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the young beauty was the effect of the Rev. Mr. Wynn's confidences upon
the impulsive heart of Jack Brace, the expressman. It has been already
intimated that it was his "day off." Unable to summarily reassume his
usual functions beside the driver without some practical reason, and
ashamed to go so palpably as a mere passenger, he was forced to let
the coach proceed without him. Discomfited for the moment, he was not,
however, beaten. He had lost the blissful journey by her side, which
would have been his professional right, but--she was going to Indian
Spring! could he not anticipate her there? Might they not meet in the
most accidental manner? And what might not come from that meeting away
from the prying eyes of their own town? Mr. Brace did not hesitate, but
saddling his fleet Buckskin, by the time the stage-coach had passed the
Crossing in the high-road he had mounted the hill and was dashing along
the "cutoff" in the same direction, a full mile in advance. Arriving at
Indian Spring, he left his horse at a Mexican posada on the confines of
the settlement, and from the piled debris of a tunnel excavation awaited
the slow arrival of the coach. On mature reflection he could give no
reason why he had not boldly awaited it at the express office, except
a certain bashful consciousness of his own folly, and a belief that it
might be glaringly apparent to the bystanders. When the coach arrived
and he had overcome this consciousness, it was too late. Yuba Bill had
discharged his passengers for Indian Spring and driven away. Miss
Nellie was in the settlement, but where? As time passed he became more
desperate and bolder. He walked recklessly up and down the main street,
glancing in at the open doors of shops, and even in the windows of
private dwellings. It might have seemed a poor compliment to Miss
Nellie, but it was an evidence of his complete preoccupation, when the
sight of a female face at a window, even though it was plain or perhaps
painted, caused his heart to bound, or the glancing of a skirt in the
distance quickened his feet and his pulses. Had Jack contented himself
with remaining at Excelsior he might have vaguely regretted, but as soon
become as vaguely accustomed to, Miss Nellie's absence. But it was not
until his hitherto quiet and passive love took this first step of action
that it fully declared itself. When he had made the tour of the town
a dozen times unsuccessfully, he had perfectly made up his mind tha