The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-26
-:- OUR DAILY SHORT STORY .


l pulled door making 1t possible to board | the train, then he swung down the . aisle of the Pullmans. With sort of I new savagry that baked at nothing, he stopped at the middle section of the third car. The pretty girl went white as she glanced from him to the old | man. babbling foolishly at her side. Lancaster hoped blithely onto his 1it- tie patent feathers and presented the younger man patronzingly. The lady soon to be Mrs. Lancaster" he said. smiling fatuously upon her. Mccall thought of the four previous Mines. Lancaster as he looked down at the girl who avoided his gaze. but sat very still, clinching her hands in her lap. I'm glad to know you" he said, Miss Lederer," reaching out his hand and making her give him hers In deed, I'm glad to see you He searched her eyes intently for a moment then, dropping her hand. he gripped old Lancaster's arm till he winced.
 The train Is pulling into the liar lem station. Come, we'll be carried on"
 Not much of calamity for me-" Lancaster simpered. run along-I have my adieux to make to the future Mrs. Lancaster.
 Mccall needed but the blink of an eye-lash to set him waving the i'm
 
 window. But he finally succeeded in shutting hmiself into the smoking room where he said things to the help less walls. He was sure, absolutely, that the girl was miserable--he knew 1t by her eyes. He did not know that she loved him. in fact, he thought she didn't. but old Lancaster was not go- ing to have her! How had 1t hap pened! Marry old Lancaster-a rose like her! Perhaps she preferred being an old mans darling He gripped his hands in fury and for the first time in fifteen minutes became conscious of the apple. His tension relaxed. A smile struggled over his rigod face and into his tortured eyes
 1t. She wants somebody to help herl"
 The train was slowing down for the second stop as Mccall bolted once more at the middle section of the Pull man.
 If you will come to the rear plat form of the train, he said in Lancas- ters ear. T can give you some val uable information. The process serv- ers-''
 Lancaster started perceptb1y--then laughed. All right Mccall. I'll be out presently. A joke like that is too good to miss"
 Mccall laughed in sinister fashion as he withdrew to the rear platform. He had caught the light of sudden hope in the girls eyes and his mind was made up. The train had stopped, and Mccall opened the vestibule door and waited for Lancaster. The old mans manner had changed when he appeared. He was alert, suspicious, belligerent, even.
 Whats all this?" he demanded in a shrill little voice that betrayed his agl- taton.
 Mccall smiled grimly and made his next move.
 '"The last deal bungled. and Temple wires me that if you want to save your skin you'd better drop off the train and take to the trees. They're waiting for you at Boston" Mccall lied can nily. following the expression of the dissipated old face alarmed out of its accustomed impassivity.
 "You--you don't mean it?" he stam- mered. palsied with fear. ''Why-how do they know 1t? They couldn't pos sibly know it," he concluded dehantly
 McCalrs narrowed eyes decreased to pin-points. The train was moving. there was no time to waste He took a long pull on his cigar--and made his first mistake
 "ManipuIations like that don't stay shut up forever. Copper"
 Copper" the old man snarled; his face a playground of intense relief and angry comprehension. "Ha- ha -ha, Copper. Young gossoon." he an nounced, your game don't work. I'll stay aboard!'
 McCalrs hand had darted forward.
 You will, eh?" he growled between set teeth. Well see about that" and, gripping the back gores of the we'll pressed coat, over the spot where wings would never sprout, he swung the old man clear off his feet and dropped him, like bad egg. from the slow moving train.
 He stood watching the infuriated victim of his new lease of life pick himself up from the cfnder- strewn wayside and flourish both fists fin wasteful extravaganza of wrath. He laughed outright in glee at his success in riddng himself of the old man. His face almost instantly heightened. There was the girl to reckon with; the wilds had taught him how to manage man but a girl! An, that was a different proposition His experience of her weeks ago with this same girl had not conduced to enlarglng his egotism with regard to femininity.
 He turned resolutely and strode down the aisle. The lights were on and the girl was gathered Into corner, naughty but miserable--his love for her sharpened his understanding to that extent. Impetuously he held out the apple.
 You meant it." he challenged eager ly. Now. didn't vou?"
 For one horrible moment she defted him with h"r great blue wonderful eyes. then:
 Yes. yes. yes" she cried. whitening Into a little heap with her face pressed against the window.
 Mccall felt like a ghoul, but he per sisted.
 You were forced into it?' he asked
 There was no response.
 The sting of her cruelty came hack with double force as he sat helplessly looking at her dejected figure and re- alzed that perhaps he had unveiled all this suffering with medler's hand, s=sa