"I can not see very well from over there," he explained.

"It is not necessary that you should see; you can hear what I have to

say."

"Very well; I'll go back." And he did. He made a fine pretense of

looking out of the window. Why should this girl cross his path at this

unhappy moment?

There was a pause.

"You are not near so nice as you were this morning," she said presently.

"I can't be nice and sit away over here."

"What made you jump into this compartment, of all others?"

"I wasn't particular what compartment I got into so long as I got into

one. As I said, I was in a hurry."

"You said nothing this morning about going away from Barscheit."

"Neither did you."

Another pause. (I take it, from the character of this dialogue, that

their morning rides must have been rather interesting.)

"You told me that you were in Barscheit to study nerves,"--wickedly.

"So thought I, up to half-past nine to-night; but it appears that I am

not,"--gloomily.

"You are running away, too?"--with suppressed eagerness.

"Running away, too!" he repeated. "Are _you_ running away?"

"As fast as ever the train can carry me. I am on the way to Dresden."

"Dresden? It seems that Fate is determined that we shall travel

together this day. Dresden is my destination also."

"Let me see your passports,"--extending a firm white hand.

He obeyed docilely, as docilely as though he were married. She gave

the paper one angry glance and tossed it back.

"George Ellis; so that is your name?"--scornfully. "You told me that

it was Scharfenstein. I did not ask you to tell me your name; you took

that service upon yourself." She recalled the duke's declaration that

he should have her every movement watched. If this American was

watching her, the duke was vastly more astute than she had given him

the credit for being. "Are you in the pay of the duke? Come, confess

that you have followed me, that you have been watching me for these

four days." How bitter the cup of romance tasted to her now! She had

been deceived. "Well, you shall never take me from this train save by

force. I _will_ not go back!"

"I haven't the slightest idea of what you are talking about," he said,

mightily discouraged. "I never saw this country till Monday, and never

want to see it again."

"From what are you running away then?"--skeptically.

"I am running away from a man who slapped me in the face,"--bitterly;

and all his wrongs returned to him.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024