Ralph Henry Barbour

“ To see Dave lolling luxuriously in a crimson velvet arm-chair attired in lavender pajamas that threatened to give way every time he puffed at his big, black cigar gave the observer an excellent idea of what blonde Odin would have looked like had he lived today. The partners were occupying a suite of three rooms, and when Wade, his night attire chastely hidden by a dressing gown, joined Dave the latter gazed about the parlor with large satisfaction. ”

“ For know her he must and love her he would! Various schemes for obtaining the information he desired, came and were rejected. In the end the only thing to do, so far as he could see, was to find out her name, if possible, from someone in the house. He would ask the ushers first, and for that he must wait for the next intermission. The lights sank and the girl in the box became an indistinct figure, only the ivory of her face and neck and arms showing wanly in the purplish gloom. ”

“ Hurry up with the door!"
"You may get left, boss," remonstrated the darkey as he pulled open the vestibule door. "That other train may pull out any time."
"Then I get left," answered Wade as he swung himself onto the ground. It was pitch dark save for the lights from the car windows and he stumbled over the ends of the ties until his eyes accustomed themselves to the gloom and descried a narrow path at the edge of the enbankment. Once on that it was easier going and soon he was past the sobbing engine with the tail-lights of the other train faintly in sight ahead. ”

“ Sandwiches!" cried Prue.
"Dandy!" exclaimed the boy. Even Leone, the maid, showed signs of interest.
"Impertinent!" said Miss Pearse. "The idea! A strange man! Tell him, porter, that—"
"We're very, very much obliged!" Prue seized the parcel and tore off the paper. "Oh, Gordon, they're ham! Think of ham sandwiches!"
"Honest? Gee, Prue, let's get at 'em! I'd rather have ham than any kind when I'm real hungry!" ”

“ I will telegraph to that conductor and tell him what madame say, that he is one big stupid, one fool, one—Ah!" The sound of the closing door attracted him and he saw Wade. "Madame, the train is back! All right now, yes?"
"No, the train isn't back," said Wade. "I left it as it pulled out."
"But monsieur is a friend of madame, yes?" He smiled joyously from Wade to the girl. "She will not have to wait here alone. Tres bien, tres bien!" Wade looked doubtfully at the girl and received the stoniest of glances. But,
"Yes, I am a friend of the lady. When does the next train pass here for Quebec?" ”

“ Then, "What do you do when you're a miner, sir?" he asked. "Do you dig up gold?"
After that for a half-hour the conversation had to do with mining and miners, and Gordon was intensely interested in all that Wade told him. Some of the stories made his eyes sparkle.
"Gee, I believe, I'll be a miner when I get through college," he exclaimed. "It must be lots of fun. And a fellow could get pretty rich, couldn't he, if he discovered a good mine?" He observed Wade admiringly. "I suppose you've got a lot of gold, sir?" ”

“ Wade explained the system of carriage calling, and Dave blocked the traffic for a minute while he looked up at the electric announcer. "Gee, ain't that cute?" he marvelled. "What they don't think of nowadays ain't much!" The big, heavily-decorated house was well filled, and all save the upper rows of boxes held their quota of over—or under-dressed women, with here and there a dark coat marking the presence of a male escort. One gown, of flamingo red, caught Dave's fancy at once.
"Now there's what I call a real pretty dress, partner," he said in a hoarse whisper. ”

“ No, I've made enough of a nuisance of myself, Miss Burnett. About the only thing I can do to retrieve myself is to make my exit as gracefully as I can."
"But, don't you see, you're spoiling my holiday too? I feel as though I were depriving you of your visit to Quebec, Mr. Forbes."
"Why shouldn't you? You were the cause of my going. Why shouldn't you be the cause of my turning back? No, you mustn't feel that way about it. Quebec means no more to me than any other place except that it will hold you. And now—" He stopped. ”

