is Antonio's little game; yet,
thanks, senor, for playing it so openly, Good-day. _Adios._ Farewell. _Et
cetera. Au revoir_ and all the rest. We'll show you that title deed--if
we find it!"

CHAPTER XX

A RAILWAY JOURNEY

The morning of departure had come and, trembling with both fear and
eagerness, Jessica stood beside the reporter upon the station, waiting
for the great train to move outward.

"Step aboard, Lady Jess. Homeward bound!"

"Oh! it looks so big and somehow dreadful. I can ride any kind of a
horse, or an ostrich, and burros, of course, but----"

"But you don't know yet how to ride a railway carriage. Then let me
tell you you'll find it so delightful you'll not want to get out when
the journey's done."

"Don't you believe that, Mr. Sharp. The end of the journey, this part,
at least, means, Marion, and that's but a bit of a way from my mother.
Is everything ready? Scruff? Is he here?"

"Come and see the sorrowful chap in his moving stable if you wish.
Though it hasn't moved as yet. He'll probably rebel against the state
of affairs, at first; then be just as unwilling to leave the car as
he was to enter it. It's a fine place for sleeping, and sleeping is
Scruff's chief aim in life."

"He's had to make up for lost time, for he'd never too much sleep at
home, where Ned and Luis were. Oh! to think! To-morrow, to-morrow--this
very next day that's coming--I shall have my arms around those
children's precious necks and feel my mother's kisses on my lips. I
can't wait. I can't."

"Humph! I shall begin to think you can wait and very contentedly if you
don't step into this car pretty soon."

Jessica had never traveled by rail and the shock of the accident which
had befallen Luis' father made her more timid than she had ever been
before. She had pleaded to make the return trip by saddle, as she had
come, but Mr. Sharp would not consent.

"Time. Time. We must make time, Lady Jess. A newspaper man never uses
a week where a day will do. If he did--well, no knowing if we should
ever get out a single issue of _The Lancet_. Come on. If there were any
danger do you think I would make you face it?"

Thus shamed and by the friend who had proved so true to her interests,
the little girl shut her eyes, held out her hands and was lightly swung
upon the rear platform of the luxurious coach in which they were to
make the first half of their trip. Later, they would have to leave
the main line for a branch ro