Rock Island Argus., 1901-09-30
The Daily Short Story
A PuUcKY CONDUCTOR.

ESNr~%rS~~O~
"Those," said the ranchman, "who
blame their failures TO Providence or
fate are towards, and I'll tell you q
story TO prove it.
"It happened some years since, before
the Northern Pacific had crossed the
Rockies. The terminus that season was
at Zenith City, and the class Of travel
which demands luxury didn't come be-
yond Bismarck. where the company
economically shunted the sleepers be-
fore rushing away from civilization.
so the train which started from Ze-
NTH City one November morning was
made up as usual of a passenger car, a
box car and the locomotive, while its
quite unusual number of travellers was
composed entirely of party of twenty
cowboys.
"They meant to go east for such a
length of time as their cash would en-
dure, and though it was burning in
their pockets TO be spent they were re-
solved not to waste any of it in rail-
way tickets-a resolve of which they
informed the conductor when he came
to them about half an hour out from
Zenith City.
"He was n young fellow. as were the
cowboys. Everything was young in
Montana in those days. This chap
Lloyd, however, was slim built, with a
color that changed like a girls, and
very queer he looked among the big.
brown, brawny roughs who left their
card playing TO swarm into the aisle
or lean over the seats nearest those Of
their comrades who had answered TO
his request for tickets that they had
none.
"'The company will take money for
fares also,' said Lloyd, without glanc-
ing at the gathering crowd.
"Nyhen the company can get it,
somebody chuckled.
Invariably Lloyd asserted. 'or the
passenger who refuses to pay is put off
the train
"'You don't say? Suppose you try.
Here are Tim and me TO begin with
and the whole carful after us, for not
one cent of our earnings is going into
the money bags OF your - swindling
company
"'You will hurt me much more than
the company he said when he could
get a hearing. i shall lose my place
If don't collect your fares
"'That is your lookeGt:'
".'we amt going to tell your boss If
you keep quiet
There is a greed for torturing ami
mails which disfgures most human ma
ture from Spanish bull baiters TO those
rat fighters down east. So those bright
eyes of Lloyd's didn't meet any more
encoura cement than did Father Noah's
Inn n fnf nj hn
food through one of the portfolios OF
the ark.
without speaking he stood. very
pale and still for Il moment. looking at
the open pocketbook in his hand, while
they all stared at him, grinning and
jeering. Presently the color rushed
back over his face, and, shutting his
book with u snap. he went out of the
car.
"He was followed by a roar of laugh
. ter and facetious yells.
Then the crowd returned to poker
playing, some of them just bit dis
contented with their victory and NUT
tering that 20 to 1 was too big odds
for any chap. specially n slim. little
chap with fists which couldn't hold
their own against kid
"a quarter of an hour later the train
stopped, not gradually, but with a jerk
which sent poker chips flying. There
was a cowboy half out of every win
dow in the car quicker thap you could
have cooked a pistol, for stations were
seldom within 100 miles of each other
In those days, and they all knew that
this stop wasn't regular.
Behind and before them the track
stretched as far as they could see,
while on both sides the prairie spread
away to the low edge of the gray sky.
Not a sound or a moyement except
that of the locomotive moving at full
speed.
'In came the cowboys heads, with n
volley of hard swearing, and there
stood Lloyd in the doorway, cooler
than 1 am this instant, but holding a
six shooter.
"'You have just five minutes to
make up your minds he said, and his
voice was as steady as his eyes. Will
you pay your fares as honest men or
get out and tramp to the next settle
ment, forty miles from here? Our en-
gineer is within hail of us, and he will
not come back unless 1 give him the
order. oh, you may murder me if you
choose" he cried, stepping farther into
the car as half dozen pistols were
grabbed. but 1 don't mean to die
alone, and at the sound of the first
shot our engineer will be off to Bis
marck.' o
For one long moment the prairie
wasn't stiller than that carload of ex-
cited humanity. Then big fellow
broke into a laugh, took his pistols
from his belt and, laying them on
seat, walked toward Lloyd, holding
out his empty fists.
"'Shakey he said. That was lone
hand, and pluckily you played it,
Boys he cried, "a chap who can look
ilrl,A .Irr-r, 4l,c. r,nrrrnIoS Of en m