from his sleeve, and smiled.

"If I were a man and loved a girl so very, very much I wouldn't just
sit around and grin. I'd do something!"

"But, my dear Alice, what would you have me do? I'm not a knight
errant, nor a burglar, nor a pirate, nor a dark mysterious
oriental--I'm just a plain ordinary business man and----"

"Well, I'd do something--even if it was something awful like getting
drunk or shooting somebody. Why, if you even had a past you wouldn't
be so hopeless. I could love a man with a past. It would show at
least, that he hadn't followed the line of the least resistance. The
world is full of canals--but there are only a few canyons. Look! I
believe we're stopping! Oh, I hope it's a hold-up! What will you do
if it is?" The train slowed to a standstill and Winthrop Adams
Endicott leaned out and gazed along the line of the coaches.

"There is a little town here. Seems to be some commotion up
ahead--quite a crowd. If I can get this blamed gate open we can go up
and see what the trouble is."

"And if you can't get it open you can climb over and lift me down. I'm
just dying to know what's the matter. And if you dare to say it
wouldn't be conventional I'll--I'll jump!"




CHAPTER II