Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-19

done. Seldom Seen quietly and dexterously
wriggled into the car, motioning Paul to
follow. Awkwardly enough, and with some
trepidation, the lad Skinned through the
aperture. but not without severely bruising
his shoulder blade and knees in the attempt
Jimmy next passed up the basket of pro-
visions and two lard cans filled with water
which Seldom Seen carefully slowed away
In secure place. Then, as silently and as
skillfully as his partner, Jimmy wormed
himself through the opening and called
softly that everything wns all right. The
next minute the board was withdrawn the
door sprang back into position, the nuts
were carefully replaced by the friendly
tramp. ard Paul was left in inky darkness
with two presumably tough citizens whom
he had known just eighteen hours. No
wonder that he was seized with a sudden
nervous fit and an ardent desire to be safe
outside breathing the free air of heaven
again.
Barely had the trio managed to fit into
comfortable inches among the merchandise
piled in the car when a noise outside pro-
claimed the appearance of the yardmen for
the purpose of making up train. Back
ward and forward from one track to an
other the car was switched until the entire
train, composed of fast freight, was ready
for its journey to the west. Meantime alb
solute silence was maintained by the in !.
prisoned tramps, for the yardmen have
quick ears, and discovery meant at least
sixty days in the county jail. BY the time
the train was ready to start Paurs uneasi-
ness had subsidized to such an extent that he
dozed off into Inconsistencies, from which
he did not emerge until the night had far
advanced and the incesSant rumbling OF
the wheels and continuous jerking of the
cars told him he was fairly started on his
journey toward the Pacific coast.
The atmosphere in the car was heavy and
almost sitting, a small grated aperture
near the roof of the car at one end admit
ting homeopathic doses OF fresh air A
violent headache that soon attacked Paul
rendered sleep out of the question, and as
he tossed reStleSsly on the hard boxes tb~
formed his couch his thoughts were nor 81.
the pleasantest. Visions of dreadful acct
dents foated before his perturbed brain,
and all the newspaper reports that he had
read of railroad disasters were painfully
fresh in his memory. When at length he
did sleep 1t was only to experience a series
of dire mishaps in his troubled dreams.
which were so realistic that he awoke from
time to time with the perspira ton standing
in big beads on his forehead.
He heard his companions conversing in
low tones when he finally regained con-
sciousness next morning, but his head was
so hot and his throat so dry that his voice
sounded like its own ghost when he asked
softly for a drink of water. pull at the
tin pail helped to freshen him up a Bit and
dash Of brandy that Jimmy insisted on
his swallowing cured the sickness in his
stomach caused by the motion of the car
Conversation all that day and the next was
confined to whispers, the constant passing
and repassing of the brakemen overhead
rendering such a precaution necessary
All three ate and drank sparingly, most OF
the time being spent in sleeping. Two days
ard two nights of this was an experience
that Paul mentally determined should
never be repeated, but he wisely refrained
from giving voice to his thoughts and out
wardly appeared perfectly reconciIed to the
situa ton.
Several long halts had been made at in
tervals during the trip, but the two old
timers knew the route so we'll that they
made no movement to get away, and it was
not until the car was finally detached from
the train and side tracked that Jimmy an
nounced their arrival at Ogden. II was the
morning of the third day, and knowing that
the car contained perishable merchandise
the trio hoped for speedy release from
their prison Nor were they disappointed
side. the seal of the car was broken and
presently the door was rolled back, admit
ting flood of delicious fresh air to the
three tramps. who, concealed behind some
boxes, awaited an opportunity to Jump and
run.
''Now's our chance" whispered Jimmy
after taking hurried survey of the field
The yardmaster had disappeared and the
teamster was busy with hts horses "Al
together. now, jump In spite of their
eramped limbs the three managed to make
fairly creditable leap, and away across
the tracks they dashed, into the shadow O,
convenient lumber pile almost before the
astonished driver knew what had happened
There was no pursuit, as they quickly dis.
covered. to Paul's infinite relief, and after
ten minutes rapid walking all three stop
ped TO take a brea Their, which was rendered
necessary by their long inactivity