Daily Arizona silver belt. (Globe, Gila County, Ariz.) 1906-1929, 1908-10-20

1
a rocket bchlal it, plunged heavily
over the rim of the bluff into the river
A moment later the deep black wa.
tiers of "the hole" had closed. above
the mass of senticnt steel The swift
current had smoothed away every
| trace of the strange monster il had en-
quilted, and there by the side OF the
track, huddled against the broken sig
nal post, his clothing plastered with
mud and CRIME, motionless and with
a nasty cut on the temple. lay Harry
| Sanderson.
long, saturating peace, a deep and
drenching darkness, had folded him.
Duly at first, at length more insistent-
ly and sharply. rhythmic pulsing
sound began to annoy the quietude.
K-track, k.track, k-track-it grew loud.
er; ii grew more momentous and ma
tcrial; it irritated the calm that had
wrapped the animate universe. AS
though from an Unreasonable distance
he heard n low. CONTINUOUS roar and
now and again through the roar nearer
voices
Harry awoke. His mind awoke, but
his eyes did not open at once, for the
gentle swaying that Graded him was
pleasant, and the mufiied clack and
hum soothed him like opium. lie open.
ed his eyes. 1t was daylight. He was
lying on dusty boards that ratified and
vibrated beneath him, the floor of an
empty freight car in motion. A small
brown dog, an abject, muddied and
his side. 1t whined as il with joy TO
see his eyes opened, and it's stubby tail
beat the floor.
Harry turned his head. Two men in
dlngy garments were seated ON the
floor little distance away thumbng a
decrepit pack of cards over an empty
box. He could see both side faces. one
weather beaten and good humored, the
other crafty-knights of the road
The sudden movement had sent a
momentary twinge 10 his temple. He
put up his hand. 1t touched coarse
handkerchief that had been bound
tightly about it. The corner hung down.
1t was soiled and stiff with blood.
What was he doing there? Where was
he? Who was he?
1t came to him with start that he
actually for the moment did not know
who he was-that he had ridiculously
slipped the leash of his identity. He
smiled at his predicament. He would
lie quietly for few moments. and IL
would come. or course it would come,
Yet it did not come. though he lay
many moments, the fingers OF his mind
fumbling for the latch of the closed
door He had walked perfectly wei,
all save the slight cut on his temple.
and that was clearly superficial,
mere scratch Not trouble or ankle
~ married his soul. His mind was us
clear and light rs lark's Body and
had serious ache ia the world But
all that had preceded his awakening
was gone from him as completely as
though it had had no existence.
Stealthily he rose to a sitting posture
and, with a frown of humorous per-
lOOh S"liL bItIt III
ventory. He scanned his clothing. His
coat was threadbare and, with mud,
oil and coal dust, was in a more dis
reputable state. His wristbands were
grimy, and one cufflink had been torn
away. He had no hat
He bethought himself of his pockets
and went through them methodically
one by one. They yielded several dol.
lars in coin, penknife and tiny gold
cross. but not letter, not scrap OF
paper, nothing to serve him. The
CLEAN of ring on his finger caught
his eye. He rubbed away the dirt and
carefully examined it, wondering IL
the stone was real. His hand was
slightly cut and swollen, and the circlet
would not come off, but by shifting it
slightly he could see the white depres-
sion made by long wear. The setting
vas an odd one, formed Of the twisted
letters IL. S. Those naturally should
be his initials, but there he stopped.
He repeated to himself all the names
he could think Of, beginning with $,
but they told him nothing.
He looked himself over again care
fully. reflectively. He put out his hand
and laid it on the spaniels head.
Its rough tongue licked his fingers.
II held up one fore paw mutely and
lamcly. He drew the feverlsh, dirty
little creature into his lap and exam
ined the limp member 1t was broken.
Poor little beggar.' said he under
his breath. 80 you've been knocked
out too" With his knife he cut a piece
from the lining of his coat and with a
splinter of wood from the floor he set
the fractured bone and wrapped the
leg tightly. The dog submitted with
out whimper, and when he set II
down it lay quietly beside him watch
Ing him with affectionate canine solici.
tude.
II wonder who we are, you and i"
muttered Harry SanderSOn whimsical