Shegrewquieterpresently，andtookawaythehandkerchieffromamouththatsmiledthoughitstillquivered；thenreactionbegan，andhertirednervesbroughtherlanguorandfinallyrepose。Boylewatchedtheshadowsthickenaroundherlonglashesuntiltheylaysoftlyonthefaintflushthatsleepwasbringingtohercheek；herdelicatelipsparted，andherquickbreathatlastcamewiththeregularityofslumber。
Sosheslept，andhe，sittingsilentlyoppositeher，dreamed——theolddreamthatcomestomostgoodmenandtrueonceintheirlives。
Hescarcelymoveduntilthedawnlightenedwithopalthedrearyplain，bringingbackthehorizonandday，whenhewokefromhisdreamwithasigh，andthenalaugh。Thenhelistenedforthesoundofdistanthoofs，andhearingthem，creptnoiselesslyfromthecoach。Acompactbodyofhorsemenwerebearingdownuponit。
Herosequicklytomeetthem，andthrowinguphishand，broughtthemtoahaltatsomedistancefromthecoach。Theyspreadout，resolvingthemselvesintoadozentroopersandasmartyoungcadet-
likeofficer。
“IfyouareseekingMissCantire，“hesaidinaquiet，businessliketone，“sheisquitesafeinthecoachandasleep。Sheknowsnothingyetofwhathashappened，andbelievesitisyouwhohavetakeneverythingawayforsecurityagainstanIndianattack。Shehashadaprettyroughnight——whatwithherfatigueandheralarmatthewolves——andIthoughtitbesttokeepthetruthfromheraslongaspossible，andIwouldadviseyoutobreakittohergently。“Hethenbrieflytoldthestoryoftheirexperiences，omittingonlyhisownpersonalencounterwiththeIndian。Anewpride，whichwasperhapstheresultofhisvigil，preventedhim。
Theyoungofficerglancedathimwithasmuchcourtesyasmightbeaffordedtoacivilianintrudinguponactivemilitaryoperations。
“IamsureMajorCantirewillbegreatlyobligedtoyouwhenheknowsit，“hesaidpolitely，“andasweintendtoharnessupandtakethecoachbacktoSageWoodStationimmediately，youwillhaveanopportunityoftellinghim。“
“IamnotgoingbackbythecoachtoSageWood，“saidBoylequietly。“Ihavealreadylosttwelvehoursofmytime——aswellasmytrunk——onthispicnic，andIreckontheleastMajorCantirecandoistoletmetakeoneofyourhorsestothenextstationintimetocatchthedowncoach。Icandoit，ifIsetoutatonce。“
Boyleheardhisname，withthefamiliarprefixof“Dicky，“giventotheofficerbyacommissarysergeant，whomherecognizedashavingmetattheAgency，andthewords“Chicagodrummer“added，whileaperceptiblesmilewentthroughoutthegroup。“Verywell，sir，“
saidtheofficer，withafamiliarityashadelessrespectfulthanhispreviousformalmanner。“Youcantakethehorse，asIbelievetheIndianshavealreadymadefreewithyoursamples。Givehimamount，sergeant。“
Thetwomenwalkedtowardsthecoach。BoylelingeredamomentatthewindowtoshowhimthefigureofMissCantirestillpeacefullyslumberingamongherpileofcushions，andthenturnedquietlyaway。Amomentlaterhewasgallopingononeofthetroopers’
horsesacrosstheemptyplain。
MissCantireawokepresentlytothesoundofafamiliarvoiceandthesightoffiguresthatsheknew。Buttheyoungofficer’sfirstwordsofexplanation——aguardedaccountofthepursuitoftheIndiansandtherecaptureofthearms，suppressingthekillingofFosterandthemailagent——broughtachangetoherbrightenedfaceandawrinkletoherprettybrow。
“ButMr。Boylesaidnothingofthistome，“shesaid，sittingup。
“Whereishe？“
“Alreadyonhiswaytothenextstationononeofourhorses！
Wantedtocatchthedownstageandgetanewboxofsamples，I
fancy，asthebraveshadriggedthemselvesoutwithhislacesandribbons。Saidhe’dlosttimeenoughonthispicnic，“returnedtheyoungofficer，withalaugh。“Smartbusinesschap；butIhopehedidn’tboreyou？“