“ Wade gave a sigh, took a knee in his hands and faced her smilingly. "Whether I win or lose, Miss Burnett, you've been generous. You see, I grant the possibility of defeat."
"That's modest," she murmured.
"Meaning that it isn't. Well, perhaps modesty isn't one of the things they teach out our way. Modesty, in fact, doesn't do a chap much good when he's hustling for things in our country. It's the chap who elbows his way through and reaches out and grabs what he's after that makes the hit. ”

“ He had his reward, in fact two rewards. The window was like a mirror and in it he saw the Girl raise her head and look across at him for a moment, and after that he found that he could still see her almost as well as when facing her. ”

“ Wade was just slipping off into light slumber when the porter aroused him. He sat up and took the scrap of paper, leaning forward until the light fell on the penciled writing.
"The ladies present their compliments to their unknown benefactor and thank him most cordially.
"They thought he had missed the train."
Wade smiled blissfully and dove his hand into his pocket.
"Here you are, porter. And look here; you look after those ladies the best you know how; understand? If you don't, I'll just about lay you out!" ”

“ Prue, I love you with all my heart and soul, dear, and I want you to marry me. Wait, please! I know the whole thing looks—funny, but try to forget that a minute. Just consider that here's a man who saw you by accident one evening and fell in love with you. He's not a bad sort of a chap. I mean that he isn't worse than the average man; has tried to live straight and clean. There's nothing against him on the score of birth and breeding, although his parlor tricks haven't been developed much. He has money enough to give you what you want and he will have a lot more. ”

“ Forbes, how do you expect me to know what I meant or didn't mean when I'm starving to death? Do you suppose there is anything to eat anywhere?"
"Eat?" he echoed vacantly.
"Yes, is eating quite outside your philosophy? Perhaps it does sound prosaic, but I've had nothing since noon but some spruce gum."
Wade rescued her coat from the floor, handed it to her and turned determinedly to the door. ”

“ Then began a wild ride through the narrow deserted snow-sprinkled streets of Boston. Wade's driver proved the man for the work, for he cut down the distance between his car and the one ahead in the first block and after that dogged it all the way to the North Station, sweeping under the arch not a length behind. The big clock on the facade said eighteen minutes past as the cab turned in. When he jumped out the party ahead were already entering the waiting room on their way to the train. Wade settled with his driver, relinquished his bag to a porter and hurried after. ”

“ Forbes?"
Wade hesitated. The girl smiled disdainfully.
"I suppose you will say that your presence on the train from New York and on the train from Boston was merely accidental, Mr. Forbes?"
"No, it wasn't," he answered. "I don't pretend that it was. I followed you quite deliberately, Miss Burnett."
"And you call that gentlemanly behavior?" she demanded.
"Have I annoyed you at any time, Miss Burnett? "
"Do you think it is pleasant or agreeable to a girl to be shadowed by a total stranger, Mr. Forbes?" ”

“ Wade sprang up the steps of a day coach and the porter tossed the bag after him.
"Thank you, sir." He caught the coin deftly in midair. "Better see him again, sir; there might be something left; sometimes folks don't turn up."
"Well," Wade reflected philosophically as he carried his bag to a seat, "it won't be the first time I've slept in a day coach. ”

“ Wade opened his eyes.
"Well, that is some! I guess your sister is right, my boy; you want to learn just what money means before that comes to you. I don't suppose—your sister has anything like that much?"
But Gordon nodded, gazing gravely out of the window.
"Yes, she got half, sir. Sis says it's a nuisance, having so much money. But I guess that's just because she's a woman and doesn't understand business. And then, men are always bothering her, too. You see, they know she's got it and they want to marry her. ”

“ They were working at the wreck by naphtha flames far down the track. Now he was almost up to the rear car and he had won his race. He slackened his pace a little and smiled to think that now that he had reached the train it was quite likely to remain there for another hour or two. And at that instant from up the track ahead came the hoarse whistle of the locomotive, there was a sound of straining couplings and the rear lights began to move slowly away. Wade sprang forward, swinging the bag down from his shoulder and raced frantically over the ties. ”

