Shegrewquieterpresently，andtookawaythehandkerchieffromamouththatsmiledthoughitstillquivered；thenreactionbegan，andhertirednervesbroughtherlanguorandfinallyrepose。Boylewatchedtheshadowsthickenaroundherlonglashesuntiltheylaysoftlyonthefaintflushthatsleepwasbringingtohercheek；herdelicatelipsparted，andherquickbreathatlastcamewiththeregularityofslumber。
　　Sosheslept，andhe，sittingsilentlyoppositeher，dreamed——theolddreamthatcomestomostgoodmenandtrueonceintheirlives。
　　Hescarcelymoveduntilthedawnlightenedwithopalthedrearyplain，bringingbackthehorizonandday，whenhewokefromhisdreamwithasigh，andthenalaugh。Thenhelistenedforthesoundofdistanthoofs，andhearingthem，creptnoiselesslyfromthecoach。Acompactbodyofhorsemenwerebearingdownuponit。
　　Herosequicklytomeetthem，andthrowinguphishand，broughtthemtoahaltatsomedistancefromthecoach。Theyspreadout，resolvingthemselvesintoadozentroopersandasmartyoungcadet-
　　likeofficer。
　　“IfyouareseekingMissCantire，“hesaidinaquiet，businessliketone，“sheisquitesafeinthecoachandasleep。Sheknowsnothingyetofwhathashappened，andbelievesitisyouwhohavetakeneverythingawayforsecurityagainstanIndianattack。Shehashadaprettyroughnight——whatwithherfatigueandheralarmatthewolves——andIthoughtitbesttokeepthetruthfromheraslongaspossible，andIwouldadviseyoutobreakittohergently。“Hethenbrieflytoldthestoryoftheirexperiences，omittingonlyhisownpersonalencounterwiththeIndian。Anewpride，whichwasperhapstheresultofhisvigil，preventedhim。
　　Theyoungofficerglancedathimwithasmuchcourtesyasmightbeaffordedtoacivilianintrudinguponactivemilitaryoperations。
　　“IamsureMajorCantirewillbegreatlyobligedtoyouwhenheknowsit，“hesaidpolitely，“andasweintendtoharnessupandtakethecoachbacktoSageWoodStationimmediately，youwillhaveanopportunityoftellinghim。“
　　“IamnotgoingbackbythecoachtoSageWood，“saidBoylequietly。“Ihavealreadylosttwelvehoursofmytime——aswellasmytrunk——onthispicnic，andIreckontheleastMajorCantirecandoistoletmetakeoneofyourhorsestothenextstationintimetocatchthedowncoach。Icandoit，ifIsetoutatonce。“
　　Boyleheardhisname，withthefamiliarprefixof“Dicky，“giventotheofficerbyacommissarysergeant，whomherecognizedashavingmetattheAgency，andthewords“Chicagodrummer“added，whileaperceptiblesmilewentthroughoutthegroup。“Verywell，sir，“
　　saidtheofficer，withafamiliarityashadelessrespectfulthanhispreviousformalmanner。“Youcantakethehorse，asIbelievetheIndianshavealreadymadefreewithyoursamples。Givehimamount，sergeant。“
　　Thetwomenwalkedtowardsthecoach。BoylelingeredamomentatthewindowtoshowhimthefigureofMissCantirestillpeacefullyslumberingamongherpileofcushions，andthenturnedquietlyaway。Amomentlaterhewasgallopingononeofthetroopers’
　　horsesacrosstheemptyplain。
　　MissCantireawokepresentlytothesoundofafamiliarvoiceandthesightoffiguresthatsheknew。Buttheyoungofficer’sfirstwordsofexplanation——aguardedaccountofthepursuitoftheIndiansandtherecaptureofthearms，suppressingthekillingofFosterandthemailagent——broughtachangetoherbrightenedfaceandawrinkletoherprettybrow。
　　“ButMr。Boylesaidnothingofthistome，“shesaid，sittingup。
　　“Whereishe？“
　　“Alreadyonhiswaytothenextstationononeofourhorses！
　　Wantedtocatchthedownstageandgetanewboxofsamples，I
　　fancy，asthebraveshadriggedthemselvesoutwithhislacesandribbons。Saidhe’dlosttimeenoughonthispicnic，“returnedtheyoungofficer，withalaugh。“Smartbusinesschap；butIhopehedidn’tboreyou？“
