Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-08-16

| lights They made way respectfully
as the lieutenant entered. Connolly
came to meet him and nodded sig
| nificantly at Murray, who lay in a
berth near the middle of the car,
still carefully watched by Hunt. Fos-
ter, wearied, had turned in, and, with
his face to the window, seemed to
have fallen asleep. The conductor
came through, lantern in hand.
cts the quietest and best behaved
lot, barring that chap, I ever car
ried," said he to Stuyvesant. s'But
he's wicked enough for a dozen.
Wonder he don't go to Sleep
"Humph! says he wants a bottle
| of beer" grunted Connolly. Cant
get to sleep without it. I wouldn't
give it to him if had kag."
"He doesn't deserve it, of course
said the conductor. ''What he ought
to have is an all-around licking. But
I've known beer to have a soothing
effect on men who'd been drinking,
| and it might put him to sleep and
save bother"
"Let him have it, said Stuyvesant,
| : briefly. .'I'n send it in by the stew
ard. And, corporal, if you or any
of your men would like it, I'll be
glad"
| Some two or three looked quickly
and expectantly up, as though they
| might like it very much, but Cor
poral Connolly said he "dassent,'' he
''never took a drink of anything on
duty since three, years ago come
Fourth of July" So the others were
abashed and would not ask. Older
hands would not have held their
| tongues.
| To Murray's surprise, a trimming
glass of cool beer was presently Of
fered him. He gulped it thirstily
down, and without word held out
| the glass for more. A grinning
| waiter obliged him with what re-
NAMED in the bottle. Murray asked
| if that was all, then, with something
like grunt of dissatisfaction, rolled
heavily over and turned his face to
the wall.
''Well, of all the ungrateful cads 1
ever see," said Hunt, you're the
worst! Dye know who sent that
| beer, Murray? It was the young
officer you insulted." But Murray's
| only answer at the moment was a
| demand that Hunt shut up and let
him go to sleep.
| The last thing Stuyvesant remem-
bered before doing off was that the
smell of those journal-boxes was
getting worse. At two in the morn
ing, in the heart of the desert, the
conductor had made his way through
the train and remarked that, despite
that unpleasant odor, every man of
the recruit detachment was sound
asleep. In berth next the door
the steward of the dining-car had
found room, and the entire car
seemed wrapped in repose.
Five minutes later by the watch
it was wrapped in flames.
! Speaking of the matter later in the
morning, the brakeman said it didn't
seem ten seconds after he had pulled
| the bell-rope and given the alarm
before Lieut.. Stuyvesant, a tall, slim
figure in pajamas and slippers, came
bounding to his aid.
The flames even then were burst
ing from under the steps and plat
form, the dense smoke pouring from
| the rear door of the recruit car, and
coughing, choking, blinded, stagger-
ing, some of them scorched and bis
tered, most of them clad only in
undershirt and drawers, the luckless
young troopers came cropping forth
and were bundled on into the in
terror of the diner. Some in their
excitement strove to leap from the
| train before it came to its humping
grinding halt. Some were screaming
in pain and panic. Only one, Hunt,
was dressed throughout in uniform.
The steward of the diner, nearly
suffocated before being dragged out
of his berth, was making vain eff
/ 60, - Oh l.
blazing car, crying that all his money
was under that pillow. But it was
impossible to stem the torrent of
| human forms.
The instant the train stopped, the
flames shot upward through the sky
light and ventilator, and then the
voice of Connolly was heard yelling
for aid. Selling blanket that had
been dragged after him by some be-
wildered recruit, and throwing it
over his head and shoulders, Stuyve-
SAINT, bending low, dove headlong
into the dense wall of smoke.
The flames came leaping and lap
ping out from the doorway the in
slant he disappeared, and a groan of
dismay arose from the little group
already gathered at the side of the
track. Five, ten seconds of awful
suspense, amid then, bending lower
still, his loose clothing afire, his hair
and eyebrows singed, his face black
| with SCOT and smoke and scared by
flame, the young officer came plung-
ing forth, dragging by the legs
PROSTATE, bowling man, and after
them. blind and staggering, came
Connolly.
Eager hands received and guided
the rescuers, leading them into the