Graustark

by George Barr McCutcheon

  II. TWO STRANGERS IN A COACH

  Lorry wasted very little time. He dashed into the depot and up to theoperator's window.

  "What's the nearest station east of here?"

  "P----," leisurely answered the agent, in some surprise.

  "How far is it?"

  "Four miles."

  "Telegraph ahead and hold the train that just left here."

  "The train don't stop there."

  "It's got to stop there--or there'll be more trouble than this road hashad since it began business. The conductor pulled out and left two ofhis passengers--gave out wrong information, and he'll have to hold histrain there or bring her back here. If you don't send that order I'llreport you as well as the conductor." Grenfall's manner was commanding.The agent's impression was that he was important that he had a right togive orders. But he hesitated.

  "There's no way for you but to get to P---- anyway," he said, whileturning the matter over in his mind.

  "You stop that train! I'll get there inside of twenty minutes. Now, bequick! Wire them to hold her--or there'll be an order from headquartersfor some ninety-day lay-offs." The agent stared at him; then turned tohis instrument, and the message went forward. Lorry rushed out. On theplatform he nearly ran over the hurrying figure in the tan coat.

  "Pardon me. I'll explain things in a minute," he gasped, and dashedaway. Her troubled eyes blinked with astonishment.

  At the end of the platform stood a mountain coach, along the sides ofwhich was printed in yellow letters: "Happy Springs." The driver wasclimbing up to his seat and the cumbersome trap was empty.

  "Want to make ten dollars?" cried Grenfall.

  "What say?" demanded the driver, half falling to the ground.

  "Get me to P---- inside of twenty minutes, and I'll give you tendollars. Hurry up! Answer!"

  "Yes, but, you see, I'm hired to--"

  "Oh, that's all right! You'll never make money easier. Can you get usthere in twenty minutes?"

  "It's four mile, pardner, and not very good road, either. Pile in, andwe'll make it er kill old Hip and Jim. Miss the train?"

  "Get yourself ready for a race with an express train and don't askquestions. Kill 'em both if you have to. I'll be back in a second!"

  Back to the station he tore. She was standing near the door, looking upthe track miserably. Already night was falling. Men were lighting theswitch lanterns and the mountains were turning into great dark shadows.

  "Come quickly; I have a wagon out here."

  Resistlessly she was hurried along and fairly shoved through the opendoor of the odd-looking coach. He was beside her on the seat in aninstant, and her bewildered ears heard him say:

  "Drive like the very deuce!" Then the door slammed, the driver clatteredup to his seat, and the horses were off with a rush.

  "Where are we going?" she demanded, sitting very straight and defiant.

  "After that train--I'll tell you all about it when I get my breath. Thisis to be the quickest escape from a dilemma on record--providing it isan escape." By this time they were bumping along the flinty road at alively rate, jolting about on the seat in a most disconcerting manner.After a few long, deep breaths he told her how the ride in the Springshack had been conceived and of the arrangement he had made with thedespatcher. He furthermore acquainted her with the cause of his beingleft when he might have caught the train.

  "Just as I reached the track, out of breath but rejoicing, I rememberedhaving seen you on that side street, and knew that you would be left.It would have been heartless to leave you here without protection, soI felt it my duty to let the train go and help you out of a very uglypredicament."

  "How can I ever repay you?" she murmured. "It was so good and sothoughtful of you. Oh, I should have died had I been left here alone. Doyou not think my uncle will miss me and have the train sent back?" shewent on sagely.

  "That's so!" he exclaimed, somewhat disconcerted. "But I don't know,either. He may not miss you for a long time, thinking you are in someother car, you know. That could easily happen," triumphantly.

  "Can this man get us to the next station in time?" she questioned,looking at the black mountains and the dense foliage. It was now quitedark.

  "If he doesn't bump us to death before we get half way there. He'sdriving like the wind."

  "You must let me pay half his bill," she said, decidedly, from the darkcorner in which she was huddling.

  He could find no response to this peremptory request.

  "The road is growing rougher. If you will allow me to make a suggestion,I think you will see its wisdom. You can escape a great deal of uglyjostling if you will take hold of my arm and cling to it tightly. Iwill brace myself with this strap. I am sure it will save you many hardbumps."

  Without a word she moved to his side and wound her strong little armabout his big one.

  "I had thought of that," she said, simply. "Thank you." Then, aftera moment, while his heart thumped madly: "Had it occurred to you thatafter you ran so hard you might have climbed aboard the train andordered the conductor to stop it for me?"

