over her eye.
She did not seem to know us, and re-
used to accompany us. We left her
here at last, babbling incoherently
and rolling in her hands dozen peb-
bles she had gathered in the road.
The girl shuddered as we went on.
Once she turned and glanced at my
bandage. "Does It hurt very much?"
she asked.
Its growing rather numb But it
might be worse" I answered menda-
ciously. If anything in this world
could be worse, I had never expert
enced it.
And so we trudged on bareheaded
under the summer sun, growing
parched and dusty and weary, logged.
ly leaving behind us the pillar of
smoke. I thought knew of trolley
line somewhere in the direction we
were going, or perhaps we could find
horse and trap to take us into Bal
timore The girl smiled when I sug-
gested it.
I'VE will create sensation, won't
we?' she asked. isn't It queer-or
perhaps it's my state Of mind-but
keep wishing for pair Of gloves,
when haven't even hat!"
When we reached the main road We
sat down for moment, and her hair,
which had been coming loose for some
time, fell over her shoulders in little
waves that were most alluring. IT,
seemed pity to twist It up again,
but when I suggested this. cautiously, !
she said it was troublesome and got !,
In her eyes when It was loose. So she
gathered it up. while held row of
little shell combs and pins, and when
1t was done it was vastly becoming,
too. Funny about hair: A man never
knows he has it until he begins to
lose 1t, but it's different with a girl.
Something Of the unconventional situ-
alton began to dawn on her as she put
in the last hair pin and patted some
stray locks to place.
Il have not told you my name,"
she said abruptly. II forgot that be-
cause know who you are. you know
nothing about me. I am Alison West,
and my home IL in Richmond"
So that was It! This was the girl
Of the photograph on John Gilmore's
bedside table. The girl Mcknight exs
pected to see in Richmond the next
day, Sunday! She was on her way
back to meet him! Well, what differ
ence did it make, anyhow? We had
been thrown together by the merest
chance. In an hour or two at the
most we would be back in civilization
and she would recall me, If she re-
membered me at all, as an unshaven
in red cravat and tan shoes,
with soiled Pullman sheet tied
around my neck drew a deep
breath.
"Just q twinge," I said, when she
glanced up quickly. "It's very good
Of you to let me know, Miss West
have been hearing delightful things
about you for three months"
From Richey Mcknight" She was
frankly curious.
Yes. From Richey Mcknight.
Was it any wonder Nc
Knight was crazy about her? dug
my heels into the dust.
II have been visiting near Cresson.
IN the mountains" Miss West was say