Sarah's father at Fort Huachuca?

I reckon she didn't consider Elmont much much of a friend, not if she'd been telling him stretchers like that. of a friend, not if she'd been telling him stretchers like that.

Though it amazed me that she'd fibbed to him, I was glad.

She allowed that she might consider a trip to Elmont's hotel, but maybe she didn't mean it.

I doubted he owned owned such a hotel. such a hotel.

The way it looked, lies were flying as thick as the gravy on my beef.

I knew what they were covering up, on Sarah's part.

As for Elmont's lies, I could only guess. The way I figured things, he didn't want Sarah to know he was using the last of his inherited wealth to ride the rails in search of a rich, available woman. And she was it.

Of course, I might've been wrong.

Maybe it was just my jealousy doing the thinking for me.

That's how I saw him, though.

I don't know that Sarah was smitten by him, but she sure did hang on his every word like she'd never encountered a fellow more fascinating and amusing. You could see he was aware of it, too. He had victory in his pretty blue eyes.

Matters turned worse after the meal. He invited Sarah to play cards with him in the parlor car. I started to follow them there, but Elmont said to me, "I don't believe the lady will be requiring your services."

"Go ahead and run along," Sarah said.

Run along?

I heated up considerable. But I allowed that causing a row wouldn't help my cause any. It'd only serve to peeve Sarah. Besides, the way I felt betrayed by her-again-I wasn't particularly eager to keep her company. If she preferred a swine like Elmont over me, maybe she deserved him.

I cast a poison glare at Elmont, then went on my way.

Back in my usual seat, I sat alone and boiled. I tried to tell myself that Sarah was only just being kind to the man. But it wouldn't wash. In spite of what she'd said about considering Elmont no more than a friend, I'd seen enough to figure she was uncommon fond of him.

I had some awfully mean thoughts about her.

It got to seem like she'd only taken up with me in the first place was because I was handy. I was living in her house where she could get at me whenever she pleased. My age hadn't mattered much to her, then. And maybe the various men around town simply hadn't appealed to her, one way or another. I wasn't quite what she wanted, but I'd do. do.

Maybe she'd lied all along about loving me.

Maybe she'd lied about a whole heap of things.

She sure had told some stretchers to Elmont. And to every other pa.s.senger we'd spent any time with during our travels. Well, those fibs were understandable. We couldn't very well give out the truth about the two of us. The same goes for deceiving her attorney, Mr. Cunningham, and any number of other folks.

Taken all around, though, she'd lied to just about everyone I'd ever heard her talking to.

Even the General.

Sitting there by my dark window, I recalled the time that Saber got hooked by Whittle. Instead of trying out the truth on her grandfather, Sarah'd come up with a fancy story about the horse running off on its own. We'd even left the stable doors and the front gate open to make it look good.

The more I thought about Sarah, the more it seemed like she never spoke the truth if she could come up with a lie that'd serve her better.

No telling how many lies she'd foisted off on me.

Why, I never could understand how a beautiful woman like Sarah was as unlucky with men as she'd always claimed. There she'd been, carrying on about how old old she was and likely to end up a spinster-husbandless, childless, alone and pitiful. she was and likely to end up a spinster-husbandless, childless, alone and pitiful.

Maybe she'd only said those things to win my sympathy.

She'd probably been with half the men in Coney Island, and thrown over each of them when a new fellow struck her fancy. The same way she was throwing me over for Elmont.

I felt like I'd been swindled.

For a while there, I plain hated Sarah and wished I'd never gotten tangled up with her. But then I got to thinking about all the fine times we'd had. The memories just carved me out hollow. Not the memories themselves, I reckon, but the notion that all the good things with Sarah were behind me.

Just for the sake of torturing myself even more, I hauled out the gold watch she'd given me at Christmas. I opened it up and saw she'd been gone for nearly two hours. Then I snapped it shut and stared at the crossed revolvers engraved on its cover. You'll never know how much joy you've brought into my life You'll never know how much joy you've brought into my life, she'd said.

She'd brought plenty into my life, too.

Suddenly, I felt just rotten for all the mean thoughts I'd been having about her. She'd had good reasons for most of the lies I'd heard her tell. For all I knew, she'd never lied to me. Maybe she truly did love me, and loved me still. So what if she was spending time with Elmont? Why, I'd spent hours and hours with the General. The old man had fascinated me, but I sure hadn't fallen fallen for him. for him.

That eased my mind some, but not for long.

Elmont wasn't the General. He had designs on Sarah. He aimed to have her.

Even if all they did was play at cards and enjoy each other's company tonight, he was busy working on her. And he'd be having more chances tomorrow. And the day after that. On his way to California (if that's where he was really planning to go), he'd be traveling along our route and making sure he rode in the same trains as Sarah for the rest of the trip until we reached our destination at Tucson. Days from now.

I tried to tell myself that Sarah was bound to see through his smooth ways, sooner or later.

Maybe he'd make a try for her, and she'd spurn him and that would be the end of it.

But maybe he'd make his try, and she'd welcome it. After all, he was a man-not a child. Maybe Elmont was just the sort of fellow she'd always hoped to meet.

My thoughts were in a terrible whirl, so I was glad when Freemont the porter came along to make up the beds. After he was done, I went to the lavatory at the end of the car. I used the toilet, washed up and brushed my teeth, then walked down the curtained aisle.

I'd hoped Sarah might've come back while I was gone. Her berth was empty, though. I climbed into mine, got into my nightshirt and packed my clothes away.

