Page:Edward Ellis--Alden the Pony Express Rider.djvu/328

 for doing so and every reason why he should not.

The chagrined Alden tried to formulate some plan by which he could even up matters with the fellow who had treated him so ill. He thought of going on afoot, but that would have been folly. The only method seemed to accompany the emigrant train until it met Brandley returning, or overtook him at the next station; but, to do that, placed him in a delicate and repugnant position. He would travel as the guest in one sense of Brandley’s relative, who was the head of the company. That fact must act as a restraint upon the nephew, and to a certain extent upon Alden himself. The foes must meet upon neutral ground, where the duty of hospitality did not bear upon either.

Seeing the train about to start, Alden, restless, impatient and trying hard to hide his anger, walked over to camp and went straight to Mr. Chadwick.

“I should like to ask,” he said; “how you came to allow Ross to take my place.”

The man was nettled by the unconscious brusqueness of Alden’s manner.

“Explain yourself,” he said, moving aside