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

the fireman as Gray appeared. This
summed up the damage to person and
material, but not to nerves, tempers or
for piety. The language Of Mr..
Jarvis and his friend of the freight train
beggared description. The cavalry SER
geant felt an access of envious respect
as he listened Lieutenant Rawson in
vited both to have drink, and this
time it was accepted.
1t was FIVE mile stretch up to the |
Gap, and much more than that back to |
Bowlder, but news of the mishap had
to be sent and help summoned. 1t was
then that Grays shabby tramp had
come to the fore. He had been warmed,
fed and rested as he had not been for a
week. He was used TO walking, he said, |
and offered to carry the conductor PEN
ciled dispatch. 1t should have been sent
by brakeman of the freight, but both
were famed and badly bruised. Jarvis
looked more than uncertain at first, but
finally gave the man the important pa
per. Twenty minutes later the two
owboys, despite bangs and bruises, de-
clared that they. too, would "hoof it, y
and pushed ahead through the pallid
dawn. Gray, silent and observant, ap-
peared just as they departed and found
the lieutenant, the two conductors and
the cavalry sergeant in a quadrangular
council. At sight of the newcomer jar
Wis cautioned silence and dissolved the
meeting.
The girl whom Gray had so promptly
and tenderly cared for had recovered
consciousness within five minutes. She
looked up, dazed and startled, into the
strange face bending over her, and then
almost instantly asked for Mrs. Main
waring.
"She is unhurt," said Gray quietly.
"Don't worry. You have quitea bruise
here on the side of your head. Please
lie still until check the bleeding. Mrs.
Mainwaring will be back in moment. "
Mrs. Mainwaring had been there,
half distracted, wringing her hands and
laughing and crying by turns, and was
now lying in her berth, being minister
ed to by some sympathetic woman from
the other car. Another had come to aid
Gray, but, seeing how deftly he bathed
and stanched the wound, she confined
her attentions to wetting towels and
passing them to the strange gentleman.
So skillful were his ministrations that
the young lady presently declared her
self able to sit up and walk and insist
ed on seeing Mrs. Mainwaring. She was
assisted to her feet, and leaning on his
arm, was taken to her friend. Gray left
her there, slipped quietly away and
came forth, his heart beating with odd
emotion.
The next thing he found to do was to
help straighten out the fireman of the
/ freight, whowas shaking like an aspen,
completely demoralized and almost cry
ing. He, too, had struck soft sand when
he leaped from the train, but after a
somersault or two had been buried I'M
der an avalanche Of splintered board,
distributed from the roofs, sides and
flooring of the shattered cars The
heavy trucks, wheels and beams fortu-
nately had not been hurled more than a
s dozen yards from the track, but kin
ding wood in distracting quantities had
been showered far and near. The hand
some silver topped flask, SO admired by
the sergeant at the junction, was
promptly produced, and the fireman
took a long, long pull. Then Gray be-
thought him of his tramp. The recruits
and passengers, mingling in confused
knot with the damaged men, We're still
grouped about the wreck, some detail
ing personal impressions and expert
ences some noisy and nervous, Others
silent and doubtless thankful for their
escape others still thinking only of the
injured. OF these latter was Gray, at
whom the conductor was scowling sus.
piciously the while and saying some
thing in low tone to the lieutenant
"Do you know what became of tina
poor fellow we picked up at Willow
Springs?" asked Gray of the brakeman
who was ruefully contemplating I
ruined lantern. The man looked up in
stantly, but instead of answering turnet
and glanced significantly at the con
ductor
IF you want him, said the latte
coolly, ''yoc'l II have to follow tho track
five miles or more. Perhaps You knew
the two that went after him. Birds o
feather, take it-bound for the Gal
and spree on what's left Of that 81
bill"
"I'm very glad to hear he Il hurt,
said Gray. you've sent for help,
presumed
1--WE sent message by that tram
friend of yours, if that's what yo
mean. None of my crew or the freigh
could walk mile.
All this time Lieutenant rRawso
stood aloof, his forage cap pulled dow
over his brows. intently eying th
stylishly dressed man in tweeds. Ora
became conscious of the scrutiny, an
it annoyed him. OF the passengers i
the day coach none were men whom h
would have been at all likely to met
on equal terms in his past. Anon
those of the forward sleeper only tw
or three appeared to be men OF educa
tion or social standing, and they wer
nursing their bruises back in the lava
/ 81 g St,z