herself, unmindful of her companion or even of the beautiful
and romantic scenery around them. Ralph pondered in si
lence and wondered how to *,‘break the ice.” Finally the
train, breaking - away from the river, beg'an its long - and te
dious climb upward. Higher and higher crawled and twisted
the heavy cars, while the silence remained unbroken on the
observation platform. The setting - sun was sinking, far
away on the horizon, as the train came out on the mountain
top and at their feet burst a sight beyond the power of pen
to describe.
“Oh ! Doesn’t it look grand out over there in the valley,
that stream of water winding along and the. city on its
banks?” the girl suddenly said turning to Ralph. Traces
of embarrassment still shown on her face as she looked at
him, so Ralph, with a most unconcerned look, eagerly drew
his camp-stool nearer and pointed out the points of interest
as the train now rapidly wound and unwound down,the steep
grades into the valley, and for awhile the incident in the
forward car was forg-otten.
The shades of evening - were lowering and the blinking
of the electrics, and the dancing pantomine of colored lights
of a railroad yard reminded them that the city, which only a
little while before lay far before below their feet now sur
rounded them.
“Have you ever, visited here ? There are such a jolly lot
of girls go to school here from the reports she gives me,”
Ralph asked her as she arose with a mysterious look in her
face. As they started to go to their car, she turned to him
and said, “I hope you will forgive me—for my forgetfulness
this afternoon ?” “Perhaps I will if you will tell me the
name of the person lam to forgive, ” Ralph answered. Furth
er conversation was interrupted as they reached their seat,
and Ralph was soon busy getting her things together.
As the train came to a stop, Ralph stepped to the plat
form with his hands full of luggage, followed by the girl.
“I am very sorry we have to part, especially before I have a