noon
The wind that whipped his face was cold and pierced the blanket he had flung over his shoulders ; but the sunshine was growing brighter and the mist in the hollows was rapidly vanishing . As a rule , the depressions were swampy , and as they sped across them Prescott could see the huge locomotive rocking , while the rails , which were spiked to ties thrown down on brush , sank beneath the weight and sprang up again as the cars jolted by . As they rushed down tortuous declivities , the cars banged and canted round the curves , while Prescott held on tight , his feet braced against a rail . It was better when they joined the graded track , and toward noon he was given a meal with the others at a camp where a bridge was being strengthened . When they started again , he lay down in his blanket where the sunshine fell upon him and the end of the car kept off the wind , and lighting his pipe became lost in reflection . It was obvious that he must use every effort to find Jernyngham and he thought he might succeed in this ; but what then ? To prove his innocence , in which she already believed , would not bridge the gulf between him and Muriel Hurst .