South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-23

, swept swiftly across the plain and In
turn stopped at Detail
The second bird-of-passage proved
to be a locomotive drawing a single
cara Pullman.
Hardly had 1t run past the switch,
! however, when the brakeman dropped
down, ran quickly back to the switch
and threw it open.
Promptly the train backed on to the
siding.
AS the Pullman jolted across the
frogs the brakeman, interposing him
self between it and the tender, re-
leased the coupling.
By the time that the Pullman had
come to full stop on the siding, the
locomotive was swinging westward
like a scared ackrabbit-though no
such milk-and-watery Characterization
of the traitor passed the lips OF any
one OF the three men who presently
appeared on the Pullman's platform
and shook impotent fists in the direc
ton taken by the fugitive engine.
When the last of these had run tenn
porarily out of breath and blasphemy,
brief silence fell, 1unctuated by
groans from each, and concluded by
the sound OF voice calling from the
interior Of the cara voice as strange
ly sonorous of tone as it was curiously
qUerulous of accent.
The three men Immediately ran back
! into the car and presented themselves
with countenances variously apollo
getic, to one who occupied a corner of
/ the drawing room a man wrapped IN
| a steamer rug and a cloud OF fury.
Now when he had drained the
muddy froth of profanity from his tenn
per it left a clear and effervescent
we'll of virulent humor: the wrath Of
the valetudinarian began to vent itself
upon the hapless heads of the trio who
stood before him.
While this was in process, the
person of boyish appearance, who had
| been keeping religiously aloof and in
conspicuous in the background of De-
tail ever since that unhappy affair
with the trainman, stole quietly up to
! the rear of the stalled Pullman,
/ climbed aboard, and creeping down
the aisle unceremoniously interrupted
the conference just as the invalid was
polishing off rude but honest opinion
of the intellectual caliber of one of the
three named Marrophat, who figured
as his right-hand man and familiar
genius.
Amen TO that" the boyish person
calculated with candid fervor, loung-
| ing gracelessly in the doorway.
There's many true word spoken in
wrath, Mr.. Marrophat. Father forgot
only one thing-yOur mastery way
with revolver From what I've seen
Of that this day, I'll go bail that the
only safe place for man you pull
gun on is right in front Of the muzzle
! There's something downright uncanny
in the way you can hit anything but
what you aim att"
Judith" exclaimed the invalid
| Where did you drop from?"
/ From that freight" Judith ex-
planned carelessly, neglecting to eluci-
u. L
judged you'd be along presently, and
thought I'd like to learn the news
Well-what luck?"
Her father shrugged with his one
movable shoulder. Mr.. Marrophat
grunted Indignantly. The others shut
! fed uneasily and looked all ways but
/ one-at the girl in mans clothing.
/ "None?" Judith interpreted. You
/ don't mean to tell me that after l had
! taken all thatf trouble-cast the ca.
boose loose in the middle OF that
/ trestle at the risk of my life-you
didn't have the nerve TO go through
| with the business!"
I'VE went through with it all right,
/ replied Marrophat defensively; but
as usual, they we're too quick for US.
They jumped On and dropped of the
trestle before our engine hit the ca
/ boose. We smashed that 10 kindling
I woodruff they got away just in time
/ TO miss the crash And by the time
we had stopped and Gained down the
engineer-well, it was dark and no
way OF telling which way they had
run"
! The girl started TO speak, but merely
I dropped limp hands at her sides and
/ rolled her eyes helplessly.
we do our best" Marrophat OBJ
{ served I'VE can't be blamed II
something - somehow - always hap
pens TO tip the others OF"
The girl swung to face him with
! blazing eyes. Just what does that
mean ?" she demanded in q dangerous
| voice
/ Marrophat lifted his shoulders.
''Nothing-much," he allowed Il am
only thinking how strange it is that