on-car without seeing or being seen of the general agent. Then
he drew the crumpled paper from his pocket and read it shamelessly.

"TO MISS GERTRUDE VENNOR,
"Care John Burton,
"On Colorado Central Train 51.

"Come back from Golden on first train. Have changed our plans,
and shall leave Denver at 1.30 P.M.

"FRANCIS VENNOR."

XVIII

FLAGGED DOWN

Brockway read the President's telegram twice, folded it very small, and
tucked it into his waistcoat pocket.

"That's just about what I expected he'd do, and it's a straight bluff,"
he muttered. "All the same, she's not going back. And I've got to block
it without getting Burton into trouble."

There was no time for anything but the simplest expedient. He jumped off
again and ran back to the telegraph office.

"Say, Jim, that message to Miss Vennor is bulled. Ask Denver to repeat
it to Beaver Brook, will you?" he said, interrupting the operator as he
was repeating the train order.

The man of dots and dashes finished the order. "Can't do it, Fred; get
me into hot water up to my neck. Think of something else."

"Will you help me if I do?"

"Sure; any way that won't cost me my job."

The conductor and engineer had signed the order, but Brockway begged for
a respite. "Just a minute, Halsey, while I write a message," he said,
snatching a pad of blanks and writing hastily, while the conductor
waited.

"TO FRANCIS VENNOR,
"Private Car 050, Denver.

"Can't you reconsider and leave Denver to-morrow morning, as
previously arranged? Am quite sure Miss Vennor prefers to go
on. Answer at Beaver Brook.

"FREDERICK BROCKWAY."

He tossed the pad to the operator.

"There you are, Jim; don't break your neck to make a 'rush' of it; and
when you hear the answer coming do what you can to make it limp a
little--anything to change the sense a bit."

"I'll do it," quoth the operator; and then the conductor gave the
signal, and Brockway boarded the train and rejoined Gertrude.

"Did you think I had deserted you?" he asked.

"Oh, no; and Mr. Burton's been in to keep me company. He came to ask if
I didn't want to go back to Denver."

"Did he?" said Brockway, wondering if Burton had also had a message.
"And you told him no?"

"Of course I did. Haven't we made a compact?"

"Yes, but----"

"But what?"

"You said you were going to be irresponsible, you know, and I didn't
know just where it might crop ou