The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-01-21
oOpyright, 1914. b. LOuis Joseph Vance

He repented quite promptly. Mr..
Barcus jumped for his throat with a
below of rage. The brakeman leaped
for his shovel and brandished 1t threat
eningly. Mr.. Barcus made nothing of
that: he closed in without hesitation
and got the fireman by the throat, pro-
ceeding to shake the breath out Of his
body with the greatest good will and
dispatch. In the course Of this enter
tainment the fireman slipped on the
cab platform, trod on nothing, and
went over backwards, taking Mr.. Bar
Gus with him to the ballast.
At almost the same moment Mr..
Law, attempting to restrain the engi-
neer from going to the assistance Of
his fellow-worker, ducked in under
vicious swing for his chin. grappled
with his foe, tripped him up-and went
with him to the ground on the oppo-
site side of the locomotive from that
occupied by Mr.. Barcus and the fire.
man.
For the next several seconds he was
very busy indeed keeping his face out
of the ballast. The engineer was
heavy man, but active and infuriated.
He fought like demon unclaimed. 1t
was all very exciting. Mr.. Law was
even beginning to enjoy it when he
heard a woman shrek. At the same
instant reVolvers began to pop.
Mr.. Law released his foe almost as
| a hn
as one man, to find Judith Trine be-
side them, little smile of excitement
playing round her lips as she looked
up the track and watched the special
slow down to a stop-several persons
on the back platform plying busy trig
ger-fingers all the while.
AS these last threw open the plat
form gates and dropped to the ballast
still perforating the air with many bul
lets, Mr.. Law, Miss Judith Trine, anc
that late belligerent, the engineer
turned simultaneously and sought the
rear Of the tender.
On the opposite side they founC
Rose Trine and Mr.. Barcue standing
uncertainty above the body Of the fire
man, who, it appeared, had stunned
himself in falling and remained in
sensible.
The appearance of Law and judith
from behind the tender, closely pur
sued by the engineer, who was in turf
, closely pursued by gentlemen with re
volvers, stirred Barcus and Rose to ac
| of
r pace, pausing only long enough to seiz'
: Rose and drag her with him towar'
3 the special. Judith flung him phras
of well-meant advice in passing:
e Come along, you simpleton-unles
r you want to be shot down where yo
s stand!"
e Mr.. Barcus acted on that advice, a
n Immediately as resentfully. Judit
3 Trine was little before him at tn
D. steps of the Pullman: Mr.. Law had a
l. ready assisted Rose aboard. Mr.. Ba
Gus ungraciously gave place to tn
e. lady: his ingrained chivalry sorel
g strained by bullets that kicke
n among the ballast round his feet.
Of Mr.. Barcus heaved a heartfelt sig
W sat down heavily on camp chair, ar
e. mopped his heated brow. watching Il
ly lights Of the locomotive drop swift
le back into the cleaning.
Up "If any of those guys" he assured N
Mt Law presently, could hit barn do
n, with a gatling gun at twenty PAGES
IS well, wouldn't be proving myself t
giddy ass am by sticking to your
- starred fortunes. There wouldn't
at any to stick to, because you'd ha
ut been snuffed out long. long ago-wi
ng all the chances they've had to bic
es- your fool head off, point blank!"