nterest. Mr. Fair
presently asked a question which John had waited for all day, and it was
dark night without and lamplight within, and they were drawing near a
large city, before the young man, in reply, had more than half told the
stout plans and hopes of this expedition of his after capital and
colonists.

Mrs. Fair showed a most lively approval. "And must you leave us here?"

Barbara had not noticed till now how handsome she was. Neither had John.

"Yes, ma'am. But I shan't waste a day here if things don't show up
right. I shall push right on to New York."

Barbara hoped Mr. Fair's pleasantness of face meant an approbation as
complete as his wife's, and, to hide her own, meditatively observed that
this journey would be known in history as March's Raid.

John laughed and thanked her for not showing the fears of Captains
Champion and Shotwell that he would "go in like a lion and come out like
a lamb."

They hurried to the next section and peered out into the night with
suppressed but eager exclamations. Long lines of suburban street-lamps
were swinging by. Banks of coke-furnaces were blazing like necklaces of
fire. Foundries and machine-shops glowed and were gone; and, far away,
close by, and far away again, beautifully colored flames waved from the
unseen chimneys of chemical works.

"We've neither of us ever seen a great city," Miss Garnet explained when
she rejoined her protectors. John had been intercepted by the porter
with his brush, and Barbara, though still conversing, could hear what
the negro was saying.

"I lef' you to de las', Cap. Seem like you 'ten'in' so close to business
an' same time enjoyin' yo'seff so well, I hated to 'sturb--thank you,
seh!" The train came slowly to a stand. "O no, seh, dis ain't de depot.
Depot three miles fu'theh yit, seh. We'll go on ag'in in a minute.
Obacoat, seh? Dis yo' ambreel?"

John bade his friends good-by. "And now, Miss Garnet"--he retained her
hand a moment--"don't you go off and forget--Dixie."

She said no, and as he let go her hand she let him see deeper into her
eyes than ever before.

A step or two away he looked back with a fraternal smile, but she was
talking to Mrs. Fair as eagerly as if he had been gone three days. The
train stood so long that he went forward to ask what the delay signified
and saw the four commercial travelers walking away with their hand-bags.
The porter was busy about the door.

"Big smash-up of freight-cyars in de yard; yas