began to wind through the foothills of the Alleghenies.
Bellaire, Grafton and other towns were left behind, and they were
soon whirling up the steep mountain, higher and higher, through
tunnel after tunnel, nearer and nearer to Washington every
minute. As they were pulling out of a little mining town built
on the mountain side, a sudden jar stopped the train. There was
some little excitement and a scramble for information. Some part
of the engine was disabled, and it would be necessary to replace,
it before the "run" could proceed.

Lorry strolled up to the crowd of passengers who were watching
the engineer and fireman at work. A clear, musical voice, almost
in his ear, startled him, for he knew to whom it belonged. She
addressed the conductor, who, impatient and annoyed, stood
immediately behind him.

"How long are we to be delayed?" she asked. Just two minutes
before this same conductor had responded most ungraciously to a
simple question Lorry had asked and had gone so far as to
instruct another inquisitive traveler to go to a warmer climate
because he persisted in asking for information which could not be
given except by a clairvoyant. But now he answered in most
affable tones:
"We'll be here for thirty minutes, at least, Miss--perhaps
longer."
She walked away, after thanking him, and Grenfall looked at his
watch.

Off the main street of the town ran little lanes leading to the
mines below. They all ended at the edge of a steep declivity.