"Gladly," Brockway assented, the more readily since his plans for the day had been so recently demolished and rebuilt. "We'll go where we please, and do as we like; and for this one day nobody shall say 'Don't!'"
She laughed with him, and then became suddenly grave. "It's no use; we can't do it," she said, with mock pathos; "the 'ancients and invalids' won't let us."
"Yes, they will," Brockway asserted, cheerfully; "Burton will take care of them--that's what he's here for. Moreover, I shall take it upon myself to abolish the perversities, animate or inanimate."
"Please do. And if Mrs. Burton scold me----"
"She'd better not," said Brockway, with much severity. "If she does, I'll tell tales out of school and give her something else to think about."
"You would better believe it; she is trembling in her shoes this blessed minute for fear I may. But you would have to stand by me."
"I? Well, I've promised, you know. What place is this?"
The train had entered the great gateway in Table Mountain, and was clattering past the Golden smelting works.
"It is Golden--you remember, don't you?" And then Brockway bethought him of something. "Will you excuse me a minute, while I get off and speak to the agent?"
"Certainly," said Gertrude; and when the train skirted the high platform, Brockway sprang off and ran quickly to the telegraph office. The operator was just coming out with a freshly written message in his hand.
"Hello, Fred," he said; "didn't know you were on. Do you happen to know a Miss Gertrude Vennor? She's with John Burton's party."
"Yes," said Brockway, tingling to get hold of the message before Burton should come along.
"All right; give her this, will you? I can't leave that blessed wire a minute."
Brockway thrust the telegram into his pocket, dodged around the throng of station loungers, and won back to the rear platform of the observation-car without seeing or being seen of the general agent. Then he drew the crumpled paper from his pocket and read it shamelessly.
"TO MISS GERTRUDE VENNOR, "Care John Burton, "On Colorado Central Train 51.
"Come back from Golden on first train. Have changed our plans, and shall leave Denver at 1.30 P.M.
Brockway read the President's telegram twice, folded it very small, and tucked it into his waistcoat pocket.