Graustark | Page 7

"Get yourself ready for a race with an express train and don't ask
questions. Kill 'em both if you have to. I'll be back in a second!"
Back to the station he tore. She was standing near the door, looking up
the track miserably. Already night was falling. Men were lighting the
switch lanterns and the mountains were turning into great dark
shadows.
"Come quickly; I have a wagon out here."
Resistlessly she was hurried along and fairly shoved through the open
door of the odd-looking coach. He was beside her on the seat in an
instant, and her bewildered ears heard him say:
"Drive like the very deuce!" Then the door slammed, the driver
clattered up to his seat, and the horses were off with a rush.

"Where are we going?" she demanded, sitting very straight and defiant.
"After that train--I'll tell you all about it when I get my breath. This is
to be the quickest escape from a dilemma on record--providing it is an
escape." By this time they were bumping along the flinty road at a
lively rate, jolting about on the seat in a most disconcerting manner.
After a few long, deep breaths he told her how the ride in the Springs
hack had been conceived and of the arrangement he had made with the
despatcher. He furthermore acquainted her with the cause of his being
left when he might have caught the train.
"Just as I reached the track, out of breath but rejoicing, I remembered
having seen you on that side street, and knew that you would be left. It
would have been heartless to leave you here without protection, so I felt
it my duty to let the train go and help you out of a very ugly
predicament."
"How can I ever repay you?" she murmured. "It was so good and so
thoughtful of you. Oh, I should have died had I been left here alone. Do
you not think my uncle will miss me and have the train sent back?" she
went on sagely.
"That's so!" he exclaimed, somewhat disconcerted. "But I don't know,
either. He may not miss you for a long time, thinking you are in some
other car, you know. That could easily happen," triumphantly.
"Can this man get us to the next station in time?" she questioned,
looking at the black mountains and the dense foliage. It was now quite
dark.
"If he doesn't bump us to death before we get half way there. He's
driving like the wind."
"You must let me pay half his bill," she said, decidedly, from the dark
corner in which she was huddling.
He could find no response to this peremptory request.

"The road is growing rougher. If you will allow me to make a
suggestion, I think you will see its wisdom. You can escape a great deal
of ugly jostling if you will take hold of my arm and cling to it tightly. I
will brace myself with this strap. I am sure it will save you many hard
bumps."
Without a word she moved to his side and wound her strong little arm
about his big one.
"I had thought of that," she said, simply. "Thank you." Then, after a
moment, while his heart thumped madly: "Had it occurred to you that
after you ran so hard you might have climbed aboard the train and
ordered the conductor to stop it for me?"
"I--I never thought of that?" he cried, confusedly.
"Please do not think me ungrateful. You have been very good to me, a
stranger. One often thinks afterward of things one might have done,
don't you know? You did the noblest when you inconvenienced
yourself for me. What trouble I have made for you." She said this so
prettily that he came gaily from the despondency into which her
shrewdness, bordering on criticism, had thrown him. He knew perfectly
well that she was questioning his judgment and presence of mind, and,
the more he thought of it, the more transparent became the absurdity of
his action.
"It has been no trouble," he floundered "An adventure like this is worth
no end of--er--inconvenience, as you call it. I'm sure I must have lost
my head completely, and I am ashamed of myself. How much anxiety I
could have saved you had I been possessed of an ounce of brains!"
"Hush! I will not allow you to say that. You would have me appear
ungrateful when I certainly am not. Ach, how he is driving! Do you
think it dangerous?" she cried, as the hack gave two or three wild
lurches, throwing him into the corner, and the girl half upon him.
"Not in the least," he gasped, the breath knocked out of his body. Just
the same, he