Page:Cy Warman--The express messenger and other tales of the rail.djvu/228

216. Presently his left arm stole away, and he asked her seriously for her love, her companionship for life; and she hid her face, but not in her furs.

The morning broke clear and beautiful, and the crisp air was full of the sounds of clanging bells and the screams of switch engines. Express wagons came down laden with boxes and packages—bundles of sunshine—that would find their way to hundreds of homes, and gladden the hearts of thousands of people. Everybody was busy, for the President of the road was to arrive to-day. When Goodlough left his private office and wandered into the big room where the despatches worked, he heard Miss Morgan calling Westcreek, and when Westcreek answered, heard her say:—

She was making a meeting point for the President's special which, by a strange coincidence, was coming over the division again on the 20th of December. A year ago to the hour almost to the minute he had endeavored