"Well, well; you two!" he said. "I didn't see you when I went forward. Where did you get on?" "At the river," replied Mrs. Burton, making room for him in the seat beside her. "Won't you sit down and break bread with us? literally, you know; there isn't anything else to break unless you'll wait for the shell of an egg that is not yet cooked." "No, thank you; I had my breakfast a good two hours ago. Where have you been? and where are you going?" "We have been at the passenger meeting in Chicago, and we are on the way home," said the general agent. "Yes, running a race with the President," cut in Mrs. Burton. "John is dreadfully afraid we sha'n't get to Salt Lake in time to be keel-hauled with the rest of the force." The young man sat back on the arm of the opposite seat with the light of inquiry in his eyes. "What President?" he asked. "Vennor, of our company. Didn't you know he was in the Naught-fifty?" said Burton. "No. They coupled it on just as we were leaving the river, and I thought--I took it for granted that our General Manager was aboard. It's Mr. Cadogan's car." "I know; but President Vennor always borrows it for his annual trip." "Are you sure? Have you seen him?" "Quite sure. I saw Miss Vennor on the platform with some other young people whom I don't know. It's Mr. Vennor's party." The young man pushed his hat back, and the look of frankness became introspective. "Do you know the Vennors? personally, I mean." The little lady made answer: "Yes. We met them at Manitou last summer. Do you know them?" The young man seemed unaccountably embarrassed. "I--I've met Miss Gertrude--that was last summer, too," he stammered. "Did you--did you like her, Mrs. Burton?" "Very much, indeed; she is as sweet and lovable as her father is odious. _Do_ have a cup of coffee, won't you?" "No, thank you. Then you didn't admire the President?" "Indeed I didn't; no one could. He is one of the cool, contemptuous kind of people; always looking you over as if he had half a mind to buy you. He was barely civil to me, and he was positively rude to John." "Oh, no; not quite that, Emily," amended the husband. "I'm only one of a good many employees to him." "Draws the money-line sharp and clear, does he?" said the young man, who appeared to be more deeply interested than a merely casual topic would account for. The little lady nodded vigorously. "That's it, exactly. You can fairly hear the double eagles clink when he speaks." The general agent deprecated disloyalty, and was fain to change the subject. "What are you doing so far away from your territory, Fred?" he asked. "I'm in charge of the party of old people and invalids in the Tadmor. They'd a mind to be 'personally conducted,' and they threaten to take me all the way across to the Coast." "Good!" exclaimed the small person. "Then you can stop over and visit us in Salt Lake." The passenger agent shook his head. "I sha'n't get that far. I must break away at Denver, by all means."