Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-11-20
CHAPTER 1 Continued.)

CHAPTER COntinued.)
SO small?" He muttered peevishly-
incredhlously.
SMALL" echoed the drummer. "I call
that plenty of territory for that many
people"
'Perhaps-yes, no doubt Ralph
absent-mindedly tapping the floor.
You going to stop off there?''
YES replied Marlowe without look
ing up.
And you expected to find it a bigger
placer"
Il had got the impression it was a
place of three or four thousand inhabi-
tants''
Thunder gasped the drummer.
Thats pretty near as many people as
there are in the county. You must be
thinking of Malconta. No, I've told you
the truth. Babylon is a place of about
six hundred
Marlowe looked up and remarked:
1t can't be a first-class place for a
drugstore, them
don't know about that I sell old
Doc Barwood lots of drugs. He has the
only drugstore in the township-sells
heaps of drugs and makes money hand
over fist. Quakerville and Foxtown are
tributary to the place, too. You're not
thinking of going into business there?
On. may be you're an oil man.
NO, am going to accept position. :"
That so?''
Ralph merely nodded.
In store?'
In drugstore, or pharmacy-or
whatever it may prove to be-
You don't mean you are going there
to clerk for old Doc Barwood ?''-with
lifted brows.
L do am, yes''
"The-devil-you-are!" calculated
the drummer.
Then, with dropped jaw and wide
open eyes, he sat and looked at Mar
lowe for full half minute.
The whistle screeched eerily.
Is that for Babylon?' Ralph asked.
Yes" replied his companion rousing
himself and extending his hand. well,
SC long. Give my respects to the old
doc. I'll be around to see you in a
week or so. Try and have an order
for me. Here smoke good cigar on
me. Seldom smoke? I do-and carry
'em to give away Matter of business,
you know. By the way, haven't in
troduced myself. My names Crider-
L. w. Crider-Leonidas Wallingford
Order. How'd you like to carry such a
name as that around in your grip all
your lffe-eh? And your name?"
Ralph Marlowe.'
Ralph Marlowe'' Order ratified on.
''Some sense in name like that. Short
but sweet. Here-let me help you with
that oVercoat. On she goes. By jocks
That's nice travelling bag you've got.
Wouldn't mind having one like it my
self. Here-have cake of gum. Don't
chew the stuff? And so you're going
to try to clerk for the old doc. I'll be
excuse me. Well, here you are. So
long you later
The locomotive was slowing; the bell
changing. Ralph stood leaning against
the end of his seat, satchel in hand,
waiting for the train to stop and won
dering why his new acquaintance had
been so surprised at the announcement
that he-Ralph-had accepted a place
with DR.. Barwood. The final bump
came-the coach stood still. The young
man edged his way along the aisle, NUT
tering:
81 wish I had asked him what he
meant But then he gave me no OPP
portunity; he talked necessarily. A
country village-a place of six hundred
inhabitants fine outlook, truly But
stuff Why should 1 care? I'll be lost
here-buried alive. It could not be bet
ter; l shall be securely hidden from
all who ever knew me. But what did
that drummer mean by saying-'So
you're going to try to clerk for the old
doc?' No matter. Here I am; and if
there's anything amiss, I'll soon have
the satisfaction of knowing ii"
The last thing he observed as he left
the car was the big lumberman arguing
politics with an old farmer and en-
phasizing his points by humping the
floor with his measuring stick; while
the oil mana rotund heap of lemon
colored oilskins-was fast asleep, and
the jockey was rubbing his rat-like
eyes and staring confusedly around.
Then Ralph stood alone upon the sta
tion platform; and the train was thun-
dering away in the blackness.