e train came into sight, its brakes grinding as it slowed down.

And then, as they climbed aboard, there was the sudden sound of
galloping hoofs, and of hoarse shouting. Farmer Weeks, in his buggy,
raced toward the train, his hands lifted as he called wildly to the
conductor to stop.

CHAPTER X

OUT OF THE WOODS

The train only stopped for a moment at the little station. Seldom,
indeed, did it take on any passengers. And on that trip it was already
late. Even as the two girls climbed up the steps the brakeman gave his
signal, the conductor flung out his hand, and the wheels began to move.
And Farmer Weeks, jumping out of his buggy, raced after it, yelling, but
in vain.

Swiftly the heavy cars gathered speed. And Bessie and Zara, frightened
by their narrow escape, were still too delighted by the way in which
Farmer Weeks had been baffled to worry. They felt that they were safe
now.

"I suppose that old hick thought we'd stop the train for him," they
heard the conductor say to the brakeman. "Well, he had another guess
coming! Look at him, will you?"

"He's mad all through!" said the brakeman, laughing, "Well, he had a
right to be there when the train got in. If we waited for every farmer
that gets to the station late, we'd be laid off in a hurry, I'll bet."

Bessie and Zara were in the last car of the train, and they could look
back as it sped away.

"See, Zara, he's standing there, waving his arms and shaking his fist at
us," she said.

"He can't hurt us that way, Bessie. Well, all I hope is that we've seen
the last of him. Is it true that he can't touch me except in this
state?"

"That's what Wanaka said, Zara. And she must know."

Then the conductor came around.

"We didn't get our tickets, so here's the money," said Bessie. "We want
to get to Pine Bridge."

"You didn't have much more time than you needed to catch this train,"
said the conductor, as he took the money. "Pine Bridge, eh? That's our
first stop. You can't make any mistake."

"How soon do we cross the state line, Mr. Conductor?" asked Zara,
anxiously.

The conductor looked out of the window.

"Right now," he said. "See that white house there? Well, that's almost
on the line. The house is in one state, and the stable's in the other.
Why are you so interested in that?" He looked at them in sudden
suspicion. "Here, was that your father who was so wild because he didn't
catch the train? Were you running away from him?"

Bessie'