wilderness
country to travel over, and all the other coaches a long way ahead. The
dainty denizen of a city home, shuddering inwardly, showed outwardly a
serene countenance. Her American friend, with wicked black eyes and a
jolly and reckless style of carrying himself, continued to offer brandy
at short intervals.

"Best take some, Madame," said he; "this dust will choke you if you
don't."

"Thanks," returned the lady, with her sweetest smile, "I could not drink
brandy. I have wine in my traveling-basket, should I need it; but much
prefer water."

At the next station, although hardly four minutes were lost in changing
horses, the men procured for her a cup of water. Mrs. Hastings' thanks
were frank and cordial. She even carefully opened a conversation about
the country they were passing over, and contrived to get them to ask a
question or two about herself. When they learned that she had come all
the way from New York on the newly-opened railroad, their interest was
at its height; and when they heard that she was going to join her
husband in the Chloride District, their sympathy was thoroughly
enlisted.

"Wonderful--such a journey! How she could be six days on the cars, and
yet able to take such a stage-ride as this, is astonishing."

Such were the American's comments. The Jew thought of the waiting
husband--for your Israelite is a man of domestic and family affections.
"Her husband looking for her, and she behind time! How troubled he must
be! Didn't _he_ know how it was? Wasn't his wife gone away on a visit
once, and didn't write; and he a running to the express office every
morning and evening for a letter, and getting so anxious as to
telegraph? Such an expense and loss of time!--and all because he felt so
uneasy about his wife!"

The bullet-headed young Irishman said nothing. He was about half asleep
from brandy and last night's travel; too stupid to know that his hat had
flown out of the window, and was bowling along in the wind and dust half
a mile behind--all the better for his head, which looked at a red heat
now.

The lady had lifted the rude men up to her level, when directly they
were ashamed of their brandy and other vices, and began to show
instinctive traits of gentlemen. By the time they arrived at the dinner
station, where half an hour was allowed for food and rest out of the
eighteen or twenty, she had at least two humble servitors, who showed
great concern for her comfort.

The day began t