Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-04-06

lu0Se TWO COWBOYS IN inc FmDKer-tel~
lows that took supper ana left their
plugs at Hank s and said they were go.
ing up to Pawnee for a fier, but allow
ed they knew nobody there or ia that
part of the valley. Jarvis felt moro I'M
easy with every minute.
"Im blessed if l don't think I ought
to wake some If the likCliust If these
young fellows - said be 10 the porter,
but I'll go and have ont the lieutenant
/ anyhow. "
Suiting action to the word, back he
went to the forward sleeper. Wake tho
gentleman in No. 3. " SAID he to the por-
ter as he re.cntored and ftund that dusliy
guardian eagerly, anSiously awaiting
him.
He's gittin up, sub. 1 done called
him" And at the moment, rubbing %
pair Of blearv. sleepy. rcd trimmed eyes
with one hand and buttoning cavalry
sack coat with the other, a stocky.
| heavily built man Of about 3j came
/ lussling down tho aisle. Briefly tia
conductor told his suspicious and asked
what help he could havo in case If
trouble. The cavalryman was evidently
l a" - A4t' manu- ~ lDhSts liz NH'lllfu 1AiIW
of comprehension. lie ponderod a bit,
| looking dumbly from the conductor to
the porter, with eyes that did not clear
rs rapidly Us they should have done.
/ at last he said:
| lone of them in this carr
ayes, smoking in tho compartment
yonder.
| Following the conductor, the officer
meandered up the aisle. The Pullman
was swaying violently now The train
had reached the summit Of the divide
and was rushing down the westward
slope at speed that became swiftcr
every moment. The lieutenant stopped
ut his berth and rummagod under a
pillow.
You're not getting gun now"
Whispered the conductor waruingly.
Ono, only pocket pistol, " was tho
answer as the blue blouse straightened
up and produced a half filled flask
Il wish your men, those recruits,
had arms, muttored the conductor az
they went on again. Then ne held up "a
warning hand. They were Just squeez-
ing through the narrow passage between
the smoking compartment and the side
Of the car "Wait till | see what he $
doing, said Jarvis and disappeared
around the corner. Presently lie beckon.
ed, and, flask in hand, the lieutenant
followed on. clancing casually at tho
dim form near the window, stepped to
the washstand and found a tumhler
half filed IL with liquor and proifered
it to the conductor, who shook his head.
Tho soldier poured in u little water and
swallowed ii all at gulp.
"Now, said he "let have a look
at your man.
The conductor stepped inside the
smoker. teigning TO try to decipher the
writing On "A card he held in his hand,
but, as though the light were too dim,
reached up and turned higher the fame,
brightly illuminating the little com
partment in moment. Gray may have
been doing. He glanced quickly up. as
though startled, and his eyes met those
Of the stout mau in cavalry uniform.
For moment they looked at each other
searchingly and without a word y
flush as Of surprise and annoyance be-
gan to mount TO the civilian S face; "A
llNSIl tlldt NAS ilDb III Eur u lSt W a. III
ready manifest on that of the soldier.
The conductor glanced from one TO the
other az though about TO speak
suddenly the night was rent by one
sharp quick, almost agonized shrek
from tho engine far ahead. suddenly,
50 suddenly that it almost hurled Jarvis
and the lieutenant OF their feet, the
airbrakes gripped like wise, the viii
zng wheels instantly checking their
way. the smooth. swift motion changed
to jerky, grinding, straining series #
bumps, Jarvis, turning white as
sheet, sprang to the door the instant BE-
could recover balance. For six Or eight
seconds the Pullman went humping
ahead, slower and slower every second,
YET still at dangerous speed. Then came
a thunderous shock and crash Gray,
whose feet were on the opposite seat.
doubled up like u jaCkknife, his nose
and knees damned together, the back
seat clamped tight against that in front.
The Lieutenant shot forward out of sight
and was overheard fetching up with 4
resounding thump against the front
door. There was a cracking Of window
glass, "a sound of stihed shriells and
grOlns. The big car recoiled some 80 or
40 yards. then came to standstill, and
Mr.. Gray, scrambling out from the
smoking compartment, nearly stumbled
over the PROSTATE officer, who was slow
~ finding his feet. But following some
half articula,e cry for help, Gray darted
through the narrow passagewav into
the Curtained aisle, now rapidly tillins
with men, much more dazed than dress
ed, some Of them bleeding from con-
tusions. all of them shaken and scared.
and slowly sliding ont of the nearest
berth came a blue ROBBED, slender, sense
less form--that Of the soft voiced Ccou-
pant who an hour earlier had imrOr-
tuned him for water. In an instant
Gray stopped. raised her in his arms,
bore her through the passage, nearly
capsizing the lieutenant the second
time, laid her fiat upon the long SET in
the smoker and applied his Ene cam
brio handkerchief to cash III she left
temple from which the blood Was ooz-
ing.
CHAPTER ".
4 melancholy scene of wreck ard dis
aster was that which greeted the eyes
of Nh Gray when perhaps half "a hour