At Denver there was a flow of passengers into the coaches
on the eastbound express. In one coach there sat a very pretty young woman
dressed in elegant taste and surrounded by all the comforts of an experienced
traveler. Among the newcomers were two young men, one of handsome look with a
bold, frank expression; the other heavily built and roughly dressed. The two
were handcuffed together. As they passed down the aisle of the
coach the only vacant seat offered was the one facing the attractive young
woman. Here the linked couple seated themselves. When the young woman’s glance
fell upon them, her face brightened with a lovely smile. "Well,
Mr. Easton, if you will make me speak first, I suppose I must. Don’t you ever
recognize old friends when you meet them in the west" The
young man roused himself sharply at the sound of her voice, seemed to struggle
with a slight embarrassment which he threw off instantly, and then clasped her
fingers with his left hand. "It’s Miss Fairchild," he said,
with a smile. "I’ll ask you to excuse the other hand; it’s otherwise engaged
just at present." He slightly raised his right hand, bound at
the wrist by the shining "bracelet" to the left one, of his companion. The glad
look in the girl’s eyes slowly changed to a puzzled horror. The glow faded from
her cheeks. Easton, with a little laugh, as if amused, was about to speak again
when the other stopped him. The heavily-built man said, "You’ll excuse me for
speaking, miss, but, I see you’re acquainted with the marshal here. If you’ll
ask him to speak a word for me when we get to prison, he’ll do it, and it’ll
make things easier for me there. He’s taking me to Leavenworth prison. It’s
seven years for making fake money." "Oh!" said the girl, with a
deep breath and returning color. "So that is what you are doing out here A
marshal!" The conversation between the girl and Easton carried
on happily until the heavily-built man growled, "Say, Mr. Marshal, this isn’t
quite fair. I’m needing a drink, and haven’t had a smoke all day. Haven’t you
talked long enough Take me in the smoker now, won’t you I’m half dead for a
pipe." When the two men left for the smoker, said one of the
passengers near by: "That marshal’s a good sort of guy. Some of these Western
fellows are all right." "Pretty young to hold an office like
that, isn’t he" asked the other. "Young!" exclaimed the first
speaker, "Why—Oh! didn’t you catch on Say—did you ever know an officer to
handcuff a prisoner to his right hand" When the young woman saw the two men, she smiled at them because
______.
A. she wanted to be polite to the other passengers
B. she recognized Easton, who was a friend of hers
C. she was glad to have someone to talk to in the coach
D. she thought it was fanny for two men to be linked together