Never mind, Tom Reade.

To-morrow you can ride as far as you like on the railroad, with never a penny of fare to pay, either!" Unnoticed, the young chief engineer untied his horse in the dark, mounted and rode away.
How dark and long the way seemed.

Truth to tell, Tom Reade was very close to the collapse that seemed bound to follow the reaction once his big task was safely over.

Only his strength of will sustained him.

He gripped the pony's sides with his knees.
"I wouldn't want anyone to see me riding in this fashion!" muttered the lad.