Allan's face darkened as he recalled Nolan's many acts of enmity, and the thought came to him that he had not yet heard the last of the scoundrel. But this gloomy mood did not endure long, for suddenly a radiant yellow disk peeped over the hills to the east, and flooded the world with golden splendour. The birds' songs of praise burst forth afresh, and every tree, every plant, every flower and blade of grass, seemed to lift its head and bow toward the east to greet the luminary upon which all life upon the earth depends. Its warm rays drank the dew from the meadows, and over the brook, which ran beside the road, a filmy mist steamed upward from the water. Away off, across the fields, Allan could see a man ploughing, and a herd of cows wandered slowly over a near-by pasture, cropping the fresh grass and blowing clouds of warm and fragrant breath out upon the cool air. Allan resolved that so long as he held this trick, every dawn should find him at the door watching for the sunrise, the wonder and mystery and beauty of which he was just beginning to understand. A call from his instrument summoned him back into the office. There were a number of orders to take for trains from east and west, which were to meet and pass at Byers, and by the time these had been duly received, repeated, and O. K.'d, six o'clock had come and gone. Six o'clock was the hour of relief, but Nevins did not appear. After that, every minute seemed an hour, and Allan began to understand Nevins's feelings the night before, when his own relief did not arrive. He began to fear that he would miss the morning accommodation train to Wadsworth. If he did, he could not get home before noon, and he was desperately tired and sleepy. He went to the door and looked out, but saw no sign of Nevins, and was just turning back into the office, when a low, sneering laugh almost at his elbow caused him to start around. It was Nevins, who stood there grinning maliciously. He had evidently come around the corner of the house, while Allan was looking out across the fields. "Well," he sneered, "how d' ye like it?" "I don't like it at all," said Allan. "After this," added Nevins, pushing past him, "you be on time and I will. That's all I want of _you_." "We'll have to rearrange our tricks," said Allan, his cheek flushing at the other's tone. "I can't get here until the evening accommodation at six-thirty; so suppose you come on half an hour later in the morning. That will even things up." Nevins growled a surly assent, and turning his back ostentatiously, he hung up his coat and flung himself into the chair. "There are three orders," added Allan. "One of them--" "Oh, shut up!" snarled Nevins. "I can read, can't I?" "Yes; no doubt you can. But the rules require that I explain outstanding orders to you before I go off duty." Nevins looked up at him, an ugly light in his eyes.