Wichita eagle., 1888-02-14
A THANKLESS JOB.

AT 3 O'Clock one morning twenty years age
was on railroad train going from Portage,
Wis, to Milwaukee. had been out on some
private detective work for parties in the
latter city and had succeeded so well that |
was both happy and sleepless. This was the
reason | was not in d sleeping car, fast held
in the arms of slumber, instead of occupying
q seat in the common coach, with my eyes
very wide open and my wits all about me.
| was wide awake, as have told you, wlel,
the train stopped at a country station on
signal. 1t barely came to standstill, and
only one passenger got aboard. The car YVES
pretty we'll filed, and such of the passengers
as had seats alone were stretched out in
sleep. bad sized up every one near me- and
had counted up two honest old farmers, a
drover. two milliners, a mechanic and family
and house painter who was evidently going
to the city for work No one seemed to
notice the entrance of the new passenger. 1t
was in October, and be had on a fall over
coat. He carried heavy vaise i'll ore hand
and he came down the aisle, looking from
right to left, until he finally reached my
seat. / moved to the window as a hint that
was ready 20 share it with him. but he hest
tated for long minute, and looked at me
sharply three or four times before he finally
sat down. The sachel he placed between his
feet He had not uttered word and after
sitting down he seemed to forget all about
me.
"Hello, but l have found a two legged
hog" | said to myself after bit. ~ offered
MIN hall my seat of my own free will and
he seems to be mad because / did not sur
render it all. Old fellow, you are an H. 0.
G., and no mistake Let me look YOU over a
Bit"
[ leaned back against the window, pre-
tended to shut my eyes and resume my nap,
and then inventoried the fellow. He had
hard, cruel face on him, and l felt sure he
was man with little mercy in his heart. |
had not been looking at him over two minutes
when | saw that he was taking sly glances at
me, and that he was quite anxious about the
sachel In the course of five minutes he
turned around and gave me a thorough look
ing over, and read III the gesture of his
hand and the toss of his head that he said to
himself:
Bah! Why should be afraid of hing
His dress WIS that Of a barkeeper-rather
fiashy. The jewelry he wore gave him away
as well. If he was not q barkeeper he was a.
least the owner of n saloon, and, from his
build, judged him to be q pugilst of mora
or less local fama. After one general look at
his dress, / began at his collar to make a
closer inspection. His Shirt collar kept work
ing up to annoy him, and | said to myself
that the button was gone and he had fastened
it with a pin In his twisting around he
pulled his overcoat back. and saw that the
top button on his under coat had been pulled
out by violent jerk, leaving a hole in the
cloth. The coat was new, and it would take
"A hearty wrench TO pull the button out that
way | followed his arm down to his right
hand and across tho back of it was q long
scratch. 1t was fresh scratch, for the
marks of blood still fingered My eyes
dropped to the strangers right le,, and saw
that his knee was damp and soiled. He had
certainly fallen on the ground. | might
have reasoned that he had met with a very
common accident, but l didn't [ said to
myself:
''Old fellow, you have locked horns with
somebody to get unused up this way. II is a
scrape you don't want known, for you keep
throwing anxious glances at me. If it was
only an accident you'd get up and fix that
collar, growl a little over the spot on Your
knee and cuss tire railroad company for hav-
ing depot platform unprotected by rail
ing at the ends. Wonder what you've got in
that sachel! A traveller with a few clothes
III sachel does not have to keep his foot on
if while everybody around him is asleep
You are no cucumber, old fellow, and you've
got something in there worth watching Ill
try little trick on you"
i had my right hand in my pocket care
fully worked my knife out and as it fell to
the floor gave start, woke UP and went
down to look for it. As | moved nv hand
toward his feet he quickly bent down and
moved the sachel into the aisle. Then | was
satisfied that my sur.nises Were right. Was
he burglar, and did the sachel contain his
kit! 1t was more probable that he was Just
returning from an expedition TO the country
and that the sachel was full of plumber [
was perfectly satisfied as to my man and |
made up my mind to have him arrested as
suspicious character as soon as we reached
the city. That was what did take place,
only, as there were no officers about the
depot as we arrived, l had to take the fellow
myself. ] let him reach the door of the
depot and then put my hand on his shoulder
he dropped the scchel and made bolt, but
fortunately he ran plump against a hack
man who was entering and both were upset.
Before he could get up l had him nipped.
On the way 10 the station house, and speak
ing for the first time, he asked:
How did You know it was rein
'Oh. easy enough answered.
"Wen, d-n him. he didn't act square
with me, or it would never have come to (
this"
had no idea to what he referred, but see
ing that he was ready to talk, and being
anxious to take advantage of the moment. l .
asked:
.'Do YOU think re is Seadr'
'Dead a herring, and the old woman
with him. However, they can't punish me
any more for two than for one. | was after
my own. and when they wouldn't give it "a
me determined TO take all
''What weapon did you user
.'Got the ak from the back Yard
land when YOU had finished off the old
couple YOU robbed the house chr
We'll. | took what / wanted. and if |
hadn't been the biggest fool on earth YOU
wouldn't have nabbed me-"
How"
"Why, boarding the train at that little
station. 1t was the act of a lunatic, but after
l left the farm house got frightened I ran
across the fields, fell down, imagined that
was pursued, and bore Of to the station and
hoisted the signal myeelf for the train to
ttop. Isuppose Rider gave you the tip and
cut YOU onto mef'
Eyes"
swell, I'll kill him on sight. That is with
\ little laugh | viii if get the chance
knew Rider to be Milwaukee gambler
and a hard case, but was completely in the