Part 27 (2/2)

When the outer door closed behind his visitor, Brockway collapsed as was his undoubted privilege. Then he revived under the stimulus of an overwaxing and masterful desire to see Gertrude again before he slept--to share the good news with her before the burden of it should crush him. And he was considering how it might be brought about when the engineer blew the whistle for Bending Bow.

XXVII

THE DRUMMING WHEELS

Bending Bow is but an insignificant side-track on the mountain-b.u.t.tressed plain some thirty miles from Denver; and I would for the sake of the two young persons whose romance this is, that it might have been a meeting-point with a delayed train.

When the first of the switch-lights flashed past the windows of the Tadmor, Brockway went out and stood on the step ready to drop off when the speed should slacken sufficiently to permit it. While hanging from the hand-rail he glanced ahead and saw that which made his heart glad.

The signal-lamp at the station turned a crimson eye toward the train, and that meant orders, and a few more seconds of precious time.

At the first shrill sigh of the air-brakes, he sprang off and ran beside the private car, trying to peer into the darkened windows, and taking all sorts of risks considering the hazard he ran of lighting upon the wrong one.

But good fortune was with him. Before the smoking wheels had quite ceased grinding fire out of the brake-shoes, he came to a window with a tiny corner of a handkerchief fluttering beneath it. It was Gertrude's signal, and he understood then that he had been keeping tryst on the wrong side of the car as it stood on the spur-track in Denver. The window was closed and curtained like the others, but it went up noiselessly when he tapped on the gla.s.s.

Now it was pitchy dark, both within and without, but love has sharpened senses and eyes which no night has ever yet been black enough to befool.

”Frederick!” said a soft voice from within, and there was joyful surprise in the single word. Then a hand came out to him, and he possessed himself of it as one who will keep that which is his.

”G.o.d bless you,” he whispered; ”I hardly dared hope to find you up.”

”I wasn't up,” said the tender voice, with a touch of sweet shyness in it; ”but I couldn't go to sleep for thinking how disappointed you must be. How did you find out we were going?”

”By the merest chance; but it's all right now--your father has just been in to see me.”

”Has he? Oh, I hope you didn't quarrel!”

”Not at all,” said Brockway, rea.s.suringly. ”We sat together and smoked like two Indians at a pow-wow, and neither of us said a word for nearly half an hour. After that, he got up to go away, and then he thought better of it and sat down again, and we had it out about the telegrams and other things. That cleared the air a bit, and before he left, he accepted the situation without saying so in so many words, and promised to graft me on the C. & U. in some place where I can earn more money.

Don't cry; it's too good to be true, but the fact remains.”

”I'm not crying, but I'm glad enough to do a much more foolish thing.

You won't let my money make any difference now, will you?”

”Your money isn't in it, and I think I made your father understand that I'd never have spoken if I hadn't known you were going to lose it.”

”But I--I haven't lost it. Didn't he tell you?”

”Tell me what?”

”About Cousin Chester and Hannah Beaswicke; they were married this evening. I don't understand the legal part of it, but papa says that saves my money. You won't let it make any difference?”

Brockway gripped the small hand as if he were afraid it might escape him after all, and tried to flog himself around to the new point of view. It was a breath-taking process, but he compa.s.sed it more quickly since there was no time for the nice weighing of scruples. Moreover, it was too late to give poverty-pride a second hearing. So he said:

”I can't let it make a difference now, but I shall always be glad that I asked you when we both believed you were going to lose it. And I ought to have guessed about your cousin's marriage, but I didn't--I helped him find the County Clerk, and wondered why he was so anxious about it. I'm glad you didn't have to break his heart.”

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