  "I--I never thought of that?" he cried, confusedly.

  "Please do not think me ungrateful. You have been very good to me, astranger. One often thinks afterward of things one might have done,don't you know? You did the noblest when you inconvenienced yourself forme. What trouble I have made for you." She said this so prettily that hecame gaily from the despondency into which her shrewdness, borderingon criticism, had thrown him. He knew perfectly well that she wasquestioning his judgment and presence of mind, and, the more he thoughtof it, the more transparent became the absurdity of his action.

  "It has been no trouble," he floundered "An adventure like this is worthno end of--er--inconvenience, as you call it. I'm sure I must have lostmy head completely, and I am ashamed of myself. How much anxiety I couldhave saved you had I been possessed of an ounce of brains!"

  "Hush! I will not allow you to say that. You would have me appearungrateful when I certainly am not. Ach, how he is driving! Do you thinkit dangerous?" she cried, as the hack gave two or three wild lurches,throwing him into the corner, and the girl half upon him.

  "Not in the least," he gasped, the breath knocked out of his body. Justthe same, he was very much alarmed. It was as dark as pitch outside andin, and he could not help wondering how near the edge of the mountainside they were running. A false move of the flying horses and they mightgo rolling to the bottom of the ravine, hundreds of feet below. Still,he must not let her see his apprehension. "This fellow is considered thebest driver in the mountains," he prevaricated. Just then he rememberedhaving detected liquor on the man's breath as he closed the door behindhim. Perhaps he was intoxicated!

  "Do you know him?" questioned the clear voice, her lips close to hisear, her warm body pressing against his.

  "Perfectly. He is no other than Lighthorse Jerry, the king of stagedrivers." In the darkness he smiled to himself maliciously.

  "Oh, then we need feel no alarm," she said, reassured, not knowing thatJerry existed only in the yellow-backed novel her informant had readwhen a boy.

  There was such a roaring and clattering that conversation became almostimpossible. When either spoke it was with the mouth close to the ear ofthe other. At such times Grenfall could feel her breath on his cheek,Her sweet voice went tingling to his toes with every word she uttered.He was in a daze, out of which sung the mad wish that he might claspher in his arms, kiss her, and then go tumbling down the mountain. Shetrembled in the next fierce lurches, but gave forth no complaint. Heknew that she was in terror but too brave to murmur.

  Unable to resist, he released the strap to which he had clung so grimly,and placed his strong, firm hand encouragingly over the little one thatgripped his arm with the clutch of death. It was very dark and verylonely, too!

  "Oh!" she cried, as his hand clasped hers. "You must hold to the strap."

  "It is broken!" he lied, gladly, "There is no danger. See! My hand doesnot tremble, does it? Be calm! It
cannot be much farther."

  "Will it not be dreadful if the conductor refuses to stop?" she cried,her hand resting calmly beneath its protector. He detected a tone ofsecurity in her voice.

  "But he will stop! Your uncle will see to that, even if the operatorfails."

  "My uncle will kill him if he does not stop or come back for me," shesaid, complacently.

  "I was mot wrong," thought Grenfall; "he looks like a duelist. Who thedevil are they, anyhow?" Then aloud: "At this rate we'd be able to beatthe train to Washington in a straight-away race. Isn't it a delightfullywild ride?"

  "I have acquired a great deal of knowledge in America, but this is thefirst time I have heard your definition of delight. I agree that it iswild."

  For some moments there was silence in the noisy conveyance. Outside, thecrack of the driver's whip, his hoarse cries, and the nerve-destroyingcrash of the wheels produced impressions of a mighty storm rather thanof peace and pleasure.

  "I am curious to know where you obtained the coin you lost in the caryesterday," she said at last, as if relieving her mind of a questionthat had been long subdued.

  "The one you so kindly found for me?" he asked, procrastinatingly.

  "Yes. They are certainly rare in this country."

  "I never saw a coin like it until after I had seen you," he confessed.He felt her arm press his a little tighter, and there was a quickmovement of her head which told him, dark as it was, that she was tryingto see his face and that her blue eyes were wide with something morethan terror.

  "I do not understand," she exclaimed.

  "I obtained the coin from a sleeping-car porter who said some one gaveit to him and told him to have a 'high time' with it," he explained inher ear.

  "He evidently did not care for the 'high time,'" she said, after amoment. He would have given a fortune for one glimpse of her face atthat instant.

  "I think he said it would be necessary to go to Europe in order tofollow the injunction of the donor. As I am more likely to go to Europethan he, I relieved him of the necessity and bought his right to a 'hightime.'"

