The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-12

good a time to begin learning as any
Why not let me carry the book"
responded Brockett. Then, If a Mex
lean starts any conversation, l can
simply dig up the book and read him
the proper answer"
Good idea," assented Solano, "ex-
cept in emergency cases. Suppose q
large, thick revolutionist, of the bone
head variety, asks you to give a quick
account of yourself, and has a rifle
pointed at you while he is asking?
And suppose, also, that he gives you,
In Spanish, a time limit of two min
utes to make good? Are you going to
resurrect the book, begin with the
sentence, The dog of my uncle has
bitten the left leg of the COW belong
ing to my father and go down the
pages till you find the proper SEN
tence for the ~exisency?"
Brockett chortled, to the intense an
noyance Of an elderly lady across the
aisle, and seized the book. He i'm
mersed himself in It's pages till ten
o'clock, when it was time for the first
watch to begin-a duty which had
fallen to Brockett by the Tipping of a
penny. Closing the book, he leaned
back against the plush, resolved to
keep his eyes open and give Solano q
fair chance for his three-hour nap
and discovered, as he gazed on his
companion, that the Cuban had stolen
an indefinite space of time upon him
and was already sound asleep.
Nothing happened to disturb the
travellers through the night, but the
alienation Of three-hour periods left
them in a more or less drowsy, half.
dazed condition when morning came.
The train was bowling along through
the ~half-fenced, half-cultivated fields
of Arkansas; Solano was nodding In
his seat, and Brockett was trying TO
absorb some more of the Anglo-Span.
ish sentences, when a slowing up, q
kissing of slackened steam and a jar.
ring stop announced arrival in the
town of Little Rock. Gazing from the
windows the boys were finding consid.
cradle amusement In the signs which
told of racial segregation-such plac.
ards, for example, as those upon q
Side,' and other marks of sharp dis.
tirction, when half a dozen long, lean,
~clay-colored Arkansans came tramp
ing down the aisle.
The conductor preceded the group
of Little Rock citizens. led them
straight to the double seat where
Brockett and Solano were reposing,
and halted abruptly.
These young men," said he, ARE
the only ones aboard who answer the
description. Go ahead and make your
own inquiries, sheriff-that's all | can
do for you"
You two boys said the leader OF
the Arkansans, impressively, had bet.
ter speak right out and tell me the
truth, now, and nothing else. Your
are Harry Brockett and Ramon
Solano, amt they?"
Not exactly" parted Brockett. my
name is Thomas jackson and my
friends name is Henry Hawkins"
Il don't believe you, young f~eller,-
dissented the sheriff, sternly. There's
nobody else on this train the
description I've got here, and, further.
with n quick clutch he
twined his fingers in Brockett's col
far, unbuttoned II, and jerked It from
the shirt--"furthermore, boy. the laun.
dry initials in this here collar Ia H. b.
Reckon you're the parties, all o. K
Come with me quietly-itm be easier
for you II you do"
What's 1t all about. WHAT'S this
mean. anyhow" demanded
Solano.
"Oh, nothing. Nothing at ALL"
the sheriff, his stern features
relaxing. only a wire from the prop
~ authorities In Chicago to arrest and
hold you two boys on complaint OF
some German feller-Baron ZollssA
hats the name. Charge. stealing yol
liable papers. Will you come ovsr {
lie lookup nice and quiet. bora q
nust va carry yvu
e>hO n. ~~ra-