English
AtDenvertherewasaninfluxofpassengersintothecoachesontheeastboundBMExpress.
Inonecoachtheresataveryprettyyoungwomandressedineleganttasteandsurroundedbyalltheluxuriouscomfortsofanexperiencedtraveler.
Amongthenewcomersweretwoyoungmen,oneofhandsomepresencewithabold,frankcountenanceandmanner;
theotheraruffled,glum-facedperson,heavilybuiltandroughlydressed.
Thetwowerehandcuffedtogether.
Astheypasseddowntheaisleofthecoachtheonlyvacantseatofferedwasareversedonefacingtheattractiveyoungwoman.Herethelinkedcoupleseatedthemselves.
Theyoungwoman'sglancefelluponthemwithadistant,swiftdisinterest;thenwithalovelysmilebrighteninghercountenanceandatenderpinktingeingherroundedcheeks,sheheldoutalittlegray-glovedhand.
Whenshespokehervoice,full,sweet,anddeliberate,proclaimedthatitsownerwasaccustomedtospeakandbeheard.
"Well,Mr.Easton,ifyouwillmakemespeakfirst,IsupposeImust.Don'tyoueverrecognizeoldfriendswhenyoumeetthemintheWest?"
Theyoungermanrousedhimselfsharplyatthesoundofhervoice,seemedtostrugglewithaslightembarrassmentwhichhethrewoffinstantly,andthenclaspedherfingerswithhislefthand.
"It'sMissFairchild,"hesaid,withasmile."I'llaskyoutoexcusetheotherhand;"it'sotherwiseengagedjustatpresent."
Heslightlyraisedhisrighthand,boundatthewristbytheshining"bracelet"totheleftoneofhiscompanion.
Thegladlookinthegirl'seyesslowlychangedtoabewilderedhorror.Theglowfadedfromhercheeks.
Herlipspartedinavague,relaxingdistress.Easton,withalittlelaugh,asifamused,wasabouttospeakagainwhentheotherforestalledhim.
Theglum-facedmanhadbeenwatchingthegirl'scountenancewithveiledglancesfromhiskeen,shrewdeyes.
"You'llexcusemeforspeaking,miss,but,Iseeyou'reacquaintedwiththemarshalhere.
Ifyou'llaskhimtospeakawordformewhenwegettothepenhe'lldoit,andit'llmakethingseasierformethere.He'stakingmetoLeavenworthprison.It'ssevenyearsforcounterfeiting."
"Oh!"saidthegirl,withadeepbreathandreturningcolor."Sothatiswhatyouaredoingouthere?Amarshal!"
"MydearMissFairchild,"saidEaston,calmly,
"Ihadtodosomething.Moneyhasawayoftakingwingsuntoitself,andyouknowittakesmoneytokeepstepwithourcrowdinWashington.IsawthisopeningintheWest,and--well,amarshalshipisn'tquiteashighapositionasthatofambassador,but--"
"Theambassador,"saidthegirl,warmly,
"doesn'tcallanymore.Heneedn'teverhavedoneso.Yououghttoknowthat.AndsonowyouareoneofthesedashingWesternheroes,andyourideandshootandgointoallkindsofdangers.
That'sdifferentfromtheWashingtonlife.Youhavebeenmissedfromtheoldcrowd."
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