The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-07-28
Hub sat up and raised his sleepy eyes.

| "Will you do it?s asked Texas, impatiently
Hub rose instantly. He shivered a little Us the
keener morning air got its first fair chance al
| him all round. One side Of him, at any rate
had been warm as he lay on the warmed earth
"And you'll let Red Jim D.
DRY up!" said Texas roughly, and look
SMART"
As Hub shambled off Texas returned to his
brother, and sat down by his side. He re.
| NAMED there without moving until Hub re-
| turned with the tools.
| In less than an hour Texas had dug grave
on the lower slope, not 10 yards from the track.
| Without help he lifted the body and carried it
there. He laid it down tenderly and watched
| the dawn growing into day. As the world
| woke he covered the grave in /; and in the east
the sky was blood red. Leaving the grave, he
returned to the camp and sat down by the
| ashes of their fire. Hub was there, too, with
his hands wrapped around his knees. He
watched the Texan with almost timid anxiety.
| Jack was still fast asleep, with his head in the
hollow of his locked hands.
Look for some wood" said Texas, and Hub
| got up obediently. He felt this man from
| the South was strangely dangerous But he
came back in less than minute and held some
thing out to Texas, 3Scaliber Colts pistol.
Texas looked at the butt. There was rough
cross cut on i: with file.
His" he said, CURLY, nodding down the
slope toward the grave he had just dug and
filled.
Dye reckon he shot Jim?" asked Hub.
~ hope not" said Texas.
When Hub returned with the wood and
lighted the fire Jack awoke. Hub told him in
low voice that the dead man was buried. He
turned wonderingly to Texas.
IF you do this, what's the evidence against
Red Jim ?" he asked.
II don't want there to be any" replied
Texas, without looking up.
So they boiled tin Of coffee and ate some
bread, which was all they had left. But Texas
did not eat.
"Ireckon you amt hungry" said Jack
"Pll eat when Pve earned it," was Texas's
answer, and Hub shivered to hear his voice.
ut will be very bad to be JIM" he thought,
as he munched his crust. Feeling the milled
edge of his newly earned half dollar he vaguely
determined to drink damnation to the man
who had done this thing and smashed his arm.
There's 9 dozen corpses III grin in their
graves before this week Is out, or I'm a Chinee!"
said Jack to himself. There's bad look on
this mans face"
When the sun was well up Jack and Hub rose,
but the Texan sat still and did not stir.
Coin to make move Texas?" asked the
elder man as kindly as he dared. And Texas
shook his head.
so long. old man." said jack and they
left him sitting there. But before they had
got so yards they heard him call, and turning,
they found that he was following them.
Partners" said he, you will say nothing
of this down the road'"
mot me" said Jack and Hub echoed him
fervently. Texas knew they would be as
mute as the dead man, for a few days, at least
For they felt what was in his mind.
In the evening the silent Texan boarded Red
Jims train at the southern foot of the Teha-
chapi and went north to the end of his divis-
ion. He stayed in town all day, and in the
evening again went south with his brothers
slayer. Jim, who was laxative man, noticed
and spoke to him. He had little to do, for the
cars were almost empty.
"Going south again, partner?" he asked
Going SOUTH" said Texas with a laugh,
and the two men got into conversation.
"Are there many deadbeats on the s. p 2"
asked Texas, as he filled his pipe to keep him.
self occupied, for he was longing to touch the
man, aud with touch he knew he would lose
himself.
mot many on my division, You bet!" said
Jim, with an oath. THE man that can heat
me, that's the man / want to see. They
couldn't when was on freights and on pas
senger-well. not much"
i've heard you were hard one" said
Texas, but some of these tramps are pretty
tough"
"They may be-" replied the conductor. "but
u
given to Dragging. though, as Pm usually all
there, don't sec why / shouldn't seeing that
anyone may raise the other side few dollars
on full hand. But, see here, my sleeve! One
of them put bullet through it two nights ago.
/ was going to let him of easy and give him
the bounce on the top of Tehachapi when we
were going slow. But no! he wouldn't be put
Oh! Tough! should smile. But so am /.
Where was he riding?" asked Texas
ION the blind baggage" said the conductor.
somehow suspicioned some one was there,
and when We were at the top Of the pass I
jumped down and ran there. When ! climbed
on it there was tramp laid ont fast asleep. So
/ kicked him in the ribs and told him to
jump"
And he wouldn't?"
Not he, Stree. He jumped up and grabbed
me. But he teok hold of the wrong man. AS
he wouldn't get off when we were going slow,
he had to get off when we were going fast. /
just dumped him on the track. He shot as he
went"
Not before?" asked Texas.
Dye think he got the chance?" said Jim,
contemptuously, and he sat down on the next
seat. The locomotive began to labor, and the
pace OF the train grew less as it approached the
pass. There was certain lulling rhythm in
the motion, and for moment the cond uctor
nodded. His eyes closed he opened them and
closed them again. Texas took knot of hair
out Of his pocket, looked at it, and looked at
Red Jims beard"
"A dead match. !" said Texas and he returned
the piece of evidence to his pocket. The train
slowed up still more as it began to climb the
pass. The conductor awoke and went outside
on tho platform. Texas rose to follow him.
and presently young brakeman came through
from the afterpart of the train. He went
through into the next car, but STAYED q mo.
ment to joke with the conductor
" Bin shot at ag'in TO- night?" said he. with
q grin, and passed on.
The up grade grew heavier and heavier.
Texas looked out into the darkness, and by the
light from the car windows saw how slowly the
train moved. AS the locomotive made less and
less revolutions the puffs grew slower and
slower still.
Two more cars on her and she'd fairly
stall" said JIM I" / could walk as fast. The
track must be- greasy with dew"
He went into the next carriage and left Texas
standing alone. He got down on the stem and
jumped to the ground. In moment he was
back in his place again, for the top of the mass
was reached and the locomotive screamed
"D0wn brakes" Red Jim came back again tn
the same platform and began to put the brake
down. As he kicked in the pawl with his toe
Texas struck him full on the back of the head
with his sixshoOter, caught him as he fell and
jumping to the ground, dragged him off the
platform. As the train gathered way it slipped
past him faster and faster, and was gone. Once
more, as it r0ared and thundered down the
grade, he saw the single blood red eye of the
caboose fleeing from him in the gloom, The
If frai, a aa