53. CHAPTER LIII.
COMING HOME.
The household settled down into that condition
of happy expectation, which, perhaps, is
sweeter than happiness itself.
Miss Shaw looked forward to the return of
Mr. Gray with a degree of pleasure that gave
occasion for several serious remonstrances with
herself. Her mind seemed filled with pleasant
anticipations, for which her thoughts could give
not tangible foundation, but they were no less
pleasant for that.
Bob became suddenly a model brother. His
reformation was as positive in character as his
indulgence had been. He spent his days at the
office and his evening with his sister and
Clytie. He even went so far as to purge his
vocabulary of certain words to which his sister
objected.
Miss Clytie wavered between Mr. Hopp and
Bob. Probably, if Bob had manifested a serious
desire to hold her to her allegiance, she
might have yielded and perhaps have named the
day that should make them happy. But the
girl's in tinct informed her that Bob only loved
her as he had been in the habit of loving every
pretty girl he met, and she wisely made up her
little mind not to spoil her beauty grieving for
one so fickle. She was also a little dazzled at
the idea, for which she was mainly indebted to
Bob, that Mr. Hopp's heart, hand and fortune were at
her disposal.
Two or three days after her visit to Mrs. Rhodes'
Regina received a telegram from Mr. Gray, informing
her that Mliss and himself would return overiand, and
might arrive in twelve days.
Every day atter telegrams came from the travelers
sometimes signed by Mr. Gray and sometimes by
Mliss.
There were two or three hundred miles of stage
travel between the approaching lines of railroad, but
as the weather was pleasant no great delay was expected.
At last a telegram came from the eastern station of
the Central Pacific. The travelers were but three days
from home.
“Regie,” said Bob, don't you think it would be the
civil thing to run up to Truckee and meet them?”
“Truckee! Where is that that?”
“It's a day's ride from Sacramento. I can go to
Sacramento to-morrow afternoon, and be in Truckee
the following day, before the train from the East will
get there.”
“That is an idea,” said Regina; “but I don't see
why I cannot go, too.”
“Of course you can if your mamma will let you.
But as she doesn't know Mliss and Mr. Gray are coming,
she won't understand why you should want to go
to Truckee.”
“Ah,” said Regina, “what a good thing it is to
be a man. You don't need to ask anybody if you may
go.”
“Well, you see I started out right. Never reported
till I got home. Didn't ask if I might go. Went and
told 'em I'd been.”
Regina had concealed her knowledge of Mr. Gray's
return at Mr. Gray's request, but her invention was
equal to the task of finding an excuse for a trip to
Sacramento. She had a number of very dear lady
friends in that city, and as Bob was going up, what
more natural than that she should embrace the opportunity
thus afforded to pay them a visit?
Mrs. Shaw gave a reluctant consent. Miss Clytie
was reminded of her duties as hostess pro tem especially
with reference to Mr. Hopp. That exemplary
young lady was cautioned also not to give the gentleman
too much positive encouragement, unless she intended
to make him happy when he should arrive at
the conclusion that his happiness was in her keeping.
The next day Regina and Bob were off, ostensibly
to Sacremento, but with a pretty well-defined purpose
of continuing their journey to Truckee. When they
were fairly in the cars on their way to the latter town,
it occurred to Regina that her excursion might be
construed into an unmaidenly readiness to meet
somebody; but after due consideration, she decided
that that somebody was Mliss.
The cars continued to roll on as they would if her
decision had been different, and as they began to
climb to the Sierra Navada, the grandeur of the scenery
absorbed the young lady's attention. Too much
has already been written of the soul-inspiring panorama
which carries the traveler from one surprise to
another as he sits in the luxurious car and makes his
famous acscent, especially as no correct idea of the Sierras
has ever yet been conveyed. We pass the exclamations
of wonder and admiration that gave vocal animation
to the occassion, and land our travelers safely
in the town of Truckee.
It was Regina's first glimpse of frontier life, and as
her eye scanned the rough visages that thronged
about the hotel, she congratulated herself on the presence
of her brother.
It was late in the afternoon when they arrived, and
the westward bound train was not due for two hours.
Their fellow-passengers ate a hurried dinner, the
conductor called “all aboard,” the engine gave two or
three experimental shrieks, and the train started
slowly on its long journey.
The brother and sister took a walk to kill time.
Everywhere admiring glances followed Regina, but
there was nothing in these glances to awaken apprehension.
Night set in and they returned to the hotel. An
hour had passed—an hour and a half. The coming
train was telegraphed at the next station, six or eight
miles away.
Marvel of the age! A journey of three thousand
miles was accomplished precisely at the hour and minute
the time-table indicated. Over mountains, across
rivers, through gorges where the sunshine never penetrates,
and at the precise moment the directing intelligence
fixed upon the travelers put in an appearance.
As the moment approached, Bob stood on the platform,
watch in hand. At precisely three minutes to
7:15 he returned the watch to his pocket and signaled
Regina that the train was in sight.
She came out and stood on the platform. The bull's
eye gleamed in the distance, it grew larger and brighter.
The train came thundering along, and at last
came to a stop.
A score or so of passengers jumped upon the platform.
Darkness hid their forms save when the gleams
of a passing lantern revealed them for a moment.
Bob darted forward, Regina heard an exclamation,
and the next moment a pair of arms were round her
neck, and a familiar voice was calling her name.
“O, Regie, Regie, Regie,” murmured the voice,
giving a kiss for each utterance of her name, “how
good in you to meet us here.”
“It was Bob,” answered Regie, perhaps conscious
that Mr. Gray would hear. “He made me come.”
Mr. Gray had come up, and stood waiting his turn
as a well-bred man always should. Regina turned
shyly a flush on her check that glowed even in the
darkness, and gave him her hand.
“Your brother has earned my eternal gratitude,”
he said; “this is just what I would have asked, but
for fear the journey might be too fatiguing.
“The journey was delightful,” answered Regina,
“and I couldn't wait patiently at home. Seeing is
believing, you know;” and she turned again to embrace
Mliss.
Now they all began to talk it over. The reader can
guess just as well what they said just as well as if
their conversation was chronicied in these veracious
columns. Mr. Gray was the first to remember that
dinner was waiting, and that a night's ride was before
them.
Bob laid hold of Mliss and marched her toward the
dining-room. She looked back over her shoulder to
Regie, her dark but brilliant face the picture of girlish
happiness.
“How beautiful Mliss has grown,” said Regie in a
low voice to Mr. Gray. “I never saw such a change
in so short a time.”
“Yes,” admitted Mr. Gray, “she has grown very
beautiful, and as for her faults I believe we always
rather liked them.”
“I am sure we missed her sadly. Won't some of
our friends be surprised at her coming.”
“Then no one knows she is coming?”
“No one except Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes. But I've so
much to tell you.”
“And all night to tell it in. How thoughtful in Bob
to bring you up here.”
“I am afraid Bob was thinking more of himself than
me. Since he heard you had found Mliss he has counted
the hours until be might expect you.”
“And Clytie?”
“O,” exclaimed Regie, laughing, “Clytie seems
much inclined to permit herself to be admired by Mr.
Hopp.”
“Indeed! I hope Miss Shaw does not like her the
less on that account.”
“Miss Shaw is not of a jealous disposition,” demurely
raplied the young lady.
They entered the dining-room where a score or more
of men and three or four ladies were taking dinner on
railroad time. Each one sacrificed a precious moment
when the party entered, but soon resumed their devotion
to the imperiant business then on hand.
