Part 26 (1/2)

”Oh, but we can easily buy some cards, for they are sold on all the American trains And as for partners, if madam plays--”

”Certainly, sir,” Aouda quickly replied, ”I understand whist It is part of an English education”

”I ame Well, here are three of us, and a du, heartily glad to resume his favorite pastime--even on the railway

Passepartout was despatched in search of the steward, and soon returned with two packs of cards, soame commenced Aouda understood whist sufficiently well, and even received so As for the detective, he was adept, and worthy of being ht Passepartout, ”we've got hi the train had reached the dividing ridge of the waters at Bridger Pass, seven thousand five hundred and twenty-four feet above the level of the sea, one of the highest points attained by the track in crossing the Rocky Mountains

After going about two hundred miles, the travelers at last found themselves on one of those vast plains which extend to the Atlantic, and which nature hasthe iron road

On the declivity of the Atlantic basin the first streams, branches of the North Platte River, already appeared The whole northern and eastern horizon was bounded by the immense semi-circular curtain which is forhest being Laramie Peak Between this and the railway extended vast plains, plentifully irrigated On the right rose the lower spurs of the mountainous mass which extends southward to the sources of the Arkansas River, one of the great tributaries of the Missouri

At half-past twelve the travelers caught sight for an instant of Fort Halleck, which commands that section In a few more hours the Rocky Mountains were crossed There was reason to hope, then, that no accident would h this difficult country The snow had ceased falling, and the air becahtened by the locomotive, rose and flew off in the distance No wild beast appeared on the plain It was a desert in its vast nakedness

After a co and his partners had just resu was heard, and the train stopped Passepartout put his head out of the door, but saw nothing to cause the delay No station was in view

Aouda and Fix feared that Mr Fogg entle to his servant, ”See what is the matter”

Passepartout rushed out of the car Thirty or forty passengers had already descended, ast them Colonel Stanal which blocked the way

The engineer and conductor were talking excitedly with a signal-man, who place, had sent on before The passengers drew around and took part in the discussion, in which Colonel Proctor, with his insolent roup, heard the signal-e at Medicine Bow is shaky, and would not bear the weight of the train”

This was a suspension-bridge thrown over some rapids, about a nal-man, it was in a ruinous condition, several of the iron wires being broken; and it was ierate the condition of the bridge It ranted that, rash as the Aood reason for it

Passepartout, not daring to tell his master what he heard, listened with set teeth, immovable as a statue

”Hu to stay here, I iine, and take root in the Snow?”

”Colonel,” replied the conductor, ”we have telegraphed to Omaha for a train, but it is not likely that it will reach Medicine Bow in less than six hours”

”Six hours!” cried Passepartout

”Certainly,” returned the conductor, ”besides, it will take us as long as that to reach Medicine Bow on foot”

”But it is only a ers

”Yes, but it's on the other side of the river”

”And can't we cross that in a boat?” asked the colonel