The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1909-03-26
CHAPTER I'LL.
The Train Robbers.

The Train Robbers.
When the colonel awoke next morn.
| ing the train was running smoothly
over the Iowa prairies, while low hills
and brick factory chimneys announced
Council Bluffs. The landscape was
limitable corn fields in their winter
| disarray, or bleakly fresh from the
| pillow, all painted with a palette hold.
| Ing only drabs and browns; here and
| there dab of red In barn or of
white in windmill or house; but these
livelier tints so scattered that they
were no more than pin spots on the
picture. The very sky was as dimly
colored as the earth, lighter, yet of no
brighter hue than the fog which
smoked up from the ground. Later
in the spring this same landscape
would be of delicate and charming
beauty; in summer or autumn it
would make the beholder's pulse throb
with it's glorious fertility; but on a
blurred March morning it was as
dreary as the reveries of an aging man
who has failed.
Nevertheless, Rupert Winters first
conscious sensation was not depres-
sion, only little Jingle of interest and
excitement, such as stings pleasantly
one who rises to a prospect of con-
fiict in which he has the confidence of
his own strength. by Jove!" he
wondered, whatever makes me feel
so kiddish?"
His first impulse was to peep
through his curtains into the car. 1t
wore its early morning aspect of muf-
| fed berths and stuffy curtains, among
which Miss Smiths trig, carefully fin
ished presence in fresh white shirt
waist, attended by the pleasant whiffs
of cologne water, gave the beholder a
certain refreshing surprise. One hand
| white and firm and beautifully cared
| for) held wicker bottle, source of the
| pleasant whiffs; her sleek black
| braids were coiled about her comely
head, and the hair grew very prettily
in blunted point on the creamy nape
| VI lCl hCCh. IL was really UIOWu
hair, but it looked black against the
| whiteness of her skin. She had very
| capable-looking shoulders, the colonel
noted, and a fiat back; perhaps she
wasn't pretty, but in long while he
had not seen more attractive looking
woman. She made him think of q
! Bonnie Celine rose, somehow. He
could hear her talking to some one be-
hind the berth's curtains Could those
doleful means emerge from Archie
Could a Winter boy be whimpering
about the jar of the train in that
fashion? Immediately he was aware
that the sufferer was Randall for Miss
Smith spoke: Bring the tea, and lie
down again, I'll attend to Mrs. Winter
Don't you worry"
Getting solid with Randall com
mented the colonel. (which is She
kind-hearted, or an accomplished vii
lainess? Well, it's interesting, any
| how"
| By the time he had made his toilet
! the train was Stacking speed ready tC
halt in Council Bluffs, and all his sus
| picions rushed on deck again at the
| sight of Miss Smith and Archie walk
| ing outside.
He joined them, and he had to admit
that Miss Smith looked as pleased as
Archie at his appearance. Nor die
she send single furtive glance, slant
ing or backward, while they walked
in the crisp, clean air. Once the traiT
/ had started and Miss Smith was in the
| drawing-room, breakfasting with Mrs
Winter and Archie, he politely attend
/ ed Mrs. Millicent through the morning
meal in the dining-car. 1t was Sc
good a meal that he naturally, al
though illogically, thought better o.
Miss Smiths prospects of innocence;
and cheerily he sought Haley. Ht
found him in the smoking compart
/ ment of the observation car, having
for companions no less personages
than the magnate and distinguished
/ looking New Highlander, who, Ruper
| Winter made no doubt, was Harvard
professor of rank and renoWn among
4 his learned kind. He knew the ear
marks of the species The New Eng
lander's pencil was flying over little
/ improyised pad of telegraph blanks
| while he listened with absorbed inter
est to Haley's rich Irish tones. Thert
was little sidewise lunge Of Haley''
4 mouth. q faint twinkle of Haley's fran1
and simple eyes which the colonel ap
i, IL. raj