The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-01-09

prised as a shadowy form swung itself
! from the ground 10 their side.
"ls that you. Tom" whispered one.
where did you leave the brakemanf"
The answer was n staggering blow
that knocked him 10 the ground, where
he lay. stunned by the force Of the fall.
In another moment the two men that
remained upon the platform were en-
gagged in a desperate struggle. Back
and forth they swayed for n minute;
| then there was the crack of revolver.
and william Graves fell. He had just
time 10 fancy that the shot was echoed
| by another and then the dim ears
seemed chasing each other In a fantas-
tic race. and he knew no more.
The General Manager had taken n
hand I'm the struggle; that was the
meaning of the echo be fancied he
heard before the wo:ld and he parted
company for n time. The General Man
ayers shot did execution. too. and.
with two OF the outlaws disabled and
the passengers aware that resistance
had become possible IL took but brief
time 20 put the rest OF the gang 10 rOut
When William Graves came back 20
the land OF the living from the unseen
country where he had jOurneyed for a
little while. his eyes opened upon such
scene OF luxury as caused him 10
close them again with the notion that
he must be dreaming. Then, as he
slowly opened them again he became
aware that n very small voice was al.
dressing him:
How are you now, Fridayr
Pretty well. Robinson"
Does your shoulder hurt much
nowp"
For the first time the man who had
passed from the brakebeam OF n pri-
vate car 10 n place on its softest bed
noticed that something did appear 10
be wrong with his right side.
1T does seem TO hurt little" he
said.
That's where the robber winged
you. but my pa fixed him. Going to go
after goats with me when you get well,
FridayY
81 guess will. Robinson"
That was all the two talked then, for
a tall man appeared and said 70 Will
lam Graves:
You would better 60 10 sleep now.
There will be time for talk hereafter"
So William Graves. with no room in
his mind for anything except wonder
that he. the man Of the brakebeam,
should be placed amid such surround
ings, went 10 sleep.
1t was quite n week later, ana Robin
son and Friday had had many talk
I'm the meantime. when the tall man
sat down 10y the bed in his house where
the wounded man still passed much Of
his time. and said to him:
Tell me something about yourself, If
yor please; not at present about that
night, for | saw you when you at.
tackled the two men, but about your.
self"
by this time William Graves knew
that the tall man was the General
Manager, and, Notwithstanding the
kind treatment he had received he
lie merely turned uncaslly on his bed
and said
"Thcrc isn't much TO tell"
"What is your business"
"Brakeheam tourist"
The tall man smiled. $50 iu3 .ol"
he said. did you ever have any ether
busincssY
Used to railroad it."
what happened"
"Went on n strike; never got back"
what made you attack those two
desperate men the other night?'
Heard them say they were going to
steal Robinson. He had been good to
me-"
The thought Of Robinson was very
dear thought to the tall man. and so.
rs he turned away, IL need not be con
sidCred strange that there was pecu-
liar and very unusual dimncss in his
eyes. But all that he said was:
"Well, hereafter you will have all the
chance of which you prove yourself
worthy"
William Grave had that chance. and
he proved himself worthy. Through
the various grades of the service, and
with the General Managers kindly eye
always upon him, he worked his way
upward. To-day he is i'm charge of
division. Sometimes there strides into
his office tall young man who says,
How are you, Friday" and he re-
spends, Hello. Robinson for the two
are as good friends ms ever. although
they have long since given up the idea
of finding goats on the California des-
crt
And so IL was that William Graves
was promoted from brakchc0w --
New York Times.
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