“ Wade opened the door and laid the yard-long bundle on the seat. The chauffeur watched with expressionless face.
"If the lady asks any questions you don't know a thing," said Wade. The chauffeur smiled the ghost of a smile as he touched his cap again.
"Not a thing, sir," he answered.
Wade returned to his post outside the door. "If you'd rather not wait, old man," he said, "you go on and I'll find you at the hotel." But Dave shook his head. ”

“ The Boston and Maine, with its proverbial solicitude for its patrons’ comfort and convenience, ran no sleeping car through from Boston to Quebec, but required passengers to arise in the early morning and change to the New York sleeper, thus acquiring exercise and a breath of fresh air, both of which are of course beneficial. If the New York sleeper was full, Boston passengers rode the rest of the distance to Quebec, a matter of five hours or so, in a day coach. ”

“ Luckily, since traveling crouched up on the back steps of the rear car is anything but pleasant, that stop was soon reached and Wade crawled down stiff and weary and covered with dust and cinders and hurried along the platform. "Can I get a seat?" he asked the conductor.
"Number 7 in car 3." A porter seized his bag and Wade followed up the steps and into the car to sink tiredly into the chair pointed out to him. He felt oddly dizzy and closed his eyes for a moment. Outside the conductor cried "All aboard!"; the porter slammed the vestibule doors; the train moved on again. ”

“ Now look here, Miss Burnett; be fair! Wanting to know you isn't a crime, is it? Other chaps have wanted the same thing, and I dare say they've gone about much as I have. If they haven't pursued you from New York to Quebec it is because they haven't had to. ”

“ And he was a discreet butler.
"No, sir. But if you write here, a letter will be forwarded."
"That will take too long," was the decisive reply. "Surely you know whether Miss Pearse has gone North or South or West!" ”

“ Whether he stumbled on his own uncertain feet or tripped over someone else's doesn't matter. But with hand out-stretched for her carriage check he half fell against the girl and to save himself seized her arm. She drew back with a stifled cry and a look of loathing. Wade sprang forward, but Dave was ahead. With one hand he seized the man and sent him reeling into the street. ”

“ Forbes!"
"But it's of no consequence, really, Miss Burnett. I was quite warm until a short while ago. And I'm warm again already. No, please!"
For Prue had seized her coat and was coming toward him determinedly.
"You must put this on," she declared. "Just around your shoulders, Mr. Forbes. Oh, but you must, really! If you should catch cold I'd never forgive myself for being so mean and disagreeable."
"You weren't," declared Wade as he drew the coat around his shivering body. ”

“ Please telegraph to the conductor to tell my party that I am all right and will get to Quebec at—what time, Agent?"
"Nine-thirty, madame. Yes, madame at once, instantly. Have no care; all shall be done." The agent smiled ingratiatingly through the window, but if he hoped to win thanks or commendation he was disappointed for the girl turned away with a shrug of her shoulders and crossed to the stove where she placed one small foot on the rail, turning her damp shoe from side to side and apparently forgetting the presence of both the agent and Wade. ”

“ Their glances held a moment, hers curious, anxious, his searching, doubting. Then he arose.
"Excuse me a moment," he said, and went to the ticket window which had just been pushed up. Prue watched him as he stood there talking to the agent. Somehow, his defeat brought her no sense of triumph. She wondered why.
"The train for Sherbrooke seems to be late," said Wade.
"Yes, monsieur, I have just had news of her. She is leaving Levis more than an hour late. Undoubtedly the ferry causes the delay."
"And the other train, the one to Quebec?" ”

“ Ever try that, sir?"
Wade owned that he hadn't.
"Neither have I. But they say it's lots of sport. Guess the first thing I'll have to do is to buy some things; snow-shoes, skees, maybe a toboggan, but I guess Prue's going to give me one for Christmas. Say, we're going to have a Christmas tree, Prue says. Won't that be dandy? Of course, trees are for kids, I guess, but I like them, don't you?"
"Very much."
"Yes, they're so kind of—of Christmasy; they smell so good, don't they. Would you care to come to my tree, do you think, sir?"
"I'd like to very much," answered Wade gravely. ”