Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-10-08

cigarette for eight minutes and ne
showed the effects of the privation.
Smoker" he asked Garrett, finger
ng his case.
Garrett thought he wouldn't. and
melt into the blue blaze of the forward
ar.
Garrett could not resist a searchinG
iancc At the girls face. He had
cndorCd whether size was a New
'ork Girl toned up by travel or
eXas girl toned down by Vassar;
I'd II had occurred 10 him, naturally,
Sat as most girls were not what you
yFected, she probably wasn't either
these.
Tie train lad stopped Garrett
ruld hear the laughter and eXclama-
,ons CT the four men at the other end
{ the car who were engaged in an
yremely audible game OF cards. At
lis moncnt a new passenger ap-
'ccrod in the nearby door and
roppel ilto the scat Garrett had oc-
lpied
He was a til, handsome man, with
nick, tawny hair. graceful rlustacho
nd friendly blue eyes. Both Garrett
nd Miss Ala no looked at him. He
crtainly Was good 10 look upon. Car
cit remarked that his broad brimmed
cit LIST, with four dimples in the
rown. was OF about the same shade
Is Miss Alamo's dress.
The newcomer studied his watch.
Trains a little late, isn't it?" he
,sked Garrett in an easy tone.
Il SUPPOSE so. These trains al
ways are
The engine broathed and muttered
n the quiet Of the station. Garrett
;azed through the Window at a mule
cart with dusky driver, asleep; at
shabby general merchandise" shop
Beyond the white road; at n young
Mexican rolling cigarette with yell
low paper, and lifting his fingers one
by one. as from musical instrument
until the thing had burned down into
the shadow of his mustache; at big
hulking bird circling in the clear sky.
What sort OF a fowl is that?" asked
staring in the same direction.
"A buzzard," replied the handsome
man, who smiled his charming smile
and added, You're from the north, l
reckon
Garrett nodded.
Ugh" shivered Miss Alamo. How
| hate buzzards"
They have a sinister reputation"
said Garrett. He had been staring
through the window again. 81 was
just fancying," he went on. "a man
wounded, or helpless out there-would
they pounce on him."
Not unless he was dead replied
the handsome man. He smiled again
his charming smile. And the longer
he had been dead the better they
would like him
Garrett looked for a questioning
second at the blue eyes of the new
conner. He fancied that Miss Alamo
rather liked the man.
When the train had been rumbling
again for number of miles the card
players became particularly audible,
and the handsome man seemed an
noyed. you would think this was
their private car" he said to Garrett.
Then one of the men used dis
agreeable epithet in a loud tone. A
dozen men in other parts of the car
looked quickly toward them. Both
Garrett and the handsome man arose,
and the latter strobe forward in the
car Miss Alamo caught Garrett by
the sleeve. Let them alone" she
whispered, cor well have fireworks"
Look here" came the mellow voice
Of the handsome man, there's lady
in the car and you've got to respect
her presence. Understand me?" The
four men were on their feet as the
speaker strobe back toward his seat.
What is that TO you?" roared one
of the card players, fiinging the pack
into the aisle.
There were other loud words, a con-
fused murmur and stir through the
car. and Garrett saw the handsome
man pull the bell cord. The air
brakes squealed. moment of
startled silence fell over the group of
passengers.
"A trick" cried Miss Alamo in Gar
ret's ear. It's hold-up,"
AS she spoke, Garrett saw the
CLEAN of three revolvers at the other
end Of the car, and heard the metallic
voice Of one Of the card players shout
ing, Hands up, everybody! and quick
about it,"
Garrett afterwards remembered that
II was like vote at meeting, except
that everyone was voting twice. He
was surprised at the instructive re-
Spouse his own hands made to de-
mand of which he scarcely had
realized the purport.
He saw the quick movement CT one
of the men who turned to the forward
car; he heard the grunt of the trucks
as the car stopped he became con-
scious of some movement and sharp
command outside the train. Then he
impulsively turned his eyes to the
handsome man across the aisle.
The handsome man was standing
with his back toward the window one