Mower County transcript., 1898-08-03

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Mira Malnwaring had bean there.
half distracted, wzinsing herhandsaa md
laughing and crying by turns. tAndsWa
now lying in hers berth, being ministss.
cd to BY some sympathetic woman 1rom
the other car. Another had come to aid
Gray, bat, seeing how deftly he bathsd
and stanched the wound, she oondaed
her attentions to wetting towels and
passing them to the strange gentleman:
So skillful, were his ministrations that
the young lady presently declared her
self able to sit up and twalk'and insist
ed On seeing Mrs. Maipwasiag. Sbe,wss'.
assisted to her feet, and, leaning ON his
arm, was taken to her friend: Gray left
her there, slipped quietly away and
came forth, his heart beating with odd
emotion.
The next thing he found to do was to
help straighten out the fireman Of the
freight, who was shaking like an aspen,
completely demoralized and almost ory-
ing. He, too, had struck soft sand when
he leaped from the train, but after q
somersault or two had been buried un-
der an avalanche Of splintered board,
distributed from the roofs, sides and
flooring of the shattered cars. The
heavy trucks, wheels and beams fortu-
nately had not been hurled more than
dozen yards from the track, but kim
ding wood in distraoting quantities had
been showered far and near. The hand
some silver topped flask, 50 admired by
the sergeant at the junction. was
promptly produced, and the fireman
took long, long pull. Then Gray be-
thought him of his tramp. The recruits
and passengers, mingling in q confused
knot with the damaged men, were still
grouped about the wreck, some detail
ing personal Impressions and expert
ences, some noisy and nervous, others
silent and doubtless thankful for their
escape, others still thinking only of the
injured. OF these latter was Gray, at
whom the conductor was soowling sus-
piciously the while and saying some-
thing in low tone 10 the lieutenant.
''Do you know what became Of that
poor fellow we picked up at Willow
Springs?'' asked Gray of the brakeman,
who was ruefully contemplating q
ruined lantern. The man looked up in.
stantly, but instead of answering turned
and glanced significantly at the con-
ductor.
If you want him." said the latter
ooolly, you'll have to follow the track
five miles or more. Perhaps You knew
the two that went after him. Birds Of
feather, I take it-bound for the Gap
and spree on what's left Of that $40
bill"
"I'm very glad to hear he ism t hurt, I"
said Gray. you've sent for help, I
presume?''
"I've sent message by that tramp
friend Of yours, if that's what you
mean. None Of my crew or the freight
could walk mile.'' ,. -:
All this time Lieutenant Rawson
stood aloof, his forage cap pulleels1o
over his brows, intently eyins the
stylishly dressed man in tweeds. Gray
became conscious of the scrutiny, and
it annoyed him. OF the passengers in
the day coach none were men whom he
would have been at all likely to meet
on equal terms in bis past. Among
those of the forward sleeper only two
or three appeared to be men of educa-
tion or social standing, and they were
nursing their bruises back in the lava.
tory. The young fellows Of the rear
Pullman were laughing and chatting
noisily together as they rummaged about
the wreck. The officer was the one man
aboard the train whom ordinarily Gray
would have felt inclined to address.
But while the uniform and the assur-
ance Of at least q certain social stand.
ing on the part of it's wearer attracted
him there was that in Rawson's face
which repelled. Nor was this wholly
due to the fact that it lacked refinement
and was trife bloated, that the eyer
were somewhat dull and clouded, but
in them Gray read unerringly an ex'
preston Of distrust, even of hostility
and the pugnacious in him was aroused
at once.
All Of sudden he recalled that the
porter had told him Mrs. Mainwarini
was an army lady; so, doubtless, wal
the young lady with her. Very possibly
the lieutenant was their escort, and tht
escort was wrathful over bis usurpatio1
of an escorts functions, so far as tht
damsel was concerned. Gray could moi
remember the officers busying himself
in any way to aid, Mrs. Mainwaring
True, he was still half stunned and wa
bathing bis bruises, while Gray was car
ing for the very attractive if somewha
disheyeled girl in the pale blue wrap
per. Something in the contemplation O.
his loneliness and isolation during th'
earlier night-a man without home
the would be sharer Of the fireman
seat, the companion Of the rude sol
diery, the alder and abettor Of tramps-
and the exaltation of his present tioklet
his sense of the humorous. Had he no