his
seat and looked toward the crowd of spectators importantly. This was a
great moment for all interested. The little ones whose fathers were in the
train began to call good-bye and wave their hands, and one old lady whose
only son was going as one of the train assistants began to sob aloud.

A horse in the crowd began to act badly. Every snort of the engine as the
steam was let off made him start and rear. He was directly behind Marcia,
and she turned her head and looked straight into his fiery frightened
eyes, red with fear and frenzy, and felt his hot breath upon her cheek. A
man was trying most ineffectually to hold him, but it seemed as if in
another minute he would come plunging into the seat with them. Marcia
uttered a frightened cry and clutched at David's arm. He turned, and
seeing instantly what was the matter, placed his arm protectingly about
her and at once guided his own horse out of the crowd, and around nearer
to the engine. Somehow that protecting arm gave Marcia a steadiness once
more and she was able to watch the wonderful wheels begin to turn and the
whole train slowly move and start on its way. Her lips parted, her breath
came quick, and for the instant she forgot her trouble. David's arm was
still about her, and there was a reassuring pressure in it. He seemed to
have forgotten that the crowd might see him--if the crowd had not been too
busy watching something more wonderful. It is probable that only one
person in that whole company saw David sitting with his arm about his
wife--for he soon remembered and put it quietly on the back of the seat,
where it would call no one's attention--and that person was Kate. She had
not come to this hot dusty place to watch an engine creak along a track,
she had come to watch David, and she was vexed and angry at what she saw.
Here was Marcia flaunting her power over David directly in her face.
Spiteful thing! She would pay her back yet and let her know that she could
not touch the things that she, Kate, had put her own sign and seal upon.
For this reason it was that at the last minute Kate allowed poor Squire
Heath to drive around near the front of the train, saying that as David
Spafford seemed to find it safe she supposed she ought not to hold them
back for her fears. It needed but the word to send the vexed and curious
Squire around through the crowd to a spot directly behind David's
carriage, and there Miranda could see quite well, and Kate could sit and
watc