  There was a long pause, during which she attempted to withdraw herselffrom his side, her little fingers struggling timidly beneath the bigones.

  "Are you a collector of coins?" she asked at length, a perceptiblecoldness in her voice.

  "No. I am considered a dispenser of coins. Still, I rather like the ideaof possessing this queer bit of money as a pocket-piece. I intend tokeep it forever, and let it descend as an heirloom to the generationsthat follow me," he said, laughingly. "Why are you so curious about it?"

  "Because it comes from the city and country in which I live," sheresponded. "If you were in a land far from your own would you not beinterested in anything--even a coin--that reminded you of home?"

  "Especially if I had not seen one of its kind since leaving home," hereplied, insinuatingly.

  "Oh, but I have seen many like it. In my purse there are several at thisminute."

  "Isn't it strange that this particular coin should have reminded you ofhome?"

  "You have no right to question me, sir," she said, coldly, drawing away,only to be lurched back again. In spite of herself she laughed audibly.

  "I beg your pardon," he said, tantalizingly.

  "When did he give it you?"

  "Who?"

  "The porter, sir."

  "You have no right to question me," he said.

  "Oh!" she gasped. "I did not mean to be inquisitive."

  "But I grant the right. He gave it me inside of two hours after I firstentered the car."

  "At Denver?"

  "How do you know I got on at Denver?'

  "Why, you passed me in the aisle with your luggage. Don't you remember?"

  Did he remember! His heart almost turned over with the joy of knowingthat she had really noticed and remembered him. Involuntarily his gladfingers closed down upon the gloved hand that lay beneath them.

  "I believe I do remember, now that you speak of it," he said, in astifled voice. "You were standing at a window?"

  "Yes; and I saw you kissing those ladies goodby, too. Was one of themyour wife, or were they all your sisters? I have wondered."

  "They--they were--cousins," he informed her, confusedly, recalling anincident that had been forgotten. He had kissed Mary Lyons and EdnaBurrage--but their brothers were present. "A foolish habit, isn't it?"

  "I do not know. I have no grown cousins," she replied, demurely. "YouAmericans have such funny customs, though. Where I live, no gentlemanwould think of pressing a lady's hand until it pained her. Is itnecessary?" In the question there was a quiet dignity, half submergedin scorn, so pointed, so unmistakable that he flushed, turned cold withmortification, and hastily removed the amorous fingers.

  "I crave your pardon. It is such a strain to hold myself and you againstthe rolling of this wagon that I unconsciously gripped your hand harderthan I knew. You--you will not misunderstand my motive?" he begged,fearful lest he had offended her by his ruthlessness.

  "I could not misunderstand something that does not exist," she said,simply, proudly.

  "By Jove, she's beyond comparison!" he thought.

  "You have explained, and I am sorry I spoke as I did. I shall not againforget how much I owe you."

  "Your indebtedness, if there be one, does not deprive you of the libertyto speak to me as you will. You could not say anything unjust withoutasking my forgiveness, and when you do that you more than pay the debt.It is worth a great deal to me to hear you say that you owe something tome, for I am only too glad to be your creditor. If there is a debt, youshall never pay it; it is too pleasant an account to be settled with'you're welcome.' If you insist that you owe much to me, I shall refuseto cancel the debt, and allow it to draw interest forever."

  "What a financier!" she cried. "That jest was worthy of a courtier'sdeepest flattery. Let me say that I am proud to owe my gratitude to you.You will not permit it to grow less."

  "That was either irony or the prettiest speech a woman ever uttered," hesaid, warmly. "I also am curious about something. You were readingover my shoulder in the observation car--" "I was not!" she exclaimed,indignantly. "How did you know that?" she inconsistently went on.

  "You forget the mirror in the opposite side of the car."

  "Ach, now I am offended."

  "With a poor old mirror? For shame! Yet, in the name of our Americanglass industry, I ask your forgiveness. It shall not happen again. Youwill admit that you were trying to read over my shoulder. Thanks forthat immutable nod. Well, I am curious to know what you were so eager toread."

  "Since you presume to believe the mirror instead of me, I will tell you.There was a despatch on the first page that interested me deeply."

  "I believe I thought as much at the time. Oh, confound this road!"For half a mile or more the road had been fairly level, but, as theejaculation indicates, a rough place had been reached. He was flungback in the corner violently, his head coming in contact with a sharpprojection of some kind. The pain was almost unbearable, but it waseased by the fact that she had involuntarily thrown her arm across hischest, her hand grasping his shoulder spasmodically.

