Pine Bridge was a junction point, and while the girls waited, patiently enough, it began to grow dark. Several trains came in, but, though they looked anxiously at the passengers who descended from each one of them, there was no sign of Miss Mercer. "I hope nothing's happened to her," said Zara anxiously. "Oh, we mustn't worry, Zara. She's all right, and she'll come along presently." "But suppose she didn't, what should we do?" "We'd be able to find a place to spend the night. I've got money, you know, and the policeman would tell us where to go, if we went to him, as the conductor told us to do." Another train came in on the same track as the one that had brought them. Again they scanned its passengers anxiously, but no one who looked at all like Miss Mercer got off, and they both sighed as they leaned back against the hard bench. Neither of them had paid any attention to the other passengers, and they were both startled and dismayed when a tall, gaunt figure loomed up suddenly before them, and they heard the harsh voice of Farmer Weeks, chuckling sardonically as he looked down on them. "Caught ye, ain't I?" he said. "You've given me quite a chase--but I've run you down now. Come on, you Zara!" He seized her hand, but Bessie snatched it from him. "You let her alone!" she said, with spirit. "You've no right to touch her!" "I'll show you whether I've any right or not, and I'm going to take her back with me!" Farmer Weeks said, furiously. "Come on, you baggage! You'll not make a fool of me again, I'll promise you that!" "Come on," said Bessie, suddenly. She still held Zara's hand, and before the surprised farmer could stop them, Bessie had dragged Zara to her feet, and they had dashed under his outstretched arm and got clear away, while the loafers about the station laughed at him. "Come back! You can't get away!" he shouted, as he broke into a clumsy run after them. "Come back, or I'll make you sorry--" But Bessie knew what she was about. Without paying the slightest attention to his angry cries, she ran straight around to the front of the station, and there she found the fat policeman. "Won't you help us?" she cried. "Mr. Norris, the conductor, said you would--" "What's wrong?" said the policeman, starting. He had been dozing. "Any friend of Tom's is a friend of mine--here, here, none of that!" The last remark was addressed to Farmer Weeks, who had come up and seized Zara. "I've got an order saying I've a right to take her," exclaimed Weeks. "But it's not good in this state--" interrupted Bessie. "Let's see it," said the policeman. Weeks, storming and protesting, showed him the court order. "That's no good here. You'll have to get her into the state where it was issued before you can use that," said the policeman. "You're a liar! I'll take her now--" The policeman's club was out, and he threatened Weeks with it.