Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-04-25

fastened through the car, got his flask,
set the latch SO that he could re-enter,
ard the next minute was administering I
stiff drink to the rag heap on the rear
seat. Once more the man essayed to tell I
his story. He was penniless, he hadn't
even anything left to sell, but out from |
an inner pocket he took an old worn |
card photograph and showed it to his |
new found friend. My wife and baby"
said he, with choke, "but the baby's |
gone, thank God.
Here, 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 came down and
curiously inspected them. The liquor,
the warmth, the food and human sym
pathy were restoring courage to the ao-
jeot object of few minutes before. lie
looked up without quaver at the brake
mans hail, but Tweeds spoke for him.
81 found this poor fellow back here a
few miles half frozen and hauled him
in. He only wants to go 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 thu
conductor promptly appeared. His face
grew darker at sight of the two. He
held irresolutely the $40 bill handed
him by Tweeds, and looked from enc
man to the other in deep distrust 81
don't understand this" he said.
How where'd you get aboard?"
At Willow Springs" said the
tramp. 81 walked there from the juno
ton. I'd "a frozen if it hadn't been for
this gentleman. y
81 can't change this, . said the con-
ductor. "I'll fetch it presently" And
nodding to his brakeman to follow him
he 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 an 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 brokenly to heap thanks
and blessings on his benefactor, and the
latter impatiently turned away. "That' s
nll 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 pOt t0 tnrn in -
"But, say, mister, stranger, hold on
one minute. IL want to pay this back
some day. How'll I know you!
Where'll send it?''
But Tweeds shook his head, waved
him off, strobe back to the sleeper,
sprung the latch against pursuit, then
half filled glass from his flask, gulped
the contents down and reseated himself
in the smoking compartment. "That's
the first man I've found in fortnight,
said he, "more miserable than I am. "
With that he took some letters from
his pocket, glanced them over and tore
the envelopes to shreds, sending the
fragments sailing on the night. AT 8
small card photograph in a fiat Russia
leather casa portrait of o laughing
girlish face-he gazed lingeringly, Their
returned it to an inner pocket. "No ont
would know it now," he muttered
Next he lifted from his cardcase dozer
or more pasteboards that bore in plain
heavy script the words "Mr. Darcy Hun
ter Gray" ripped them into shreds ant
sent them flying. AS calmly and me
thodically he searched through every
pocket for every scrap of paper, bills O.
billet doux, anything that could tend tt
establish his identity; glanced dubious
lyat the monogram on the back of hi
watch; scraped the lettering out of tn
!. crown Of his hat; took fountain pei
:, from his pocket and some paper and en-
velopes from his satchel wrote witt
infinite difficulty, owing to the swayini
, of the car, two brief notes which he i'll
closed and slowed under the flap of hi
bag, then once more glanced at hi
. watch. 1t was 2:45, and No. 1888 wa
whistling for Bowlder Greek. At las
they were out of the valley. Now 70
the climb up the divide.
!. "One cigar" he muttered. 81 let th
: other go out" His matchbox had dis
), appeared. He tried one pocket after al
! other, without result. Neither was Their
:, one to be had in the compartment. Th
train had stopped, and he could hea
;, footsteps on a wooden platform and tn
: muff1ed voices of men. Tiptoein
. through the long, dim, curtain bordere
aisle, he was suddenly checked. or
from narrow opening between til
. curtains of the second section came
= slender little white hand, holding 81
: yer travelling cup, and a soft voice, ST
= very as the cup, murmured "Oh, POI
" ter, would you kindly get me some WI
), ter?'
Mr.. Gray took the cup, filled i
! restored it with how to the unsee
Il occupant, watched the lily white hant
: with its few treasures of rings, sill
= back between the folds, then arouse
It the porter, profEered his request I!