The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1912-02-02

the eastward. The coacn uSeu hao
a partition run through 1t. and. as
soon as the busy trainmen discovered
ladies on board, they unceremoniously
drove the more bibulous passengers.
protesting. into the forward compart.
ment. This left Hope In comparative
peace, her remaining neighbors quiet
taciturn men, whom she looked al
through the folds of her veil during
the long, slow, exasperating journey.
mentally guessing at their various oc-
equations. 1t was an exceedingly tedl-
GUS, monotonous trip, the train slack
ening up, and jerking forward, appar'
emily without slightest reason; then
occasionally achieving full STOP
while men, always under guard. went
ahead to fix up some bit of damaged
track, across which the engineer
dared not advance. At each bridge
spanning the numerous small streams,
trainmen examined the structure be-
fore venturing forward, and at each
stop the wearied passengers grew
more impatient and sarcastic. per-
feet stream Of fluent profanity Deing
waited back whenever the door be-
tween the two sections CHANGED to Dc
left a1ar.
Hope was not the only woman on
board. yet a glance at the others was
sufficient to decide their status, even
had their freedom of manner and loud
talking not made 1t equally obvious
Fearful lest she might be mistaken
for one Of the same class, she re-
NAMED in silence. her veil merely
lifted enough to enable her to peer
out through the grimy window at the
barren view slipping slowly past. Tnis
consisted of the bare prairie. brown
and desolate, occasionally intersectea
by some small watercourse. the low
hills rising and falling like waves 10
the far horizon. Few incidents broke
the dead monotony; occasionally
herd of antelope appeared In the as
lance, silhouetted against the SKY
line, and once they fairly crept Tor an
hour through mass Of buffalo, graz
ing so close that fusillade OF guns
sounded from the front end OF the
train. A little farther along she caught
a glimpse Of q troop OF wild horses
dashing recklessly down into shell
tering ravine. Yet principally all
that met her straining eyes was ster-
lie desolation. Here and there great
ugly water tank reared It's hideous
shape beside the track. the engine al
ways pausing for fresh supply Be
side It was invariably a pile OF coal,
a few construction cars, hut nan
buried under earth, loop-holed ana
barricaded, with several rough men
loafing about, heavily armed and In
quisitive A few Of these points had
once been terminal. the surrounding
scenery evidenclng past glories by
piles of tin cans, and all manner OF
debris. with occasionally vacant
shack. left deserted and forlorn.
Wearied and heartsick, Hope turned
away from this outside dreariness 10
contemplate more closely her neigh
hors ON board. but found them scarce
" more interesting. Several were
playing cards, others moodily staring
out of the windows, while few were
laughing and talking with the Girls
their conversation inane and punctu'
ated with profanity. One man was
figuring on a scratch pad, and Hope
decided he must be an engineer en-
ployed on the line; others she classeo
as small merchants, saloon-keepers,
and frontier riff-raff. They would
glance curiously at her as they
marched up and down the narrow
aisle. but her veil. and averted face
prevented even the boldest from
speaking. Once she addressed the
conductor, and the man who was ng-
uring turned and looked back at her'
evidently attracted by the soft note
of her voice. But he made no EFFORT
at advances, returning Immediately to
his pad. oblivious to all else.
CTo BE CoNTINUEDo