The Press., 1918-09-12
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She drew herself up stiGiy.
 sTRare was nothing haphazard about my decision" she said cOIdly. "I am quite sure don't nke yeu well enough to marry you. As you won't be just friends, there was no cOurSe open to me but to ask you to stay away"
 She sighed as she looked at him, for Bob Murray was well favored, manly fellow. Then she turned her head sharply and Sazed out on the everlasting prairieS with their ScOrch- ing crops dropping in the heat.
 "As I was saying" went on MT. Murray imperturbably, your whim- Sical idea that we were not made for each other in nOwise interferes with my intention Of showing you where you err"
 The shoulder nearest him shrugged expressively, the visible ear turned wrathiIy pink. Mir Murray grinned, then grew serious. It 10 no laugh ing matter when the girl of your heart tells you pointbIank you are mistaken as to the state of her emotions.
 What new line of attack he opened his mouth to make no one ever knew. for of a sudden the hum and thump of the car, and the silence of the weary passengers was broken by scurry and rush towards the rear door.
 With one accord Murray and Miss Mackay also jumped to their feet. The AA planatory words.
 Coming after them, exactly down the track, whirling. lifting, dipping, was Il black, funnel-Shaped cloud. It was miles away. but nearing rapidly.
 With what looked like diabOlical cum ning 1t persistently kept to the track. There was one instant of mortified sl- lence, and then the passengers went rrazy in a few minutes.
 Like penned rats in 0 trap they fought for doors and windows. but conductor and brakemen locked the exits, and the speed of the train ef- fectualIy discouraged the window route.
 The engineer had seen the danger and opened the throttle wide: the train whirIed and bumped over the ties with much the same motion as the death dealing black cloud chasing 1t.
 After the first shock Murray ln- StinctiveIy drew closer to the girl. Her face had turned quite white. her lips were tightly pressed together.
 Amid the screaming, frantic women she stood seeming dazed staring with fascinating eyes at the whirlin& demon in their wake. If it caught them. it meant death. nothing less. Every ounce of steam was Un, yet their pace seemed agOnizingly slow. The cloud was gaining on them.
 With q quick impulse Murray crush ed both her limp hands in his own, and she turned frightened eyes to his compelling ones. There was certain SOlemnity about his face which was new and impressive.
 "Louise!" He spoke low and fast. In the confusion nobody paid the slightest attention to them: they could mot have been more alone had they stood In the middle of the gray desert far back on the Santa Fe line or on one of the lonely mountain peaks long since passed.
 The situation had become instantly primeval. There was but a man, a woman and the warning elements of the air.
 "IlOuise," he said. "be honest with me nOw-it cant matter much one way or the Other-frOm the looks of things there aren't many more minutes left for either of us-but tell me, dear hon. eStIy-dOn't you really care for me! Didn't you intend to tell me yes finally After you had humbled me sufd- ciently"
 As this was a most accurate guess at Miss Mackays intention, though she had never admitted 1t even to herself she turned instantly angry at being discovered. For a second she forgot the cyclone. and her eyes flashed aa she wrenched away her hands.
 You are cOnceited and-and imper- tinent!" she gasped. keeping her bal ance with difficulty in the swaying car. How dare you assume I love yOu?"
 II don't assume !' flashed back MT. Murray sternly. II know it! But you are too proud 70 give in! And now and now y0ull never have the chance!"
 the rear door again, recalled to their danger, and the sight she saw sent her blindly groping for shelter, her su- perb nerve at last shattered.
 As Murray put both arms around her and shut h1r eyes against his shOul- der. there was both desperation and victory in his expression.
 For the ugly roar of the thing pur- suing them was drowning out all other sounds the whole world outside the rocking, thr0hbing train had grown dim aud black.
 "Tell me-" he whispered to her c0mmandingly.
 Her trembling hand crept round his neck.
 ooh. yes. yes :" she sobbed. "I was wicked-why-why didn't Itell you be- fore? And now"
 "DOn't look v Murray cried sharply as she raised her head.
 He shut his own eyes and waited inc bare instant for the end of an things. There was the sudden Si. ience of utter terror In the reeling ear full of doomed human beings.
 But nothing happened, absolutely nothing. When Murray opened his eyes again, wOnderingly. the whirlinS cloud was gone.
 At rise in the track 1t had leaped, swerved, and taken a sharp tangent, abandoning the prey just in its clutch and roaring it's way south across the open country.
 The engine stopped the next minute at the little station of Honey Greek, and the crew and passengers staggered out into the open air with dazed. white faces.
 Murray and Louise Mackay stood