idence of some well-to-do official connected with our
works," said Mr. Fabian, carelessly; then--"Will you come out to the
refreshment rooms and have some tea? See, they are on the opposite side
of the train."

Violet turned and looked on a very different scene. No wooded and
secluded valley with its one lovely cottage, but a row of open saloons
and restaurants, crowded and noisy.

"No; I think I will not go in there. It is not pretty. You may send me a
cup of tea. I will sit here and enjoy this beautiful valley scene. And
oh, Fabian! Look there, coming up the hillside, what a beautiful woman!"

Mr. Fabian looked out and saw and recognized Rose Stillwater and saw
that she had recognized him. She was coming directly toward the train.

"Sit here, my love; I will go and bring you some refreshments. Don't
attempt to get out, dearest; to do so might be dangerous. I will not be
long," he said, hastily, and rising, he hurried after the other
passengers out of the car.

But instead of going into the railway restaurant he went back to the
rear of the train, placed himself where he stood out of sight of his
wife and of all his fellow passengers, yet in full view of the
approaching woman.

"What devil brings that serpent here?" he muttered to himself. "I must
intercept her. She must not go on board the train. She must not approach
my little wood violet. Good heavens, no!"

But the woman turned aside voluntarily from her course to the stationary
train and walked directly toward himself.

"Well, Rose," he said, in as pleasant a voice as his perturbation of
mind would permit him to use.

"Well, Fabian," she answered.

She was as white and hard as marble; her lips when she ceased to speak
were closed tightly, her blue eyes blazed from her hard, white face.

"What brings you here?" he inquired.

"What brings me here, indeed! To see you. Only this morning I heard of
your intended business. Only this morning, after the morning train had
left. If there had been another train within an hour or two, I should
have taken it and gone to the city and should have been in time to stop
the wicked wedding."

"What a blessing that there was not! You could not have stopped the
marriage. You would only have exposed yourself and made a row."

"Then I should have done that."

"I don't think so. It would not have been like you. You are too cool,
too politic to ruin yourself. Come, Rose," looking at his watch, "there
are but just sixtee