and anxious
queries began to beat thick and fast upon Brockway's ears.

"What's that about our tickets?"

"Thirty days, did you say?"

"Can't have stop-overs?"

Brockway got upon his feet. "One moment, if you please," he protested.
"There is nothing wrong--nothing different. Mr. Jordan and I were merely
discussing the question of an extra limit on his own ticket; that was
all."

"Oh."

"Ah."

"Where do we get dinner?"

"What time do we reach Denver?"

"Is there a dining-car on this train?"

Brockway answered the inquiries in sequence, and when the norm of quiet
was restored, a soft-spoken little gentleman in a grass-cloth duster and
a velvet skull-cap drew him away to the smoking-compartment.

"Let's go and smoke," he said; and Brockway went willingly, inasmuch as
the little gentleman with the womanish face and the ready cigar-case was
the only person in the party who seemed to be capable of travelling
without a guardian.

"Worry the life out of you, don't they, my boy," said the comforter,
when his cigar was alight.

"Oh, no; I'm well used to it."

"I presume you are, in a way. Still, some of the complaints are so
ridiculous. I suppose you've heard the latest?"

"Nothing later than Mr. Jordan's demand for sixty days in which to
complete a week's journey."

"Oh, it isn't that; that's an individual grievance. The other involves
the entire party. Of course, you are aware that the Tadmor is no longer
the rear car in the train?"

"Oh, Lord! are they going to fight about that?"

"Unquestionably. Didn't you promise some of them that this particular
chariot should be at the tail-end of the trans-continental procession?"

"No. It was merely an answer to a question. I said that extra cars were
usually put on behind. Are they going to demand it as a right?"

"Yes; I believe the deputation is waiting for you now."

"Heavens--what a lot of cranks!" said Brockway, despairingly. "The thing
can't be done, but I may as well go and fight it out."

The deputation was in section six, and one of the committee rose and
gave him a seat.

"There is a little matter we should like to have adjusted," began the
courteous one; but Brockway interrupted.

"Mr. Somers was just telling me about it. I hope you are not going to
insist----"

There were two elderly ladies on the committee, and they protested as
one person.

"Now, Mr. Brockway! You know we made it a positive condition--so we
could go out on the platfor