"And the little lady in the widow's cap: is she Miss Carteret's
mother?"

"Miss Bessie Carteret's mother and Miss Virginia's aunt. She is the
chaperon of the party."

Winton was silent while the Limited was roaring through a village
on the Kansas side of the river. When he spoke again it was not of
the Carterets; it was of the Carterets' kinsman and host.

"I have heard somewhat of the Rajah," he said half-musingly. "In
fact, I know him, by sight. He is what the magazinists are fond of
calling an 'industry colonel,' a born leader who has fought his way
to the front. If the Quartz Creek row is anything more than a stiff
bluff on the part of the C. G. R. it will be quite as well for us
if Mr. Somerville Darrah is safely at the other side of the
continent--and well out of ordinary reach of the wires."

Adams came to attention with a half-hearted attempt to galvanize an
interest in the business affair.

"Tell me more about this mysterious jangle we are heading for," he
rejoined. "Have I enlisted for a soldier when I thought I was only
going into peaceful exile as assistant engineer of construction on
the Utah Short Line?"

"That remains to be seen." Winton took a leaf from his pocket
memorandum and drew a rough outline map. "Here is Denver, and here
is Carbonate," he explained. "At present the Utah is running into