The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-10-02
Copyright, 1911, BY Il. K Fly Co.
CHAPTER XXI.
In the Smoking Room.

family. PernapS 1t was 10 the creQlL
of the Englishman that he missed the
point of this story, even though Jim
mic Wellington saw it through his fog,
and DR.. Temple turned red and buried
his eyes in the eminently respectable
pages of the Scientific American.
Ashton and Wellington and Fosdick
exchanged winks over the Britisher's
stare Of incomprehension, and Ashton
explained it to him again in words Of
one syllable, with signboards at all
the different spots.
Finally a CLEAN of understanding
broke over Wedgewood's face and he
tried to justify his delay.
ooh, yes, of cawse see it now. Yes,
1 rather fancy get you. It's awfully
good, isn't it? I think l should have
got it before but I'm not really my
self; for two mawnings I haven't had
my tub"
Wellington shook with laughter: eff
you're like this now, what will you be
when you get to Sin san frasco-I
mean Frinsansisco-well, you know
what l mean"
Ashton reached round for the cleo.
trio button as if he were comforting a
favor: "The drinks are on you
Wedgewood. I'll ring" And he rang
"Awf'lly kind of you," said Wedge.
wood, "but how do you make that
out?"
''The man that misses the point
pays for the drinks" And he rang
again. Wellington protested.
But I've jolly well paid for all the
drinks for two days"
Wellington roared: That's another
point you've missed" And Ashton
rang again, but the pale yellow indi
vidual who had always answered the
bell with alacrity did not appear
Where's that Internal buffet waiter?'
grumbled.
Wedgewood began to litter. eve
were out of Scotch, so I sent him fol
some more"
"When?"
1.-TWO stations back. I fancy we
must have left him behind"
We'll, why in thunder didn't you
say SOP" Ashton roared.
at quite escaped my mind" Wedge
wood grinned. Rather good joke or
you fellows, what?"
well, l don't see the point" Ash
ton growled, but the triumphant Eng
lishman howled; That's where yor
pay!"
Wedgewood had his laugh to him
self, for the others wanted to murder
him. Ashton advised a lynching, bu
the conductor arrived on the scene il
time to prevent violence.
Fosdick informed him of the IRE
trievable loss of the useful buffet wait
er. The conductor promised to ge
another at Ogden.
Ashton walled: Have we got tt
sit here and die of thirst till them"
The conductor refused to back I'll
for a coon," but offered to send in ;
sleeping-car porter as a temporar!
substitute.
AS he started to go, Fosdick, wht
had been necessarily consulting hi
watch, checked him to ask: "Oh, con
ductor, when do we get to the state
line of dear old Utah?"
Dear old UTAH" the conducto
grinned. WED "a been there alread.
If we hadn't "a fell behind a little"
Just my luck to be late" Fosdicl
moaned.
What you so anxious to be il
Utah for, Fosdick?" Ashton asked, sus
piciously. "You go on to Frisco, dom
you?"
| Fosdick was evidently confused a
the direct question. He tried t
dodge it: Eyes, but-funny how things
have changed. When we started, no
body was speaking to anybody excep
his wife, now"
Now" said Ashton, drily, every
body's speaking to everybody excep
his wife"
You're wrong there" Little Jim
ME interrupted. 81 wasn't speaking
ME interrupted. 81 wasn't speahn
to my wife in the first place. We &C
on as strangersh and we're strangers
yet. Mrs. Well'n'ton IL a.
"A queen among women, we know
Dry up" said Ashton, and then the
heard the querulous voice of the pc
ter Of their sleeping car: II tell yol
I don't know nothin' about the buffe
business"
The conductor pushed him in wit
a gruff command. Crawl in that Gag
and get busy"
Still the porter protested: Mist
Pullman engaged me for a sleepil
car, not drinkin' car. I'm a bertl
maker, not a mixer" He cast a r.
sentful glance through the windo'
that served also as a bar, and hi
whole tone changed: Say, is 20
goin' to allow me loose amongst a
you do, l can't guarantee my col
duck"
them beautiful bottles? Say. man.
IF you even sniff one of those DO
ties" the conductor warned him, II
crack it over your head"
That won't worry me none-a
long as my mouf's open" He smacke
his chops over the prospect of int
macy with that liquid treasur.
"Lordy! Well, I'll try to control N
emotions-but remember, don't qua
antee nothin'."
. The conductor started to go, bI
paused for final instructions: An
remember-after We get to Utah "
can't serve any hard liquor at all"
: What's that? Don't they low not
in in that old Utah but ice-creal
solar"
That's about all. If you touch
drop, III leave you in Utah for life"