The darkey has made up my bed, but I know I cannot sleep, and I must be doing something or I would go mad, though I do not know if I have the courage to write down the events of this day, which will live in my memory forever.
We left the Canyon Hotel at half-past eight this morning. I was in the back seat with Mr. Lester and Mr. Coles. Mr. Coles had not spoken to Kate and had merely bowed to me at breakfast, and on our trip to Norris Basin he hardly spoke a word. From Norris Basin we were to go to Mammoth Hot Springs, to spend the night there, but when we reached Norris Basin, at noon, we got some news that made us change all our plans. It was that the railroads are all going on a strike next Monday, and if we did not get right out of the park and start home we might have to stay out here all winter, and the park was going to close up on account of the strike, and everybody would have to be out of there by tonight.
So Mr. Garrett said that he was sorry, but we would have to miss the trip to Mammoth Hot Springs and we would start for Yellowstone Station right after lunch and catch this train for Ogden. The ride to Norris had been dusty, but in the excitement of hearing the news about the strike I had forgotten to get cleaned up before lunch, so after lunch, thinking it would be a few minutes before my coach started, I went in to wash my hands and face and fix my hair. When I came out and looked for my coach, it was gone. Two of the others had started, too, and there was only the one left.
“You will have to crowd into this one,” said the driver. “The others must of forgotten you in the excitement.”
Hardly knowing what I was doing, I climbed into a seat beside two strangers, and we started out. I expected every minute to see Mr. Garrett’s coach coming back after me, for then I did not know the truth, that Kate was not really my friend, but false and deceitful, and that she had turned Mr. Coles and Mr. Garrett against me with her lies. What we saw on that terrible ride this afternoon I do not know. I could hear my companions pointing out points of interest, but my heart was too sore to take it in. When at last we reached the Yellowstone Station, the other coaches were there ahead of us and the rest of the party were standing on the station platform. Mr. Garrett came up to meet us.
“Miss Emerson,” he said, “I must ask your pardon for us running off and forgetting you this afternoon. I was worried about getting all these people out of the park.”
“Yes, Mr. Garrett,” I said coldly, “it is all right for you to forget me, and the sooner you do so the better for both of us.”
Then I saw Kate, and went to her.
“Kate,” I said, “I do not believe there can be any explanation for you running off and leaving me in that place alone, but I want to hear what excuse you have got.”
“Girlie,” she said, “I can never forgive myself, but I was so upset I hardly knew what I was doing.”
“But someone must of noticed my absence,” I said.
“If they did, they kept it to themselves,” was her reply.
“Kate,” I said, “I cannot believe that. I know that there was at least one who thought of me.”
“Who?” she inquired.
“You know, Kate,” I replied. “Mr. Coles.”
“Poor Mr. Coles,” said Kate, “I am afraid he had other things to think about.”
“What do you mean, Kate?” I inquired.
“Well, girlie,” was her reply, “I suppose I might as well come across with the truth, though I know it will be hard for you to believe. While we were at Norris this noon, Mr. Coles honored me by asking me to become his wife.”
“Kate,” I said, “you are carrying a joke too far.”
“I know it sounds like a joke,” was her reply; “but it’s just as true as that your name is Violet Emerson.”
I cannot remember what was said in the next few minutes, for suddenly I realized that Kate was telling me the truth. I believe I would of fainted was it not for my horror of making a scene before strangers.
“I told him I was sorry,” was Kate’s next words, “but I could not accept because I was engaged to another man. It was a lie when I told it to him, but it was not a lie very long, for Mr. Garrett and I became engaged about a half-hour after we left Norris. You nearly spoiled everything for me yesterday by telling me Mr. Garrett had told you he cared for you. I thought he was in the wholesale business. But I knew there must be some explanation, and I gave him a chance to make it. When you thought he was talking about you yesterday, it was I he was talking about. So that is about all there is to it. We are going to get married in November and you are to be my maid of honor.”
“Kate,” I said coldly, “I thought you were my friend. Instead of that, you have spread lies about me and have stolen the one man you