MissCantirefelthercheekflush，andbitherlip。“Ifoundhimmostkindandconsiderate，Mr。Ashford，“shesaidcoldly。“Hemayhavethoughttheescortcouldhavejoinedthecoachalittleearlier，andsavedallthis；buthewastoomuchofagentlemantosayanythingaboutittoME，“sheaddeddryly，withaslightelevationofheraquilinenose。
NeverthelessBoyle’slastwordsstungherdeeply。Tohurryoff，too，withoutsaying“good-by，“orevenaskinghowsheslept！NodoubtheHADlosttime，andwastiredofhercompany，andthoughtmoreofhisprecioussamplesthanofher！Afterall，itwaslikehimtorushoffforanorder！
ShewashalfinclinedtocalltheyoungofficerbackandtellhimhowBoylehadcriticisedhercostumeontheroad。ButMr。Ashfordwasatthattimeentirelypreoccupiedwithhismenaroundaledgeofrockandbushessomeyardsfromthecoach，yetnotsofarawaybutthatshecouldhearwhattheysaid。“I’llsweartherewasnodeadInjinherewhenwecameyesterday！Wesearchedthewholeplace——bydaylight，too——foranysign。TheInjinwaskilledinhistracksbysomeonelastnight。It’slikeDickBoyle，lieutenant，tohavedoneit，andlikehimtohavesaidnothin’tofrightentheyounglady。Heknowswhentokeephismouthshut——andwhentoopenit。“
MissCantiresankbackinhercornerastheofficerturnedandapproachedthecoach。Theincidentofthepastnightflashedbackuponher——Mr。Boyle’slongabsence，hisflushedface，twistednecktie，andenforcedcheerfulness。Shewasshocked，amazed，discomfited——andadmiring！Andthisherohadbeensittingoppositetoher，silentalltherestofthenight！
“DidMr。BoylesayanythingofanIndianattacklastnight？“askedAshford。“Didyouhearanything？“
“Onlythewolveshowling，“saidMissCantire。“Mr。Boylewasawaytwice。“Shewasstrangelyreticent——incomplimentaryimitationofhermissinghero。
“There’sadeadIndianherewhohasbeenkilled，“beganAshford。
“Oh，pleasedon’tsayanythingmore，Mr。Ashford，“interruptedtheyounglady，“butletusgetawayfromthishorridplaceatonce。
Dogetthehorsesin。Ican’tstandit。“
Butthehorseswerealreadyharnessedandmounted，postilion-wise，bythetroopers。ThevehiclewasreadytostartwhenMissCantirecalled“Stop！“
WhenAshfordpresentedhimselfatthedoor，theyoungladywasuponherhandsandknees，searchingthebottomofthecoach。“Oh，dear！
I’velostsomething。Imusthavedroppeditontheroad，“shesaidbreathlessly，withpinkcheeks。“Youmustpositivelywaitandletmegobackandfindit。Iwon’tbelong。Youknowthere’s’nohurry。’“
Mr。AshfordstaredasMissCantireskippedlikeaschoolgirlfromthecoachandrandownthetrailbywhichsheandBoylehadapproachedthecoachthenightbefore。Shehadnotgonefarbeforeshecameuponthewitheredflowershehadthrownawayathercommand。“Itmustbeabouthere，“shemurmured。Suddenlysheutteredacryofdelight，andpickedupthebusinesscardthatBoylehadshownher。Thenshelookedfurtivelyaroundher，and，selectingasprigofmyrtleamongthecast-offflowers，concealeditinhermantleandranback，glowing，tothecoach。“Thankyou！
Allright，I’vefoundit，“shecalledtoAshford，withadazzlingsmile，andleapedinside。
Thecoachdroveon，andMissCantire，aloneinitsrecesses，drewthemyrtlefromhermantleandfoldingitcarefullyinherhandkerchief，placeditinherreticule。Thenshedrewoutthecard，readitsdrylypracticalinformationoverandoveragain，examinedthesoilededges，brushedthemdaintily，andhelditforamoment，witheyesthatsawnot，motionlessinherhand。Thensheraiseditslowlytoherlips，rolleditintoaspiral，and，looseningahookandeye，thrustitgentlyintoherbosom。
AndDickBoyle，gallopingawaytothedistantstation，didnotknowthatthefirststeptowardsarealizationofhisfoolishdreamhadbeentaken！
End