Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-12

with unabated violence The train had
come to a standstill and echo of the ex-
element within spread to the knot of
loungers on the platform There appeared
before them one man struggling against
four others, and the four all employees OF
the company. Piercy, with his hand upon
the victims throat, struggled to push him
backward from the car platform, when,
with a sudden effort. the man writhed free,
and, stepping sideways, plunged the detec-
tive headlong from his hold. But the next
instant Piercy had arisen, roaring. and
aimed a heavy blow at the others head.
He struck; it's force fell short. and yet be-
fore he could recover himself, his opponent
dashed fist full in his face and ran.
Stop him." screamed the detective, whip
ping out his revolver. He leveled the sights
at the running man, but the conductor in
terposed.
Don't shoot-don't," he cried, striking
up the muzzle, and the bullet sped harm
lessly singing over the treetops Then, ere
another shot could be fired, the running
target reached the shelter of the railroad
shed, whipped round the corner and was
gone. After himi" shouted Piercy, fol-
lowing. He sprang ahead. his pistol held
above his shoulders, and destruction in
his eye After him, / say" he called
over his shoulder to the train hands, but
before they could respond diversion, ut
terly unexpected, terminated the affair.
Percy had reached the shed when a hand
outstretched knocked the pistol from his
sudden onrush of the station loungers, and,
bruised and bleeding, was left to stagger
back. dull and dazed. to the sanctuary of
the train. A shower of stones followed
him, the crash of breaking glass sounded
along the cars. and at full speed the train
pulled out of Seed City, carrying it's doubt
full honors with It.
Meanwhile, in the woods that flank the
Seed City station shed, the principal in the
conflict stood surrounded by the men that
had come violently to the rescue.
Yer fit 'em smart, yer did, cried one,
and the man, looking round. saw that it
was the tall mountaineer who had sat be-
hind him in the car. why. boys" laughed
the mountaineer. "he fit off the hull crew
on them!" He was still laughing when
a newcomer strobe out of the bush and
Joined them whats up?" this one asked
Hello, Doc: ye jes' missed it, The
lank mountaineer pointed in explanation to
the stranger among them and the newcomer
eyed him keenly We'll what's hit all
spiced with a flow of complimentary oaths
the picture drawn of the one man battling
courageously with the oppressor, and when
II was finished the man they had called
Doc" reached out his hand. Good fur
yer!' he cried. I'm right glad to meet
yer. My names Burdie''
oh, said the other. slowly, yer Doc
Burdle, then?"
Right yer air-yer must hearn tell on
me?"
Yes said the other, his eyes cleaning,
/ surely haVei
Six weeks had passed since Flanders de-
parture, without word or sign from him
The chief, uneasy at his long absence
was wondering whether he had not been
too harsh, too ready TO send him upon this
mission, where death, in a sense, was wa
gered as the stakes Now the best that
Tower could do was to promise himself
that on the following day he would send
out a trailer to find what had become of
the missing man
Down the main line at this moment the
operator at Guamo Siding. in solitary pos
session of the place. was deeply lamenting
the chance that had set him down as the
surveying monarch of all its loneliness.
Outside the face of the landscape glim-
mered in the torturing heat; the air
drored with the shrill voices of myriad
of insects, and the breeze, a veritable fur
mace BREATH added to the inferno with
the dust 1t drew up in its train. In desper-
alton the operator set to filing points on
his saunders and keys, but this only in
creased his torment; the rasp of the tool
added to the manifold sounds from the SUI
perheated world outside, driving him to the
brink OF desperation. In disgust he threw
down his file. shook the beads of hot sweat
| from his brow and was tapping a glass of
tepid water from the barrel in the corner
when a low voice broke in on his ref1ec-
lions.
"Say-you theret
AT the window beside the keyboard a
| hand was holding up the curtain, and I'M
| derneath appeared a face, sustained
burned to copper red and set with two
marvelously cleaning eyes. Startled, the
operator dropped the. glass Gathering tc
the floor and ieaped to one side The next
| instant he was with his back to the wall
| a pistol cleaning in the duh light Of the
| shaded station. What you want?" he
demanded, shrilly, and at this q broad