The record-union., 1897-05-22

AT length one OF the men tapped MN
on the shoulder. Get some sleep If
you can,'' he advised. We're not go
ing SO far that it would be worth while
to have the berths made up, but nap
will do you good
| I don't feel sleepy, thank you, Sill"
Belts replied
| For an hour more the train rolled
steadily along on its journey. Then
there was slackening of the speed and
then the shock of the brakes sharply
| applied. The train came to halt.
What's the trouble? No town here,
grumbled one man. Delay would be
most unfortunate. He rose and left
the compartment, returning little lat
| er with dire news.
THE strike up the road is getting
! serious he said Were held here
| for orders, and the conductor declines
| to guess when we will get through"
1t seemed to the doctors that the
delay would never end. Half an hour
| passed, then another, then the hour
grew into two, and the two doubled. At
| last word of some sort came to the
trainmen and start was made. Belts
| wits cleared little. His companions
were conversing in tones less guarded
than they had used earlier in the jour
ney, and, though he could not catch all
| they said he heard enough to interest
him greatly. Although not gifted with
keen perceptions, he soon learned more
than he had bargained for. In the first
place, his guardians were DOCTORS; in
the second place, one of them was the
head of an insane asylum; in the third
place, they were bound for this estab-
lishment. By a triumph of reason Mr..
Belts surmised that they were taking
him there; by another, that they must
| look upon him as crazy. There were
words he heard which added to his dis
may. Restraint" violent case"
"straight-jacket" He was certain
they We're applied to him. His concep-
ton of insane asylums was vague, but
they must be terrible places, and he felt
the cold sweat form upon his forehead.
What could he do? If he told them he
was sane the doctors would laugh at
him. But no matter what they did, he
would be a prisoner, perhaps for years,
certainly for so long time that Aman-
da would be forced to give him up.
Meantime the train had been merely
crawling along, a fact on which the
it's slow progress annoyed his enemies,
Belts picked up a crumb of comfort.
What was bad for them could not be
altogether disadvantageous to him. At
last, when the brakes We're applied
again, he felt almost cheered. Another
stop meant at least little postpone
ment of his Incarceration. Confused
sounds were heard from without the
car. Men We're rushing about, steam
was escaping from the engine, and now
and then a hoarse order was shouted.
The colored porter opened the COM
partment door with an energy he rarely
displayed. 'You'se gem'mens requir-
ed he said briefly, and pointed to
man close at his heels. The stranger
was clad in uniform and carried a mus
ket. Belts noticed a Sergeant's stripes
on his arm.
You're doctors, amt you?" he said.
you're needed outside. We've got half
dozen men pretty badly hurt, and as
many more who'll feel better to see
YOU" But as he spoke, he looked more
earnestly at the blue-clad figure in the
corner than at the physicians.
One physician rose quickly. Ger
tainly, I'll go at once" he said. PRO
fessor you had better remain with our
friend
Nav interrupted the Sergeant.
that won't do. There's work for both.
Well be glad to see you. too, Captain"
he added, addressing Belts, with good
deal more respect than he had shown
for the doctors.
There are reasons cried the one
1n ha6 ~ br,t la oh cd
himself and glanced meaningly at his
companion.
Perhaps it can't be avoided said
the latter, resignedly. Our friend will
come with us,' and he linked his arm
in that of Belts.
The little party lost no time in start
ing out. The train had stopped close to
the edge of a deep ravine across which
ran trestle. On the opposite bank the
early morning light showed the figures
of considerable number Of men NOV
ing about freight car, which had been
thrown upon it's side and across the
main line. Through the ravine ran
little stream, halfway up the hither
bank of which were grouped a company
of militia. What had happened was
briefly told by the Sergeant
The road here ran through a mining
country, whose residents, themselves
perennially ripe for strike had
promptly taken up the cause of the dis
satisfied railroad men, and had seized
the opportunity to damage the trestle.
In this they had succeeded to the ex-
tent of making it unsafe by the time
the troops arrived. The militiamen, at
tempting to cross the ravine and to
carry the natural stronghold on the
other side, had been beaten back their
opponents clubs and stones proving
more than a match for the muSkets
which their commander was loath to
use except for purposes of intimidation
Having signally failed in intimidating
anybody, the officer was now awaiting
surgical treatment along with respec-
table proportion of his command, while
the victorious foe, perched on the un-
taken ramparts, hurled derisive cpl
thets at the beaten supporters Of law
and order
THE boys are spilin' for another go
at those chaps" the Sergeant confided
to his companions IN general, but with
a special reference to Belts. "They
know how the laugh'l be on 'em when
they get home Licked by miners with
clubs! That's a nice dose for the crack
company of the regiment. But the
Captains laid out, and the only Lieu
tenant we've got along's no good. See?"
Those men have a strong position,
observed one of the doctors.
That's all right. If we had some
one to show the way and was told to
use our rifles for what they was meant