know? Dammit, seh! it's your business to know! _Now when do you faveh
me with my engine_?"

Thus the Rajah; and the chief clerk, himself known from end to end of
the Colorado and Grand River as a queller of men, could only point out
of the window to where the Rosemary stood engined and equipped for the
race, and say meekly: "I'm awfully sorry you've been delayed, Mr.
Darrah; very sorry, indeed. But your car is ready now. Shall I go
along to be on hand if you need me?"

"No, seh!" stormed the irate master; and the chief clerk's face became
instantly expressive of the keenest relief. "You stay right heah and
see that the wires to Qua'tz Creek are kept open--wide open, seh. And
when you get an ordeh from me--for an engine, a regiment of the
National Gyua'd, or a train-load of white elephants--you fill it. Do
you understand, seh?"

Meantime, while this scene was getting itself enacted in the
superintendent's office, a mild fire of consternation was alight in
the gathering room of the Rosemary. As we have guessed, Winton's
packet of mail was not the only one which was delivered by special
arrangement that morning to the incoming Limited at the yard
registering station. There had been another, addressed to Mr.
Somerville Darrah; and when he had opened it there had been a volcanic
explosion and a hurried dash for the telegraph office, as recorded.

Sifted out by the Reverend Billy, and explained by him to Mrs.
Carteret and Bessie, the firing spark of the explosion appeared to be
some news of an untoward character from a place vaguely designated as
"the front."