Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-16
rhe Holding-Up of Overland No. 8.
CHAPTER II.


connecting train, and in an hour We were
back on the main line While waiting for
the overland to arrive, Mr. Cullen asked
me to do something which, as it later prov
ed to have considerable bearing on the
events of that night, is worth mentioning,
trivial as it seems. When I had first join
| ed the party, / had given orders for % to
be kicked in between the main string and
their special, SO as not to deprive the occu-
pants of 21S of the view from their obSer-
walton saloon and balcony platform.
| Mr.. Cullen came to me now and asked
me to reverse the arrangement and make
my car the tail end l was giving orders
for the splitting and kicking in when No.
arrived, and thus did not the greet
| ing of Frederic Cullen and his family.
When l joined them, his father told me
| that the high altitude had knocked his son
up that he had to be helped from the
ordinary sleeper to the special and had
| to know something of medicine, and my
car had it's chest of drugs; so l took some
tablets and went into his state room. Fred
eric was like his brother in appearance
though not in manner having a quick
alert way. He was breathing with such
difficulty that was almost tempted to give
him nitrOglycerin, instead of Strychnine.
| but he said he would be all right soon
as he became accustomed to the -rerefied
air, quite pooh-poohing my suggestion that
| he take No. back to Trinidad, and while
| was still urging the train started. Leav-
| ing him the walls of digataliS and strych-
nine, therefore, / went back. and dined
solus on my own car. INDUCING at the end
| in cigar. the smoke of which would keep
turning into pictures of Miss Cullen. l
have thought about those pictures since
| then, and have concluded that when cigar
smoke behaves like that a man might
| as well read his destiny in it, for it can
mean only one thing.
After enjoying the combination 1 went
n a a
found that the heart tonics had benefited
him considerably. On leaving him l went
to the dining room, where the rest of the
party were still at dinner, to ask that the
invalid have strong cup of coffee, and
after delivering my request Mr.. Cullen ask
ed me to join them in a cigar. This did
gladly, for cigar and Miss Cullens society
were even pleaSanter than cigar and Miss
| Cullens pictures, because the pictures
never quite did her justice, and, besides,
didn't talk
Our smoke finished, we went back to the
| saloon where the gentlemen sat down to
| poker. which Lord Rallies had just learned
| and liked. They did not ask me to take a
hand, for which | was grateful, as the
salary of railroad superintendent would
hardly stand the game they probably play
ed, and 1 had my compensation when Miss
Cullen also was not asked to join them.
She said she was going to watch the moon
light the mountains from the platform,
and opened the door to go out, finding for
the first time that No. 90 was the 'ender.
In her disappointment she protested against
this, and wanted to know the why and
wherefore.
1--WE shall have far less motion, Madge."
Mr.. Cullen explained, land then We shan't
have the rear-end man in our car at night.
But l don't mind the motion" urged
Miss Cullen, land the fiagman is only there
after we are all in our rooms. Please leave
US the view
Il prefer the present arrangement
Madge, insisted Mr.. Cullen, in very pos
tive voice.
/ was so sorry for Miss Cullen's disap-
pointment that on impulse l said, THE plat
form of 81 is entirely at you service, Miss
Cullen" The moment 1t was out realized
that l ought not to have said 1t, and that
1 deserved a rebuke for supposing she
would use my car.
Miss Cullen took 1t better than 1 hoped
for and was declining the offer as kindly
as my intention had been in making it,
when, much to my establishment. her
father interrupted by saying:
by all means, Madge. That relieves us
of the discomfort of being the last
and yet let's you have the scenery and
moonlight.
Miss Cullen looked at her father for a
| moment as If not believing what she had
heard Lord Rallies seowled and opened
his mouth to say something, but checked
himself, and only flung his discard down
as if he hated the cards.
Thank you, papa" responded Miss Gull
len, but think l will watch you play"
| Mr.. Cullen, irritably. You might just as
well have the pleasure, and you'll only
disturb the game if you stay here"
Miss Cullen leaned over and whispered
something and her father answered her
Lord Rallies must have heard for he NUT
tered something, which made Miss Cullen
color up; but much good 1t did him, for
she turned to me and said, 'iSince my ia
Their doesn't disapprove l will gladly ac-
cept your hospitality, Mr. Gordon and
after glance at Lord Rallies that had
challenging I'll do as 1 please" in 1t she
went to get her hat and coat The whole
incident had not taken ten seconds yet 1t
puzzled me beyond measure even while
my heart beat with an unreasonable hope
for my better sense told me that it sim
ply meant that Lord Rallies disapproyed.
and Miss Cullen, like any girl of spirit.
was giving him notice that he was not
yet privileged to control her actions
Whatever the scene meant, his lordship
did not like 1t, for he swore at his luck
the moment Miss Cullen had left the
room.
When Miss Cullen returned we went
back to the rear platform of 81. / let
down the traps, closed the gates got a
camp stool for her to sit upon, with a
cushion to lean back on, and a footstool.
and fixed her as comfortably as l could,
even getting a travelling rug to cover her
lap for the plateau air was chilly. Then
I hesitated a moment. for 1 had the feel
ing that she had not thoroughly approved
of the thing and therefore she might not
like to have me stay. Yet she was so
charming in the moonlight. and the little
balcony the platform made was such a
tempting spot to linger on while she was
there. that it wasn't easy to go. Finally
I asked:
You are quite comfortable Miss Gull
lenT
.'Sinfully So" she laughed.
Then perhaps you would like to be left
to enjoy the moonlight and your medita-
tions by yourself?' I questioned l knew
ought to have just gone away but 1
simply couldn't when she looked so en-
ticing.
DO you want to go?' she asked
Nor calculated, so forcibly that she
gave little startled jump in her chair
That isl mean" l suffered embar-
raised by my own vehemence II rather
thought you might not want me to stay
What made you think THAR" she de-
manded.
never was good hand at inventing
explanations. and after moments seek
ing for some reason I pumped out BE
cause I feared you might not think 1t
proper to use my car, and suppose it's
my presence that made you think it,"
She took my stupid tumble very nicely,
laughing merrily while saying, If you