thing I ought not to
have, and stammered, "I--I changed my mind, and--that is--I
didn't write them, after all."

"I beg your pardon,--I ought to have known; I mean, it's very
natural," I faltered and stuttered, thinking what a dunce I had
been not to understand that both hers and Lord Ralles's letters
had been only a pretext to get away from the rest of us.

My blundering apology and evident embarrassment deepened Miss
Cullen's blush fivefold, and she explained, hurriedly, "I found
I was tired, and so, instead of writing, I went to my room and
rested."

I suppose any girl would have invented the same yarn, yet it hurt
me more than the bigger one she had told on Hance's trail. Small
as the incident was, it made me very blue, and led me to shut
myself up in my own car for the rest of that afternoon and
evening. Indeed, I couldn't sleep, but sat up working, quite
forgetful of the passing hours, till a glance at my watch
startled me with the fact that it was a quarter of two. Feeling
like anything more than sleep, I went out on the platform, and,
lighting a cigar, paced up and down, thinking of--well, thinking.

The night agent was sitting in the station, nodding, and after I
had walked for an hour I went in to ask him if the train to
Phoenix had arrived on time. Just as I opened the door, the
telegraph instrument began clicking, and called Ash Forks. The
man, with the curious ability that operators get of recognizing
their own call, even in sleep, waked up instantly and responded,
and, not wishing to interrupt him, I delayed asking my question
till he should be free. I stood there thinking of Madge, and
listening heedlessly as the instrument ticked off the cipher
signature of the sending operator, and the "twenty-four paid."
But as I heard the clicks ..... .... which meant ph, I suddenly
became attentive, and when it completed "Phoenix" I concluded
Fred was wiring me, and listened for what followed the date. This
is what the instrument ticked:--

... .... . . .. .. .-. .-. .. .. .- ...- .- ..... .- ..
.. . . . ..- -. - .. .. .- ... .... .-. . . . .. -.- ...
.- . .. .. ... . . . -. .- -... . .- - . .. .- .. --
. .. . . .- -.. ... - .- - .. . . -. - .... . .. . .
.-. . . . .. - .. .. .-. .. ...- . - . . -.. .- .. .. - . .
- - . . - - . .. .- .. -. .- . .. . .. .. ...- .. -. --.
.-. . .. . . - - ..... .... . . . -. .. .-.. ..... . .. .
..... .- . .. . -.. - . . .. - - - - . -.. .. .- - . -- .. ..
.