"Yes'm."
"Who is your best friend among the railroad men?"
"Mr. Duffy, our chief despatcher. I owe my promotion to 'im," said
Solomon, solemnly.
"But who gives you the most money, I mean. Take a large piece this
time."
"Oh, there ain't anybody gives me any money, much, exceptin' Mr.
Glover. I run errands for him."
"What is the most money he ever gave you for an errand, Gloomy?"
"Dollar, twice."
"So much as that?"
"Yes'm."
"What was that for?"
"The first time it was for taking his washing down to the Spider to him
on Number Two one Sunday morning."
This being a line of answer Gertrude had not expected to develop she
started, but Solomon was under way. "Gee, the river w's high that
time. He was down there two weeks and never went to bed at all, and
came up special in a sleeper, sick, and I took care of him. Gee, he
was sick."
"What was the matter?"
"Noomonia, the doctor said."
"And you took care of him!"
"Me an' the doctor."
"What was the other errand he gave you a dollar for?"
"Dassent tell."
"How did you know it was I you should give your note to?"
"He told me it was for the brown-haired young lady that walked so
straight--I knew you all right--I seen you on horseback. I guess I'll
have to be going 'cause I got a lot of telegrams to deliver up town."
"No hurry about them, is there?"
"No, but's getting near dinner time. Good-by."
"Wait. Take this box of candy with you."
Solomon staggered. "The whole box?"
"Certainly."
"Gee!"
He slid over the rail with the candy under his arm.
When he disappeared, Gertrude went back to her stateroom, closed the
door, though quite alone in the car, and re-read her note.
"I have no right to keep this after you leave; perhaps I had no right
to keep it at all. But in returning it to you I surely may thank you
for the impulse that made you throw it over me the morning I lay asleep
behind the Spider dike."
It was he, then, lying in the rain, ill then, perhaps--nursed by the
nondescript cub that had just left her.
The Newmarket lay across the berth--a long, graceful garment. She had
always liked the coat, and her eye fell now upon it critically,
wondering what he thought of the garment upon making so unexpected an
acquaintance with her intimate belongings. Near the bottom of the
lining she saw a mud stain on the silk and the pretty fawn melton was
spotted with rain. She folded it up before the horseback party
returned and put it away, stained and spotted, at the bottom of her
trunk.