1 92 A SPORTSMAN'S EDEN. 



tearing along the Canadian Pacific Railway line. 

 It has travelled some thousands of miles through 

 forest and lake-land, has been delayed by a 

 trifling accident, by which two freight-trains 

 have knocked one another into match-wood, and 

 now is tearing along at unwonted speed through 

 the night to make up lost time. 



Most of the passengers in the Pullman have 

 sought their sleeping-berths, but two, a lady and 

 her husband, are standing about, parcels in hand, 

 apparently waiting for something to happen. She 

 looks sadly sleepy, and half inclined to cry. By- 

 and-by the conductor conies through on his tour 

 of inspection. ' Say, are you really going to 

 get off the cars at N". ?' he asks. ' What ! you 

 are ! Waal, I guess you'll strike it pretty rough. 

 Yes, sir, you'll strike it pretty rocky. Train 

 stops ninety seconds, and maybe you had better 

 take a lucifer with you to light yourself a fire on 

 the prairie ;' with which encouraging remarks he 

 passes on. Soon a bell begins to toll sadly, 

 and the train slows down a little to pass through 

 a town of very green-looking wooden houses. 

 There is a sigh from the air-brake, and for a 

 breathing-space the cars pause at a platform. 

 The two travellers jump out, and their home for 

 the last few days rushes away and is lost in the 

 darkness of night. There is a small crowd on 



