in the Panama
hat has been keeping us all alive. He's been prospecting for silver in
New Ontario--thinks he's going to make his fortune in a week."

"Oh, but that will do exactly for my brother!" cried Elizabeth,
delighted. "Please introduce us."

And hurrying back into the car she burst upon the discontented gentleman
within. Philip, who was just about to sally forth into the damp, against
the entreaties of his servant, and take his turn at shying stones at a
bottle on the line, was appeased by her report, and was soon seated,
talking toy speculation, with a bronzed and brawny person, who watched
the young Englishman, as they chatted, out of a pair of humorous eyes.
Philip believed himself a great financier, but was not in truth either
very shrewd or very daring, and his various coups or losses generally
left his exchequer at the end of the year pretty much what it had been
the year before. But the stranger, who seemed to have staked out claims
at one time or another, across the whole face of the continent, from
Klondyke to Nova Scotia, kept up a mining talk that held him enthralled;
and Elizabeth breathed freely.

She returned to the platform. The scene was _triste_, but the rain had
for the moment stopped. She hailed an official passing by, and asked if
there was any chance of their soon going on. The man smiled and
shook his head.

Her Canadian acquaintance, who was standing near, came up to the car as
he heard her question.

"I have just seen a divisional superintendent. We may get on about nine
o'clock to-night."

"And it is now eleven o'clock in the morning," sighed Lady Merton.
"Well!--I think a little exercise would be a good thing."

And she descended the steps of the car. The Canadian hesitated.

"Would you allow me to walk with you?" he said, with formality. "I
might perhaps be able to tell you a few things. I belong to
the railway."

"I shall be greatly obliged," said Elizabeth, cordially. "Do you mean
that you are an official?"

"I am an engineer--in charge of some construction work in the Rockies."

Lady Merton's face brightened.

"Indeed! I think that must be one of the most interesting things in the
world to be."

The Canadian's eyebrows lifted a little.

"I don't know that I ever thought of it like that," he said, half
smiling. "It's good work--but I've done things a good deal livelier
in my time."

"You've not always been an engineer?"

"Very few people are always 'anything' in