AtDenvertherewasancrowdofpassengersintothecoaches（车厢）ontheeastboundB.&M.express.Inonecoachtheresataveryprettyyoungwomandressedineleganttasteandsurroundedbyalltheluxuriouscomfortsofanexperiencedtraveler.Amongthenewcomersweretwoyoungmenoneofhandsomepresencewithaboldfrankfaceexpressionandmanner;theotheraruffledglum-facedpersonheavilybuiltandroughlydressed.Thetwowerehandcuffed（拷上手铐）together.

Astheypasseddowntheaisleofthecoachtheonlyavailableseatofferedwasareversedonefacingtheattractiveyoungwoman.Herethelinkedcoupleseatedthemselves.Theyoungwoman'sglancefelluponthemwithadistantswiftdisinterest;thenwithalovelysmilebrighteningherfaceandatenderpinktingeing（稍加染色，影响）herroundedcheekssheheldoutalittlegray-glovedhand.Whenshespokehervoicefullsweetanddeliberateproclaimedthatitsownerwasaccustomedtospeakandbeheard.

"WellMr.EastonifyouwillmakemespeakfirstIsupposeImust.Don'tyoueverrecognizeoldfriendswhenyoumeetthemintheWest?"

Theyoungermanarousedhimselfsharplyatthesoundofhervoiceseemedtostrugglewithaslightembarrassmentwhichhethrewoffinstantlyandthenclaspedherfingerswithhislefthand.

"It'sMissFairchild"hesaidwithasmile."I'llaskyoutoexcusetheotherhand;"it'sotherwiseengagedjustatpresent."

Heslightlyraisedhisrighthandboundatthewristbytheshining"bracelet"totheleftoneofhiscompanion.Thegladlookinthegirl'seyesslowlychangedtoabewilderedhorror.Theglowfadedfromhercheeks.Herlipspartedinavague（含糊，犹豫）relaxingdistress.Eastonwithalittlelaughasifamusedwasabouttospeakagainwhentheotherforestalledhim.Theglum-facedmanhadbeenwatchingthegirl'sfaceexpressionwithveiledglancesfromhiskeenshrewdeyes.

"You'llexcusemeforspeakingmissbutIseeyou'reacquaintedwith（认识，熟悉）theofficerhere.Ifyou'llaskhimtospeakawordformewhenwegettothepen（围栏，监狱）he'lldoitandit'llmakethingseasierformethere.He'stakingmetoLeavenworthprison.It'ssevenyearsforcheating."

"Oh!"saidthegirlwithadeepbreathandreturningcolor."Sothatiswhatyouaredoingouthere?Anofficer!"

"MydearMi