Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-27

In accordance with these, Bud hung
about the railroad station a great deal
cultivating the friendship Of Terrill,
the agent. "Ole Man" Terrill, as he
was called, although he was a vigor'
GUS specimen Of manhood on the under.
side Of sixty, was ticket and freight
agent, express messenger and tele-
graph operator-in fact, the entire bu-
reau Of transportation and communica.
tion-at Florence station. Bud frankly
told him he was out Of job and had
indeed decided, in view of his coming
marriage, to give up horse wrangling
for some vocation Of more elevating
character. So Terrill let him help
about the station, chiefly in the clerical
work. While so engaged Bud learned
that a package valued at $4,000 was
expected upon certain train. Al
though no conslgnee was mentioned,
the fact that the amount Tailed exact
" with the sum Payson was expect
ing caused him to conclude 1t was
Dicks repayment Of his loan. Ac-
cordingly he informed Mckee that the
time they were awaiting had arrived.
Florence had grown up as settle
ment about spring Of water some
time before the advent Of the railroad.
Builders Of the line got into trouble
with the Inhabitants and in revenge
located the station half mile away
from the spring, thinking new settlers
would come to them. In this they
were disappointed. The point was an
isolated one and the station deserted
spot between trains.
Eastward and westward the single
track of railroad drifted to simmer
ing points on the horizon. To the
south dreary wastes Of sand glistening
white under the FURNISHED sun and
crowned with clumps Of grayish green
sagebrush stretched to an encircling
rim of hills. Cacti and yucca palms
broke the monotony Of the roll Of the
plains to the uplands.
Sahuaros lowered over the low sta
ton, which was built In the style Of
the old Spanish missions. Its red roof
fiared above the purple shadows cast
by its walls. In the fathomless blue
above buzzard sailed majestically
down an air current and lowered mo-
tionless over the lonely outpost Of civil
.lization.
Within the station telegraph sound
er chattered and chirruped. "Ole Man"
Terrill was at the instrument. His du-
ties were over for the forenoon, the
eastbound express. which. with the
westbound. composed the only trains
that traversed that section Of the road
each day. having arrived and departed
u half hour before. and he had cut in
Oh the line to regale himself with the
news of the world. But there was a
,learth of thrilling events such as his
rude soul delighted In. The Apache
uprising that was feared had not taken
place. Colonel Hardie Of Fort Grant
had the situation well In hand. The
nihilists were giving their latest car
a breathing spell. No new prizefghter
had arisen to wrest the championship
Of the world from John l.. Sullivan. who
had put all his old rivals ito Sleep"
"Ole Man" Terrill proceeded to follow
their example He had been up late
the night before at poker game. His
head fell forward with jerk. Aroused
by the shock. he glanced drowsily
about him. Heat waves danced be-
fore the open window. Deep silence
hung over his little world. Again his
eyelids closed. his head dropped. and
slowly he slipped into sleep.
Tragedy was approaching him now.
but not along the wire Down an ar
royo, or "draw" (the dry bed Of a wa
ter course). that wound in detour
around the town Of Florence and de-
bouched into the open plain near the
station. crept two men in single file,
each leading horse. They were Buck
Mckee and Bud Lane, who had ridden
north from the town that morning with
the declared purpose Of going to Bucks
old ranch, the Lazy X. They had cir
cled about the town, timing their ar.
rival at the station little after the de-
parture of the train which was ex-
pected to bring Dick Lanes money.