"You might introduce me, my dear," he said mildly. "This, I presume, is Nelson?"
"Mr. Day!" cried the schoolmaster, who seemed much brisker and more assertive than had been his wont at home, "I am delighted to see you looking so well. I feared——"
"Evidently," Mr. Day said dryly. "Was it fear that brought you down here into Mexico, Mr. Haley?"
"Yes, sir. Fear for Janice's safety," the young man replied with a direct look. "It was for her I came."
"Ah? Well, we'll talk of that later," Broxton Day returned.
There was no time then for further personalities. Madam appeared, still in dishabille, to meet the schoolmaster, and the general, too, strutted forward.
The bandits had made off; these reinforcements had been sent to obey his, General De Soto Palo's, orders; his campaign must now be successful against all the rebels in this part of Chihuahua. But he would beg his good friend, Señor B-Day, and the young Señor Haley, to add to their party in retreat to the Border the so-br-r-rave wife of his bosom, Señora Palo! There was, too, a certain locked chest——
It was decided before breakfast, the frightened cook having returned, that the Pullman car should be coupled to the second locomotive and be pulled back to San Cristoval. There it might be attached to some train going to El Paso, for the railroad was open again to the Border, the government troops patrolling all that part of Chihuahua.
It was at breakfast that Nelson related in sequence his own adventures, after hearing of all that had happened to Janice and Marty. And Nelson boldly held Janice's hand—under the table—neglecting to eat while he told his moving tale.
He had had no means of learning when and where Janice and Marty crossed the Rio Grande, if at all, until he reached El Paso. Then a long telegram reached him from Frank Bowman, repeating Marty's message sent to Jason Day from Fort Hancock, and including the information of the presence of Tom Hotchkiss at the Border.