The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-05-17
CHAPTER XXI.
In tho Smoking Room.


minded Ashton of story. Ashton was
one Of the great That-Reminds-Me
family. Perhaps 1t was to the credit
OF the Englishman that he missed the
point Of this story, even though Jim.
lmie wellington saw 1t 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 1t to him again in words of
one syllable, with signboards at all
the different spots.
Finally CLEAN Of understanding
broke over Wedgewood's face and he
tried to justify his delay.
"Oh, yes. of cawse I see it now. Yes.
! rather fancy get you. It's awfully
good, isn't it? think should have
got II before but I'm not really my.
self: for two mawnings I haven't had
my tub"
Wellington shook with laughter: EFT
you're like this now, what will you be
when you get to Sin san frasco-l
mean Frinsansisco-well, you know
what mean"
Ashton reached round for the cleo
trio button as If he were comforting q
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. 1--WE
were out of Scotch, 80 sent him foI
some more"
"When?"
1.-TWO stations back. I fancy we
must have left him behind"
"Weli, why in thunder didn't you
say so?" Ashton reared.
ut quite escaped my mind" Wedge.
wood grinned. Rather good joke on
you fellows. what?"
swell. l don't see the point" Ash.
ton growled, but the triumphant Eng.
aishman howled: That's where you
payi"
- Medgewood had his laugh to him.
self, for the others wanted to murder
him. Ashton advised a lynching, but
the conductor arrived on the scene in
time to prevent violence.
Fosdick informed him Of the IRE.
trievable loss of the useful buffet wait.
er. The conductor promised to get
another at Ogden.
Ashton walled: "Have we got to
sit here and die of thirst till them"
The conductor refused to "back up
for q coon," but offered to send in a
sleeping-car porter as q temporary
substitute
As he started to go, Fosdick, who
had been necessarily consulting his
watch, checked him to ask "Oh, con-
ductor, when do we get to the state
line of dear old Utah?"
Dear old Utah!" the conductor
grinned. Wed "a been there already
II we hadn't "a fell behind a little"
"Just my luck to be late" Fosdick
moaned.
what you SO anxious to be in
Utah for, Fosdick?" Ashton asked, sus-
piciously. You go on to Frisco, don't
you?"
Fosdick was evidently confused at
the direct question. He tried to
dodge 1t: Eyes, but-funny how things
have changed. When we started, no.
body was speaking to anybody except
his wife, now"
"Now," said Ashton, drily, every
body's speaking to everybody except
his wife,"
You're wrong there" Little jim
onie interrupted. II wasn't speaking
mic interrupted. IL wasn't speaking
to my, wife I'm The first place. We go
on as strangersh and we're strangersi
yet. Mrs. Welrn'ton Is "a"
"A queen among women, we know!
Dry up" said Ashton, and then the,
heard the iQuerulous voice Of the por
ter of their sleeping car: II tell you
/ don't know nothin' about the buffe
business" a "a
The conductor pushed him in witt
a gruff command. Crawl In that cage
and get busy"
Still the porter protested: "Misti
Pullman engaged me for sleepin
car, not drinkin' car. I'm a berth
maker, not a mixer" He cast re
sentful glance through the window
that served also as a bar, and hi
whole tone changed: Say, IL yot
goin' to allow me loose amongst al
you do. can't guarantee my con
duck"
them beautiful bottles? Say. man, Il
"If you even sniff one of those bot
ties" the conductor warned him. III
crack 1t over your head"
THAT won't worry me none-ai