The Washington times., 1904-03-28

was also a mistake II gave her time
to think. Her thoughts concerned them
selves with the satcheL She had no
ticed my care of it, and her curiosity
was aroused. She wanted to know.
It's purely business matter 1 ex-
planned politely I'll swear i did it po-
Itely
You mean nat it's none Of my bust
ness, she said with suspicious sweet
ness.
i didn't say So" protested.
You meant It. and you didn't take so
much pains to conceal it as you do some
things" She looked meaniagly at the
satcheL I would have kicked the beast
of a thing. If / could have been sure
It wouldn't kick back
4 believe you're ashamed of it." said
she. tauntingly. after a while
I'm ashamed of you. tormenting a
helpless man that never did you any
harm.
Just exactly what she said after that
I don't remember. IL wasn't worth re-
Numbering, any way Who's the idiot
that said it takes two 70 make a quar-
rel? II he'd had the advantage of Mil
dred Gaylcrd's acquaintance he'd have
recast his mathematics. When the last
word had been said-Of course. she said
it-she looked at me. aEc Ia have sworn
there were tears in ner eyes / bent
forward 20 make sure but she stamped
her foot on the satchel. That was too
much. / caught II up and fed. When
] came back Mildred wasn't visible nor
did { get more than a glimpse of her
that whole day.
BY that night ] didn't care whether
was alive or not / turned in thoroughly
upset. and turned out on my ear with
the car bucking under me like a bronco
There was a great grinding and crashing
Of the painless dentistry type. the cold
air came in, and / knew IL was a
wreck Ny first thought should have
been for the satchel, but It wasn't.
Mildred 7 cried, staggering down
the bulging aisle. Miss Gaylord
Where are you?'
Two little hands were on my should
trs. and in another instant I had drag
Eed her out through a contortcd open
ing that had once been two windows
into the half light Of the flushing dawn.
The next moment the satcheI had as
serted its sway over my mind Back
into the ruins I dashed, and. as the
smell Of burning wood came TO my nos
trils. my teeth chartered. What If [
reached it before me? My brain whirled
as I CROPPED among the fragments Of
my berth. Then my hand touched "A
familiar corrugated surface. and
staggered back 70 Mildred with my
prize.
My congratulations on the safety Of
what YOU most value she said, fixing
upon the satchel a disparaging gaze
Il did what ! could 10 save what ]
value above all else in the world" said
/ recklessly. and her eyes fell before
NINE
Just hand over that grip, young rei-
Iow!'
1 whirIed around to find myself con-
fronting a business-Iike man and a sun
more business-lilIe revolver. Mildred
gave q little cry of alarm.
And your purse. too. miss, added
the man.
There doesn't seem to be any room
for argument" / said You'd better
give him your money. Miss Gaylord"
Incidentally, I wondered what our
new acquaintance would do if he knew
what was in the satchel ! didn't think
he would continue to wear the appear
once of satisfaction which animated his
lace as he handled it, together with
Mudred's purse and my watch and wad,
while he kindly explained the situation.
MY pals are gOin' through the rest Of
tho bunch. Your cars the only one that
flew the track; the rail we sprung got
its work in late. Seein as the rest Of
the train might get curious and come
back. were just goin to march you to
q, shack back here In the woods while
we figure this thing out There might
be ransom into tt
Half an hour later there were eight
dismal captives in a deserted cabin.
waiting for a decision on their case. A
few yards away the five train robbers
were trying to reach decision Al
though warning had been given that
the first head TO project FROM the cabin
would be promptly shot of. there was
no embargo on peekinE through the
cracks. and il was thus that / saw with
emotions my little black satcheI
lying peacefully on the edge of the con-
ference. If I could only get outside and
collect a gOod-sized rock-and here NV
line Of thought was Interrupted by Mil
dred, VINO had been in "a corner. strup-