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

y
anco into the first vacant seat, swung
himself to the ground tho moment the
train stopped, ran back and tapped I'M
der rear window Of the sleeper, and the
sash was raised and the porter's head
popped out.
LET me in at tho rear door, porter
said Tweeds. 81 locked myself out. "
The negro recognized the voice of his
we'll dressed passenger, shifted double
fee and jumped for the door.
"Beg pardon, sub. sorry, sub, but
we has to lock these doors at night out
hyuh. Tramps como in most any timo
if we DON'T
But the Young man smiled carelessly,
hastened through the car, got his flask,
set the latch so that he could re.cnter,
ard the next minute was administering
a stiff drink TO the rag heap on the rear
seat Once moro the man cssayed to tell
his story. He was penniless, he hadn'
oven anything left to sell, but out from
an inner pocket he took an old worn
card photograph aud showed it to his
new found friend. my wife and baby, ="
said he, with choke, "but the baby S
gone, thank God"
"lIerc, take another drink, " said
Tweeds. Then back to the smoker he
went and reappeared with some sand
witches. The train again moved on.
The brakeman returned, became aware
of the newcomers and camo down and
curiously inspected them. The liquor,
tho warmth, the food and human sym
pathy were restoring courage to the alb
lcct object Of d few minutes before. He
looked up without quaver at the brake
man hail, but Tweeds spoke for him.
81 found this poor fellow back here
few miles half frozen and hauled him
in. He only wants to 60 on to Pawnee.
It's all right. He can pay his fare when
the conductor comes.'
The brakeman went off suspiciously
to hunt up his chief and report, and tho
conductor promptly appeared. His face
grew darker at sight Of the two. Ho
held irresolutely the SO bill handed
him by Tweods, and looked from one
man to the other in deep distrust. II
don't understand this, he said.
Glow d you.-w hercd you get aboard:'
AT Willow Springs" said the
tramp. 81 walked there from the juno
ton. I'd "a frozen if it hadn { been for
this gentleman -
~ cant change this, " said the con-
ductor I'm fetch it presently AND
nodding 10 his brakeman to follow him
be hurried up the aisle. At the forward
end Of the car he whispered: "Watch
those two like cat, now. I'm going
forward to get the sergeant and some Of
his men and seat them here where they
can keep IN eye on that precious pair.
There S fun ahead for somebody this
night, but, by God, they don't catch old
Bill Jarvis mapping. You stay here,
now, till come.
But no sooner were they gone than
the tramp began hrCkenly to heap thanks
and blessings on his benefactor, and the
latter impatiently turned away. "That's
all right, said he. Never mind that
I'm glad to help. for / believe your
story. The conductor will give you the
change when he comes in. Now, good
night; I've got to turn in.
but, say, mister, stranger, bold on
one minute. IL want to pay this back
some dag. How'll l know you:
Where II | send it,"
But Twceds shook his head, waved
him off, strobe back to the sleeper
sprung the latch against pursuit, then
half filled Il glass from his flask, gulpcd
the contents down and reseated himself
in the smoking compartments "That's
the first man I've found in "A fortnight,
said he, "more miserable than | am. -
With that he took some letters from
bis pocket, glanced them over and tore
the envelopes to Shreds sending the
fragments sailing on the night. At a
small card photograph in fat Russia
leather Casa portrait Of a laughing,
girlish faCe-he paZed lingeringly, then
returned it to al inner pocket. 'NO one
would know it now he muttered.
Next he lifted from his cardcasc a dozen
or more pasteboards that bore in plain,
heavy script the words Mr. Darcy Hun.
ter Gray, - ripped them into shreds and
sent them flying. AS calmly and me.
thodically he searched through every
pocket for every scrap Of paper, bills oI
billet douX, anything that could tend &c
establish his identity; glanced dubious
~ at the monogram on the back Of his
watch scraped the lettering out of the
crown of his hat; took IA fountain pen
from his pocket and some paper and en-.
velCpes from his satChel; wrote with
infinite difficulty, owing to the swaying
of the car, two brief notes which he in
closed and slowed under the flap of hi,
bag, then once more glanced at his
watch. 1t was 40, and no. 7S3 was
whistling for Eowlder Creek, At last
they were ont of the valley. Now for
the climb up the divide.
lone cigar, he muttered. 81 let the
other 20 out. " His matchbox had dis.
appeared. He tried one pocket after an
other, without result. Neither was there
one to be had in the compartment Tho
train had stopped, and he could hear
footsteps on a wooden platform and the
mutiled voices of men Tip;ooing
through the long, dim, curtain bordered
aisle, he WAS suddenly checked. Ont
from narrow opening between the
curtains Of the second section came :
slender little white hand, holding sill.
yer travelling cup, and n soft voice, sill
very as the cup, nurmured, ION, por.
ter, would you kindly get me some wa.
ter?'
Mr., Gray took the cup, filled it,
restored it with a bow TO the unseen
occupant, watched the lily white hand,
| with its few treasures of rings sim