Page:Cy Warman--The express messenger and other tales of the rail.djvu/235

Rh That evening, when Minnie's mother had retired to her room, and the lovers were left alone together in the little lamp-lit parlor, they looked at each other in silence for a moment.

"What distresses you?" asked Miss Morgan.

"And you?" inquired the train-master.

"Order No. 76," was her reply. "I 've lost my place."

"And found a friend, a lover,–aye, a husband and happiness, I hope."

"And what have you found?"

"The sender of the 'mysterious message,'" said Goodlough, advancing to where his sweetheart sat.

"Did he tell you?"

"Yes, and he told the President, and you are to be rewarded handsomely by the company whose property you saved, and the President is not sorry he's alive. And I? How shall I repay you for all that you have done for me?"

"By pardoning me for forging your name to the message, and becoming cheerful, and shortening your office hours,–and well, if anything more occurs to me I 'll tell you later."

"Then you did send the message?"