Part 14 (2/2)

”Take the carriage,” said Mrs. Fairbanks shortly, ”and follow him.”

”Come along! hurry!” said Betty, catching Brown's arm.

”The station, John!”

”Oh, I say,” gasped Brown, seizing Betty's hand and crus.h.i.+ng it ecstatically, ”may I embrace you? It's either you or John there.”

”Do be quiet. It seems to me we have had as much of that sort of thing as I can stand. Wasn't it awful?”

”Awful? Awfully jolly!” gasped Brown, hugging himself. ”Haven't had a thrill approaching that since the McGill match, and even that was only a pale adumbration of what I've just been through.”

”I'm sure I don't know what to think. It's so dreadfully startling.”

”Startling!” cried Brown. ”Come now, Miss Betty, you don't mean to say you haven't seen this growing for the past six months!”

”No, truly I haven't.”

”Well, that's only because you have been so occupied with your own affairs.”

”Nonsense,” cried Betty indignantly, with a sudden flame of colour in her cheeks. ”You're quite rude.”

”I don't care for anything now,” cried Brown recklessly. ”My prayers, tears, and alms-giving haven't been without avail. The terrors and agonies I've endured this last few days lest that old blockhead should take himself off without saying or doing anything, no man will ever know. And he would have gone off, too, had it not been for that lucky fluke of your mother's. Do you mind if I yell?”

”Hus.h.!.+ Here, let my hand go, it's quite useless,” said Betty, looking at that member which Brown had just relinquished.

”John,” gravely enquired Brown, ”are you using both your hands?”

”I beg pardon, sir,” enquired the astonished coachman, half turning round.

”Here, do stop your nonsense,” cried Betty in a shocked voice.

”Oh, all right, John, this will do,” said Brown, seizing Betty's hand again, as John gave his attention to the horses.

”I say, pull up beside Mr. Macgregor there, will you? Here, Shock, get in. You'll miss your train. Here, you old bloke, come along, don't gape like a sick duck. Get in here. You have got to get that train now.”

”Mr. Brown,” said Betty in a severe whisper, ”mind, don't say a word to him about this business. I can't stand it.”

”Certainly not,” said Brown, in a matter of fact tone. ”There's nothing to be said.”

But there was one last word to be said, and that was Betty's.

”Good-bye, Shock,” she whispered to him, as he stepped upon his train.

”I think--I know--I'm very glad.”

Poor Shock could only grasp her hand in mute farewell. It was just dawning upon him that he had some further offering to bring to make his sacrifice complete.

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