Then I lay there in the darkness. The night outside didn't interest me. The gentle rocking of the train didn't soothe me. Nor did the regular clickity-clack of the wheels. When the horn hooted now and again, it sounded as mournful and lonely as my heart felt.

By and by, I got to wondering if Elmont had already managed to win Sarah's heart. I wondered if he'd already won her body, as well.

They might be together in his berth.

That notion hadn't more than entered my head when the curtains parted and Sarah looked in at me. I reckon I was glad to see her, but I felt tight and sick inside.

"I do hope you enjoyed yourself," I said.

"Are you still in a mood?" She sounded weary.

"Oh, not at all. I'm quite delighted you prefer Elmont's companionship to my own."

She reached in and stroked my cheek. "I suppose I shouldn't have stayed away so long..."

"But you simply couldn't bring yourself to part company with Princess Charming."

"For heaven's sake, Trevor." She let out a long sigh, then backed away. The curtains fell shut.

I stewed for a spell, wishing I hadn't spoken to her that way. When you feel like you might be losing someone you love, though, you get rather crazy. You don't act sensible. You turn mean and wild, and make things even worse.

Well, I heard Sarah come back and settle into her berth.

I figured this was my chance to make matters right.

I waited a bit, then stuck my head out the curtains and checked the aisle. It looked like a long narrow canyon walled in by swaying shrouds, dimly lit by the gas lamps at each end. n.o.body was in sight.

I climbed down to Sarah's bed. She pulled back the covers to let me in, but I just knelt on the mattress beside her.

My heart was pounding so hard I almost couldn't breathe.

"What is is the matter with you?" she asked. the matter with you?" she asked.

"Elmont Briggs."

"You've no cause to be jealous. You're in my bed. Elmont is not in my bed."

"Has he kissed you?"

"My G.o.d, Trevor!"

"Has he kissed you?" I asked again.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"With his pretty red lips?"

"Do you honestly think I would allow him such liberties?"

"Would you?"

"You're talking nonsense. Now hush." Reaching out, she slipped her hand beneath my nightshirt. It glided all warm up my leg and gently took hold of me. "I don't want to hear another word about Elmont."

"I need to use the toilet," I said.

Before she could say anything, I started to back my way through the curtains. She gave me a soft squeeze, then let go.

"Hurry back," she said.

I started toward the rear of the car, wondering why I'd left her. It wasn't that I had any urge to use the toilet. That was just the first excuse that popped into my head. What I needed was to get shut of Sarah for a few minutes and settle down. Maybe take some fresh air. Clear my head and try to get Elmont out of it before going back to her and maybe saying things I'd have cause to regret.

When I walked past the curtains shutting off Elmont's area, an awful frenzy came over me. I had a notion to reach in and grab him. I wasn't quite sure which berth might be his, though. Would've been awful to intrude on a stranger. So I went on along to the back of the car, tugged the door open and stepped outside.

I wasn't the only one there.

Another fellow stood between the cars, his back to me, the wind tossing his long curly hair.

Elmont Briggs himself.

He hadn't looked around yet to see who'd come through the door. I should've gone back inside, returned to Sarah and savored knowing it was me, not Elmont, in her bed.

But I was just fifteen, and had more gumption than sense.

"I say," said I. "If it isn't the one and only Elmont Briggs."

I had to pretty near shout so he could hear me over the noise of the wheels.

He turned around slow. He had a cigar between his lips, its tip glowing red in the wind. When he saw me, he plucked it out. He jabbed the air with it, pointing at me. "Sarah's boy."

"I'm n.o.body's boy boy, Elmont."

"Has she sent you to fetch me?"

I stepped up closer to him. And sorely wished I had my clothes on. I was barefoot, my nightshirt blowing about like a woman's dress, the cold gusting up under it. I couldn't help feeling somewhat at a disadvantage. This was no way to be dressed when confronting a scoundrel.

"Speak up, boy. Does Sarah wish me to join her?"

"You're to stay away from her."

"Am I?" He showed me his teeth. They looked gray in the darkness. I reckon he was smiling. Then he poked the cigar between them and gave it a puff.

I slapped the cigar out of his mouth.

He grabbed the front of my nightshirt, hauled me up against him and smashed his knee into my belly. The blow picked me clear off my feet. When they came down on the grille again, he was rushing me backward. He shoved me into the guard chain. Then he let go, ducked down and grabbed me around the legs. I couldn't do much more than catch hold of his hair before he hoisted me over the chain and pushed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN.

Farewell to the Train and Sarah My grip on Elmont's hair didn't save me. Some came out in my hands, is all.

Then I was plunging headfirst, flapping and kicking, feeling the breath of the speeding train against my back. Time seemed to drag awful slow. It gave me plenty of chance to wonder what I might land on and whether I'd get myself cut in half by the wheels. I even had a chance to see my body sprawled out dead by the tracks, my nightshirt up around my chest. Seemed awful, making an indecent spectacle of myself that way.

Figured I might have time to arrange the garment, but I was still considering it when I struck the ground.

Not headfirst, though, thank the Lord. It was my back that hit. If my wind hadn't been knocked out already by Elmont's knee, the landing would've done it. I smacked down hard, but that wasn't the end of it. I bounced, and the ground was so steep it flung my legs up and somersaulted me. I tumbled and rolled for quite a spell, and finally came to a stop in some soft gra.s.s.