　　MissCantirefelthercheekflush，andbitherlip。“Ifoundhimmostkindandconsiderate，Mr。Ashford，“shesaidcoldly。“Hemayhavethoughttheescortcouldhavejoinedthecoachalittleearlier，andsavedallthis；buthewastoomuchofagentlemantosayanythingaboutittoME，“sheaddeddryly，withaslightelevationofheraquilinenose。
　　NeverthelessBoyle’slastwordsstungherdeeply。Tohurryoff，too，withoutsaying“good-by，“orevenaskinghowsheslept！NodoubtheHADlosttime，andwastiredofhercompany，andthoughtmoreofhisprecioussamplesthanofher！Afterall，itwaslikehimtorushoffforanorder！
　　ShewashalfinclinedtocalltheyoungofficerbackandtellhimhowBoylehadcriticisedhercostumeontheroad。ButMr。Ashfordwasatthattimeentirelypreoccupiedwithhismenaroundaledgeofrockandbushessomeyardsfromthecoach，yetnotsofarawaybutthatshecouldhearwhattheysaid。“I’llsweartherewasnodeadInjinherewhenwecameyesterday！Wesearchedthewholeplace——bydaylight，too——foranysign。TheInjinwaskilledinhistracksbysomeonelastnight。It’slikeDickBoyle，lieutenant，tohavedoneit，andlikehimtohavesaidnothin’tofrightentheyounglady。Heknowswhentokeephismouthshut——andwhentoopenit。“
　　MissCantiresankbackinhercornerastheofficerturnedandapproachedthecoach。Theincidentofthepastnightflashedbackuponher——Mr。Boyle’slongabsence，hisflushedface，twistednecktie，andenforcedcheerfulness。Shewasshocked，amazed，discomfited——andadmiring！Andthisherohadbeensittingoppositetoher，silentalltherestofthenight！
　　“DidMr。BoylesayanythingofanIndianattacklastnight？“askedAshford。“Didyouhearanything？“
　　“Onlythewolveshowling，“saidMissCantire。“Mr。Boylewasawaytwice。“Shewasstrangelyreticent——incomplimentaryimitationofhermissinghero。
　　“There’sadeadIndianherewhohasbeenkilled，“beganAshford。
　　“Oh，pleasedon’tsayanythingmore，Mr。Ashford，“interruptedtheyounglady，“butletusgetawayfromthishorridplaceatonce。
　　Dogetthehorsesin。Ican’tstandit。“
　　Butthehorseswerealreadyharnessedandmounted，postilion-wise，bythetroopers。ThevehiclewasreadytostartwhenMissCantirecalled“Stop！“
　　WhenAshfordpresentedhimselfatthedoor，theyoungladywasuponherhandsandknees，searchingthebottomofthecoach。“Oh，dear！
　　I’velostsomething。Imusthavedroppeditontheroad，“shesaidbreathlessly，withpinkcheeks。“Youmustpositivelywaitandletmegobackandfindit。Iwon’tbelong。Youknowthere’s’nohurry。’“
　　Mr。AshfordstaredasMissCantireskippedlikeaschoolgirlfromthecoachandrandownthetrailbywhichsheandBoylehadapproachedthecoachthenightbefore。Shehadnotgonefarbeforeshecameuponthewitheredflowershehadthrownawayathercommand。“Itmustbeabouthere，“shemurmured。Suddenlysheutteredacryofdelight，andpickedupthebusinesscardthatBoylehadshownher。Thenshelookedfurtivelyaroundher，and，selectingasprigofmyrtleamongthecast-offflowers，concealeditinhermantleandranback，glowing，tothecoach。“Thankyou！
　　Allright，I’vefoundit，“shecalledtoAshford，withadazzlingsmile，andleapedinside。
　　Thecoachdroveon，andMissCantire，aloneinitsrecesses，drewthemyrtlefromhermantleandfoldingitcarefullyinherhandkerchief，placeditinherreticule。Thenshedrewoutthecard，readitsdrylypracticalinformationoverandoveragain，examinedthesoilededges，brushedthemdaintily，andhelditforamoment，witheyesthatsawnot，motionlessinherhand。Thensheraiseditslowlytoherlips，rolleditintoaspiral，and，looseningahookandeye，thrustitgentlyintoherbosom。
　　AndDickBoyle，gallopingawaytothedistantstation，didnotknowthatthefirststeptowardsarealizationofhisfoolishdreamhadbeentaken！
　　End