Page 31 (1/2)

"Thank you," sheherself forward, trying not to look at the track scrolling beneath her with such speed that it blurred into a wide, solid line "Wequite fast," she said dumbly

"I believe so," the captain said He was nearly yelling into her ear, but his words had no sharpness, only genteel agreement When she reached the other platform, he was immediately behind her; he reached around her to open the door, which had closed behind the tho’d gone before them

Soon they were safely sealed in the next car back As they walked, the captain said, "I don’t suppose you do much travel by train"

"No sir, I don’t," she told him "This is only my second trip on a train, ever"

"Second trip ever? You’ve picked quite a e May I ask where you’re from? I can’t quite place you by your speech," he said mildly, but Mercy knehat he meant

Most Yankees couldn’t tell a Tennessean froian, so she went ahead and lied "Kentucky" He’d never know the difference, and it was a safe cover for the way she talked

"Kentucky is a fine state Bluegrass and horses, as I understand it"

"Yep We’ve got plenty of those The place is lousy with them," shechild who’d fallen out of his co into the main ay She’d never actually been to Kentucky She’d met Phillip in Richmond, and he’dto war Not that this stopped her fro or two about the place They’d talked, after all

"And your husband?" he asked quietly, for many of this car’s occupants were likewise asleep

She glanced down at her wedding band, and said, "He passed In the war"

"Kentuckian, like yourself?"

"He was froton, yes"

"I hope you’ll pardoncurious"

"Pry away," she encouraged his had lolled into the aisle

"Where did you lose your husband? Which front, I rass cousins myself, and I make a point to look out for the the truth or not, which wouldn’t have stopped her fro else thatwatched Mercy looked to the back of the car, and to the right, and , and no doubt listening, too He did not blink She looked away first, down to the floor and then up, for the latch on the door out of the car

Well within Kor she declared, almost defiantly, "He didn’t die on a front He died in a prisoners’ caia"

"I’o," she rounded off and up, reluctant to relate the incident with any ivea "

As the wind of the train’s motion blasted her in the face onceher still, without any expression Even the edges of his prodigiousaway

She turned her attention to the crossing junction over the couplers, and this tirace Captain MacGruder closed the door behind them both, and followed her into the next car

Eventually they reached the caboose, a long, narrow thing with tables and chairs established for food and tea service Miss Clay was already seated with a cup of coffee that sly of chicory, and Mr Purdue was still at the tender’s counter, deciding on the refresh the captain, he selected his meal and came to sit beside Miss Clay, as if this were now the natural order of the universe

"Could I get you anything?" the captain offered, gesturing at the counter, with its menu composed in chalk on a slate "I can vouch for the--"