The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-25
THE EVENING STORY
Pete's Bad Hour.
(By Frank II. Sweet.)

| 1eee OuILy ran crouching across
the freight yards, scrambling under
the cars on all-fours. Then ascend
| ms 60 the top of a boxcar with the
agility of cat, he lay painting beside
the footboard.
The city rose from the yards as
rom an amphitheater. They were
s paIheG IN dust. though a red cash
nostiie sun withdrew after day that
nad nlled the hospitals The heat was
intensified by reflection from the la
Dyrinth OF rails and the metal of the
roiilng stock. A switch engine cough
60 unseen far down the yards where
narsh, Earring sounds accompanied
the snuntfng and coupling of cars
Lanterns danced and hickered in
Jerky fluctuations.
Pete was saturated with perspira-
ton, He pressed his chest against the
slope OF the car roof. where 1t feli
away from the footboard, to still the
pounding of his heart. His temples
throbbed, his mouth was dry as
ashes, and he breathed with wheezy
sobs. Yet, in the midst of his torture,
ne listened with a sense SO sharpeneo
by predatory habit and present dan
ger that the physical consciousness OF
1t added to his pain.
As yet he dared not move. voices
hoated to him, muffled and indistinct,
and he strained his ears to catch what
gather from their tones some clew
to the identity of the speakers.
burst of laughter relieved him. The
police would not laugh.
The revolver. thrust into the tight
hipped trousers that he wore in com
mon with his type, pressed against his
ribs as he lay on it. He drew 1T out
and placed it under the footnoard.
within easy reach. There were stlll
had done their work-done it well, he
hoped, with a grim Tightening of his
thin lips.
Muliigan had been looking for. it
river picnic, when Pete proved him
self the better man, as everybody had
declared. Mulngan deserved 1t, too.
Couldn't he have taken beating
it, and then spinning Old Man Leary
a whole string of lies: And Leary
was just on the point of adding his
consent to Norah's and letting them
down the river. Even the priest had
been spoken to with Leary's know
ledge.
Oh. well, there was no use whining
about it now. Mulligan was soft on
Norah, too, as everybody knew, and
that was the real bone of contention;
and Mulligan was hrother-in-law to
the section boss. who was supposed to
have a pun with the division superin-
tendent hirnself. The end was as
crisp tones of a judges sentence. Null
ngan was in the doctors ha44ds and
good for at least n month in the hos
pital. When he came out he would
marry Norah, who would be mad
through the lies told her, and-and-
well, he, Pete, would either have to
skulk around in hiding or give him
self up and take his medicine. And.
of course, he had forever lost all
chance of job on the road with Null |
ligan.
Pete dug his nails into his palms and
writhed. RemorSe he had none. He |
would havo done it all over again. What |
had happened was from his viewpoint |
Inevitable, the one honorable thing. He |
would resist to the last, of course. Now |
that Norah was lost to him, what was |
the use of living?
They would search the freightyards, |
though they seemed to have lost the |
scent. The growing darkness favored |
him Perhaps he might venture now on /
a change of position.
He raised his head. The switch engine |
still puffed. and the uneasy reflection OF
lanterns glimmered in spots, their bear
crs hidden by intervening cars. The
tracks shook with the vibration of trains
passing on the main line. To the north |
a massive bridge overhung the yard
where it narrowed. Under the arc light |
that snapped and fIickered above it two
policemen were posted, their faces blue
black under the shadow Of their summer
He was about to descend between the
cars when the sound of approaching feet
arrested him, even as his hand closed |
upon the top rung of the iron ladder to
swing off. He noiselessly cooked the re-
vo1ver.
The car door rolled open, there was a
scramble and the crack Of a match
within Pete lowered his weapon and
peered downward just as a dark form
emerged from the interior. closely follow
ed by a second. There was that in each
figure which Eeeded no more
than outline to declare the tramp
They stood leaning with their backs
against the SILL
Hes goin' to croak." asserted one
Of them me for Beertown."
you've lost your nerve. It's nothin'
but the heat. I seen kids like that be-
fore"
IT tell We he's goin' to croak." reit-
Grated the first voice. Listen to him
breathe"
There was short silence.
you're a chump," the other struck
in presently. Didn't we find him lost
near the yards, an lock him in the
car for safe keepin'? What have we
lone? Nothin'-only took care of
him. An won't his folks make good
when we write 'em how we rescued
little Willie from hoboes UP the line?
It ought to be good for fifty apiece, the
way he's rugged out. An you want to
weaken"
A thin, querulous cry sounded from
he depths of the car. The second
ramp stuck his head into the door
md growle6 a ferocious threat.
st won't stand for it, protested the
,ther. Its plain kidnappin'."
Huh! We only takes him up the
inc a hundred miles or 50. This train
pulls out at IL. It's cinch.'
"Stay with it, then, If you want to,
amt ta1kin' no chances with a dead
lid"
The speaker dived under the rods ;
md disappeared. His companion
wore, looked into the car and hest :
ated. A sight OF the officers on the