Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-11-29
CHAPTER vIlI-(Continued.)

Va 80 Aio INV Sioo' u LIN SatAi ~
the curtains. Celia felt his eyes upon
her. Her w We're closed, and by a
superhuman effort she controlled her
breathing, slowly, gently. as IL she
were asleep.
He looked for a long moment thrilled
by the delicate beauty of her sleeping
face. filled with an intoxicating Joy to
see that her lips were no longer white;
then, turning revercntly way he UNI
locked the door n stepped forth.
The other occupants of The car We're
still wrapped in slulnber. Loud shores
of various kinds and qualities testified
to that. A dim light at the further end
commended luridly, and losingly, with the
daylight now flooding the outside world
n creeping m~ischievously into the
transolns.
Gordon closed the door OF the COM
partment noiselessly and went down
the aisle to the end of the car.
"A door was open, and he could hear
voices outside. The conductor stood
talking with two brakemen. He heard
the words: "Three-quarters of an hour
at least" and then the men walke off
toward h engine.
Gordon looked across the country,
and for the first time since he started
on his journey let himself remember
that it was springtime and May.
There had been u bitter wind the
night before. with a hint of rain in the
air. In fact, 1t had ralned quite smartiy
during the ride to the hospital with the
hurt child, but he had been so perturbed
that he had taken little notice OF the
weather. But this was a radiant morn
Ing.
The sun was in one OF it's most
charming moods. when 1t touches
everything with a sort OF unnatural
glory after the long winter of darkness
and cold. Every tree trunk in the dis
lance seemed to stand out clearly. every
IyffIA rrn CO .hIn60 Un2 cot with 81 O1nW.
ing jewel. n the winding stream
across a narrow valley fairly blaZed
with brightness. The very road with Its
deep. clean wheel-grooves seemed like
q we'll taken photograph.
h air had an alluring softness
mingled with its tang of winter that
made one long to take a walk anywhere
out into the world. just for the JOY of
being and doing. A meadow lark shot
up from somewhere to a telegraph pole.
let go Its blithe note, and hurried on. 1t
was glorious. The exhilaration filled
Gordon's blood.
And here was the chance he craved to
slip away from the train before 1t
reached q place where he could be dis
covered. If he had but thought to bring
his suitcase! He could slip back no~
without being noticed n get it! Hs
could even go without 1t! But--he could
not leave her that way-could he?
Ought he? Perhaps he ought But 1t
would not do to leave his suitcase
with her, for it contained letters ad-
dressed to his real name. An eXplana-
ticn would of course be demanded, and
he could not satisfy a loving mother
and brother for having left a helpless
girl in such a s~ituation-even If he
could satisfy his own conscience, which
he new he never could. lie simply
could not leave her. and yet he must get
away from that train as soon as pos
stblc. Perhaps this vas the only OPP
%portunity he would have before reach
Ing Buffalo. and 1t was very risky, i'll
deed dangerous, to dare enter Buffalo.
1t was a foregone conclusion that there
would be private detectives ready to
meet the train in Buffalo with full des-
criptions and particulars and only too
ready TO make way with him IL they
gould do 30 without being ound out.
OF the car. Dared he attempt to waken
her and say that they had made a mis-
take and must change cars? Was she
we'll enough? And where could they go?
He looked off toward the landscape
for answer to his question.
They were decidedly in the country.
The train stood at the top Of a high
embankment Of cinders, below which
was q smooth country road running
parallel to the railroad for some dis
t:ice till It mel another road at right
4::ies to 1t, which stretched away
latween thrifty meadow LANDS to q
l.Sstling village. The glorified stream
lie had gfrst noticed far up the valley
Elintod' narrower here in the morn
Ing light. with q suggestion OF water
cress n fOrget-me-nOts in its fringes
1t Yeered away under q bridge to-
wMrd the village n hid itself in q
tAnkle Of willows and cat-tails.
How easy 1t would be to slide down
that ombankment, and walk out that
road over h bridge to the village,