doubt that they were
mother and daughter.

"What has Charlie done with himself?" was the pleasant question, met
with a smile so bewitching that the watcher was hopelessly ensnared.

"So, there's a party of them," he mused. "And who the deuce is Charlie?"

But when that youth appeared he proved to be only a brother, and not a
very big brother, at that.

Settling himself back in a corner from whence he could use his eyes and
ears as he dared, young Leslie drew forth a letter which he perused with
interest; in fact, he already knew it by heart. It ran thus:

"MY DEAR SON,

"Congratulate me. The all-important day is fixed for the 24th inst.
Come at once. Mrs. Dana is anxious to cultivate you, and my own
impatience is an old story.

"Your affectionate father,

"H.J. LESLIE."

"Confound Mrs, Dana!" was the son's comment, for upon the subject of his
father's second marriage he was distinctly undutiful.

For a while he lost himself in pictures of the new home, and mentally
resolved to absent himself as much as possible. He knew how his
opposition was grieving his father, who thought him most unreasonable:
but he persisted in refusing to see the lady until after the ceremony.

Suddenly with a terrific lurch the train was derailed and plunged down
an embankment, not steep but rocky. The heavy Pullman toppled over, then
planted itself firmly in a bed of fresh earth, and was still. There were
wild cries of fear and pain, a loud crashing of glass lamps, and some
wrenching of seats. Leslie fell into a pile of great-coats, and flung
out his right arm just as the two ladies were dashed against him, and
a sudden sharp twinge made him oblivious of everything.

When he recovered consciousness he found himself being pulled out of
his corner, and realized by the agony of the motion, that something
was broken somewhere. With one mighty protest against such vigorous
handling, he relapsed into a dead faint. When he next opened his eyes he
was lying between cool sheets in a pleasant room, and bending over him
was the elder lady of the Pullman. The first bewildered look was rapidly
merged into a frown of pain, as a sense of discomfort made itself felt.

"He is coming round, doctor;" said the lady.

Then to him she said;--"you must be very quiet. Your shoulder has been
set. It is all right now. Heaven be praised that we did not kill you as
we fell!" she added aside, and her sweet motherly face showed the
sympathy h