Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-01-29

y lue SlaCOn eXpectantly.
A bandage covered his forehead and
MS left eye. His arm was in a sling.
The new agent?" he asked of Jim.
Yes" replied Jim family.
well. come in here and I'll turn
over the property. This train goes
back in half an hour, n | propose tn
go on her"
Been hurt?" inquired the new agent.
slightly. L was fool enough to try
TO collect the price of a ticket from a
rustler. | advise you not to try it, but
II you're bent On doing so you'll find q
couple of ~ caliber %revolvers in the
drawer under the ticket window. The
company sent them out for the use of
agents who were bent on making col
lections."
Jim received the contents of the
ticket office and receipted for them in
time to see his predecessor step ON
the train happily and pulled away to
~clV1llzatlon. The putting Of the loco
motive gradually died away in the
distance. to be replaced by an absolute
silence. Jim would have liked to hear
the boot of even an owl, but there were
no trees for an owl to roost in. and he
wondered how the creek got it's name.
he looked for a place in it deep enough
TO drown himself in, but it did not
afford even that.
1T was S O'Clock in the afternoon of
the day after Jim Perkins arrived at
owl Creek junction. Jim was sitting
at a desk with his hat pulled down
over his eyes. He was at the lowest,
or, rather, the highest point of desper-
alton. A train was due in ten minutes
from one of the branches of the rail-
road. going eastward. A man with a
req face, a stubble beard and one eye
stepped up to the ticket window and
said:
Young Teller, gimme a ticket to An
telope. and be quick about it"
Jim arose from his chair and stepped
70 the window. he had laid a cooked
revolver beside it where it could not
be seen. He took down a ticket from
a rack, stamped it and, holding it in his
hand, said:
Three dollars and forty cents.
please"
A glare came in the ticket purchas-
er's eye. and he put his hand to his hip.
There was a report. but not from his
revolver. Jim had snatched his own
weapon. brought it to bear on the pur-
chaser and fired.
When the train reached the station
the conductor stepped down on to the
platform and went into the station. A
mans body was lying on it's face below
the ticket window.
whats up?" he asked.
I've been sent out here" replied
Jim, ito sell tickets for money That
nan wanted to go to Antelope without
paying his fare. He can go free as
baggage. | reckon. You'd better help
him on to the train"
The conductor looked wonderingly
at Jim for a few moments, then said:
by cracky. You're Il cool one. Do
o think you can keep this up?"
ri keep it up till l get killed, and
I'd rather get killed than remain a
railroad employee, especially at Owl
Creek junction.
The conductor succeeded in getting
Il brief account of the affair from the
only living participant. then. not wish
ing to get behind time. called the man
in charge Of the baggage car and with
his assistance carried the body on
board the train. Then there was a
whistle and the big snake crawled
away over the plain.
Jim Perkins did not have to kill any
more men at Owl Creek junction sta
ton. The news that the railroad com
pany had sent out an agent who meant
business circulated. and after that
would be passengers paid their fare.
Jim since he had begun the work
would not give it up till he had proved
that he was master of the situation.
then wrote to the president of the
road that the population under the in
huence Of the railroad was beginning
to change and he thought that Any
agent could collect for tickets there.
lie would like Il station in !; more set
tied locality.
a reply came notifying Jim that an
other man would relieve him and he
Was to report at the general Offices Of
the company. When he reached the
terminal and showed his order to a
man at u desk he was sent up to the
office of the president.
HIM" said that officer. Il believe
you are the man who collected fares at
Owl Creek Junction"
II am. sir" replied Jim.
I'm sorry l haven't another place
especially fitted for your peculiar abili-
lies. What kind Of a position would
YOU like?"
ANY you happen to have vacant.
I've been %railroading all my life. l
don't know anything else"
The president tapped d bell. An office
boy entered and was directed to call
the superintendent. When that gentle
man entered the president said to him:
Mr.. Bowers. this is James Perkins,
ro00r,tlu Cfo%t~~ n~@-t o. H,-l T~ezJx