West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-01-12
CHAPTER III.

THE HOLDING UP or OVERLAND NO 8.
On the third day dispatch came
from Frederic Cullen telling his father
ne would join US at Lanly ON No. that
evening. l ut once ordered % and 2IS
ON to tho CONNECTING train, and In an
hour We were back on the main line.
While waiting for the overland to ar
rive, Mr. Cullon asked me 20 do some
thing which. as 1t later proved 20 have
considerable bearing ON the events of
that night, is worth mentioning. trivial
as IL secmR When had first Joined
the party, 1 had given orders for % 10
DC kicked I'm between the main string
and their special, so as not to deprive
the occupants of 21S of the Wow from
their observation saloon and balcony
| platform. Mr.. Cullen came TO me now
and asked me TO reverse the arrange
ment and make my car the tail end.
was giving orders for the splitting and
! kicking in when No. arrived, and
TINS did not see tho greeting of Frederic
Cullen and his family. When joined
them, his father told me that tho high
altitude had knocked his SON up, so that
he Ind had to be helped from the or
dinary sleeper TO the special and had
gone TO bed immediately Out west we
have to know something of medicine,
and my car had it's chest of drugs. SO
took scrne tablets and went into his
stateroomL
Frederic was like his brother in ap-
pearance, though not In manner, having
a quick, alert way. He was breathing
with such difficulty that / was almost
tempted to give him nitroglycerin, in-
stead of strychnine, but he said he
would DO all right as soon as he became
accustomed TO the rarefed air, quite
poohpoohing my suggestion that he
take No. beck TO Trinidad And while
l was still urging the train started.
Leaving him the vials Of digitalis and
! strychnine therefore, 1 went bach and
dinod solus ON my own car, indulging
! Mt the end in n cigar the smoke of
which would keep turning into pictures
of Miss Cullen. 1 have thought about
those pictures since then and have con-
cludc1 that when cigar smoke behaves
like that n man might as well read his
destiny In IL, for it can mean only one
thing.
After enjoying tho combination /
went to No. 21S TO have "A look at the
son and found that the heart tonics had
benefited him considerably. On leaving
him / went to the dining room, where
the rest of the party were still ut din
ner, to ask that. the invalid have a
strong cup of coffee, and after deliver
ing my request Mr.. Cullen asked me TO
join them in cigar. This / did gladly,
for a cigar and Miss Cullen's society
were even plcusanter than a cigar and
Miss Cullen's pictures, because the pic
turos never quite did her justice, and,
besides, didn't talk
Our smoke finished, we went back TO
the saloon, where tho gentlemen sat
down to poker, which Lord Rallies had
just learned and liked. They did not
ask me to take hand, for which was
! grateful, as the salary of railroad su-
! perintendent would hardly stand the
game they probably played. And had
my compensation when Miss Cullen
also was not asked to join them. She
said she was going to watch the moon
| light on the mountains from the plat
form and opened the. door TO 90 out
! finding for the first time that No OF
was tho "ender" In her disappoint-
ment she protested against this and
wanted TO know the why and wherefore
I've shall have far less motion,
Madge," Mr.. Cullen explained And
then we shan't have tho rear end man
in our car at night"
"But / don't mind the motion. 4"
urged Miss Cullen, land the flagman IS
there only after we are all In our
rooms Please leave us the view"
II prefer the present arrangement,
Madge," said Mr.. Cullen in d very
positive voice.
I was so sorry for Miss Cullen's dis
appointment that, on impulse, I said,
''The platform Of % is entirely at your
service, Miss Cullen" The moment il
was out realized that I ought not 20
have said 10 and that deserved q re-
buko for supposing she would use my
car
Miss Cullen took 70 better thnn I
hoped for and was declining the offer
as kindly az ny intention had been in
making IL wEcn, much 70 my astonish-
ment her father said;
BY all monns, Madgo That relieves
Us Of the discomfort Of being tho lagt
car and yet lets you have the scenery
and moonlight"
a.moment, ~ II not believing what sho
had heard Lord Rallies scOwicd and
opened his mouth TO say something, but
checked himscR and only flung his dis
card down ~ If he hated the cards.
Thank you, papa .. said Miss Cul-
len. But I think / viii watch you
play"
Now, Madge, don't be foolish. "
said Mr.. Cullcn irritably. lyon might
just as we'll have the pleasure. and
you'n only disturb the game II you stay
here. -
Miss Cullen lconed over and whisper
ed something and her father answered
her Lord Rallies must have heard. for
ho muttored something which made
Miss Cullen color mp, but much good 10
did him, for she turned TO mo and eoid
''Sincc my ithcr doesn't disapprovo.
will gladly ccopt your hospitality, Mr..
Gordon And, after n glance at Lord
Rallies that Lad a challenging "Iu do
as please" in II, she won't 20 get hC.r
hat aud opof