The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-09-05


why not let me carry the book?'
responded Brockett. Then, II Mex
ican starts any conversation, can
simply dig up the book and read him
the proper answer.
Good idea" assented Solano, "ex-
cept in emergency cases. Suppose
large, thick revolutionist, of the bone
head variety, asks you to give quick
account of yourself, and has rifle
pointed at you while he Is asking?
And suppose, also, that he gives you'
in Spanish, 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 exigency?"
Brockett chortled. to the intense an
noyance of an elderly lady across the
aisle. and seized the book. He i'm
mersed himself In its 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 a
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 thN
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 noddlng IN
his seat, and Brockett was trying tC
absorb some more of the Anglo-Span
ish sentences, when a slowing up, a
kissing of slackened steam and 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
restaurant, white Side," "Coloret
Side" and other marks Of sharp dis
tinction, when half a dozen long, lean
clay-colored Arkansans came tramp
ing down the aisle.
The conductor preceded the groul
of Little Rock citizens, led then
straight to the double seat Wher'
Brockett and Solano were reposing
and halted abruptly.
These young men," said he, "ar'
the only ones aboard who answer tn
description. Go ahead and make you
own inquiries, sheriff-that's all cal
do for you"
you two boys" said the leader o
the Arkansans, impressively, had BET
ter speak right out and tell me tn
truth, now, and nothing else. You
names are Harry Brockett and Ramol
Solano, amt they?"
mot exactly" parried Brockett. IN
name is Thomas Jackson and m
friends name is Henry Hawkins"
II don't believe you, young feller,
dissented the sheriff, sternly. There
nobody else on this train answers tn
description I've got here, and. further
more" with one quick clutch b
twined his fingers in Brockett's Co
lar, unbuttoned it, and jerked 1t fror
the Furthermore, boy, the laur
dry initials in this here collar Is II. I
Reckon you're the parties, all o. X
| Come with me quietly-it'l be easie
for you If you do"
whats it all about? What's thi
foolishness mean. anyhow" demande
Solano.
"Oh. nothing. Nothing at all.
laughed the sheriff, his stern feature
relaxing. only wire from the prof.
er authorities in Chicago to arrest an
hold you two boys on complaint Q
some German feller-Baron zollerr
that's the name. Charge, stealing va
liable papers win you come over t
the lookup nice and quiet, boys q
must we carry you?"
CTo BE CoNTINUED1