  "Oh, we shall be killed!" she half shrieked. "Can you not stop him? Thisis madness--madness!"

  "Pray be calm! I was to blame, for I had become careless. He is earninghis money, that's all. It was not stipulated in the contract that he wasto consider the comfort of his passengers." Grenfall could feel himselfturn pale as something warm began to trickle down his neck. "Now tell mewhich despatch it was. I read all of them."

  "You did? Of what interest could they have been?"

  "Curiosity does not recognize reason."

  "You read every one of them?"

  "Assuredly."

  "Then I shall grant you the right to guess which interested me the most.You Americans delight in puzzles, I am told."

  "Now, that is unfair."

  "So it is. Did you read the despatch from Constantinople?" Her arm fellto her side su
ddenly as if she had just realized its position.

  "The one that told of the French ambassador's visit to the Sultan?"

  "Concerning the small matter of a loan of some millions--yes. Well,that was of interest to me inasmuch as the loan, if made, will affect mycountry."

  "Will you tell me what country you are from?"

  "I am from Graustark."

  "Yes; but I don't remember where that is."

  "Is it possible that your American schools do not teach geography? Ourstell us where the United States are located."

  "I confess ignorance," he admitted.

  "Then I shall insist that you study a map. Graustark is small, but I amas proud of it as you are of this great broad country that reaches fromocean to ocean. I can scarcely wait until I again see our dear cragsand valleys, our rivers and ever-blue skies, our plains and our towns. Iwonder if you worship your country as I love mine."

  "From the tenor of your remarks, I judge that you have been away fromhome for a long time," he volunteered.

  "We have seen something of Asia, Australia, Mexico and the United Statessince we left Edelweiss, six months ago. Now we are going home--home!"She uttered the word so lovingly, so longingly, so tenderly, that heenvied the homeland.

  There was a long break in the conversation, both evidently wrapped inthought which could not be disturbed by the whirl of the coach. He waswondering how he could give her up, now that she had been tossed intohis keeping so strangely. She was asking herself over and over again howso thrilling an adventure would end.

  They were sore and fatigued with the strain on nerve and flesh. It wasan experience never to be forgotten, this romantic race over the wildmountain road, the result still in doubt. Ten minutes ago--strangers;now--friends at least, neither knowing the other. She was admiring himfor his generalship, his wonderful energy; he was blessing the fatethat had come to his rescue when hope was almost dead. He could scarcelyrealize that he was awake. Could it be anything but a vivid fancy fromwhich he was to awaken and find himself alone in his berth, the buzzing,clacking carwheels piercing his ears with sounds so unlike those thathad been whispered into them by a voice, sweet and maddening, from outthe darkness of a dreamland cab?

  "Surely we must be almost at the end of this awful ride," she moaned,yielding completely to the long suppressed alarm. "Every bone in my bodyaches. What shall we do if they have not held the train?"

  "Send for an undertaker," he replied grimly, seeing policy in jest. Theywere now ascending an incline, bumping over boulders, hurtling throughtreacherous ruts and water-washed holes, rolling, swinging, jerking,crashing. "You have been brave all along; don't give up now. It isalmost over. You'll soon be with your friends."

  "How can I thank you"' she cried, gripping his arm once more. Again hishand dropped upon hers and closed gently.

  "I wish that I could do a thousand times as much for you," he said,thrillingly, her disheveled hair touching his face so close were hislips. "Ah, the lights of the town!" he cried an instant later. "Look!"

  He held her so that she could peer through the rattling glass window.Close at hand, higher up the steep, many lights were twinkling againstthe blackness.

  Almost before they realized how near they were to the lights, the horsesbegan to slacken their speed, a moment later coming to a standstill. Theawful ride was over.

  "The train! the train!" she cried, in ecstacy. "Here, on the other side.Thank heaven!"

  He could not speak for the joyful pride that distended his heart almostto bursting. The coach door flew open, and Light-horse Jerry yelled:

  "Here y'are! I made her!"

  "I should say you did!" exclaimed Grenfall, climbing out and drawing herafter him gently. "Here's your ten."

  "I must send you something, too, my good fellow," cried the lady. "Whatis your address--quick?"

  "William Perkins, O----, West Virginny, ma'am."

  Lorry was dragging her toward the cars as the driver completed thesentence. Several persons were running down the platform, dimly lightedfrom the string of car windows She found time to pant as they spedalong:

  "He was not Light-horse Jerry, at all!"