nd-rail, and looking back
upon the jumble of railway activities out of which they had just
emerged that the Rosemary, gaining headway, overtook another moving
train running smoothly on a track parallel to that upon which the
private car was speeding. It was the narrow-gage mountain connection
of the Utah line, and Winton and Adams were on the rear platform of
the last car. So it chanced that the four of them were presently
waving their adieus across the wind-blown interspace. In the midst of
it, or rather at the moment when the Rosemary, gathering speed as the
lighter of the two trains, forged ahead, the Rajah came out to light
his cigar.

He took in the little tableau of the rear platforms at a glance, and
when the slower train was left behind asked a question of Virginia.

"Ah--wasn't one of those two the young gentleman who called on you
yestehday afternoon, my deah?"

Virginia admitted it.

"Could you faveh me with his name?"

"He is Mr. Morton P. Adams, of Boston."

"Ah-h! and his friend--the young gentleman who laid his hand to ouh
plow and put the engine on the track last night?"

"He is Mr. Winton--a--an artist, I believe; at least, that is what I
gathered from what Mr. Adams said of him."

Mr. Somerville Darrah laughed, a slow little laugh, deep in his chest.

"Bless youh innocent soul--he a picchuh--painteh? Not in a thousand
yeahs, my deah Virginia. He is a railroad man, and a right good one at
that. Faveh me with the name again; Winteh, did you say?"

"No; Winton--Mr. John Winton."

"D-d-devil!" gritted the Rajah, smiting the hand-rail with his
clenched fist. "Hah! I beg your pahdon, my deahs--a meah slip of the
tongue." And then, to the full as savagely: "By Heaven, I hope that
train will fly the track and ditch him before eveh he comes within
ordering distance of the work in Qua'tz Creek Canyon!"

"Why, Uncle Somerville--how vindictive!" cried Virginia. "Who is he,
and what has he done?"

"He is Misteh John Winton, as you informed me just now; one of the
brainiest constructing engineers in this entiah country, and the
hardest man in this or any otheh country to down in a right-of-way
fight--that's who he is. And it's not what he's done, my deah
Virginia, it's what he is going to do. If I can't get him killed up
out of ouh way,"--but here Mr. Darrah saw the growing terror in two
pairs of eyes, and realizing that he was committing himself before an
unsympathetic audience, beat a hasty retrea