The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-18
At PLACE Of PEACE
BY GEORGE FoxHALL.

(Copyrtght)
Gangs Of yeggmen were invading the
freight yards of San Andora. There
was war-real war-the yeggmen on
one side and the employees on the
other. A mans life was cheaper than
a barrel Of apples in San Andora 1t
that time. for the yeggman has neith-
f, er code nor conscience. He gives no
quarter, and he gets none.
Four men met in the ONCE of Yard
master O'Curran. They had met there
the previous evening, joking with the
grim humor of men whose lives are
suspended on a hair between two
worlds.
Tonight there was no humor in their
grimness. Tonight there we're four Of
them. The previous night there had
been six.
Tom GARRISON, brother and chief as.
sistant of the chief, snapped the maya
! zine of his automatic into place and ex-
pressed the sentiment of them all.
There's only one way to beat these
murderers,," he said, land that Is, II
you see your man before he sees you.
shoot him first and warn him after"
"'Tis the only way" agreed Yard
master O'Curran, "and it's the plan
shall use myself If get into anything.
My brother Martin is on his way home.
! an l want his welcome to be more
fitting than a funeral"
The two Clarksons turned In quick
surprise to the big yardmaster.
That's good news, Tim" said the
chief; when do you expect him."
within the week." answered O'Cur-
ran, smiling happily.
Tom Clarkson put out hearty hand.
''It's a long and lonely trail he's been
on, Tim" said he. II hope he doesn't
bear any grudge against me for his
starting on It,"
Never a grudge did Martin bear in
his life. l know you we're rivals IN
pretty near everything, and by some
luck you generally managed to beat
him, but I reckon the winner felt
more enmity than the loser, even when
you beat him for the GIRL"
A momentary frown showed that
the elder O'Curran at least felt that
there was some cause for grudge.
A wet mist was drifting over the
yards az the men sought their vari-
GUS patrols. No man was more glad
than Tom Clarkson that Martin O'Cur-
ran was coming home, for It was when
he had married the girl both had court
ed that Martin had left San Andora on
his aimless. restless tramp; but the
elder brothers attitude toward him de.
pressed him in spite Of himself.
He was aroused to the need Of
watchfulness by the sound Of a scuf
ne at the end Of box car, and a. he
advanced with drawn pistol, q man
with bludgeon in his hand sprang to
ward him.
He fired. He fired with the intent
and skill that takes no chances. A sur
prised, frightened sob gasped from the
stricken mans lungs. For secont
he stood upright, then sank to tht
ground-dead.
From beyond the car came the sount
of fleeing footsteps. Clarkson sprant
past the inert figure and stumbled ovel
another man slowly struggling to hi
feet between the rails. He was EVIL
IDENTIFY dazed. and Clarkson, still work
ing on the principle Of taking M
chances, snapped pair Of handcuh'
on him before he could recover.
"All right, bo," said the man re
. signedly. You can't prove nothin' OF
me morn trespass. Did you get tn
guy you fired att"
You bet l did. It's the only wa,
to make sure of you murderinl
) thieves
Huh! Then guess there'll b
somebody to pay an no birthstone hot
He warn't no yegg."
He made a pretty good imitation
Of one when he came for me with hi
club"
The yeggman laughed sardonically
. Say, bo," he said, II reckon you sho
the yardmaster's brother. That's VIII
he said he was. He dubbed me on tn
. head when l tried to make him go i
with US"
The sickening horror Of that minute
and the ordeal of the next few day
wrote haggard lines upon the face G
Tom Clarkson.
!. Sad of soul, he went back to dut!
and the big yardmaster, Tim O'CurraI
with a pitiful ache in his heart. rea
} and reread the letter in which hi
brother had told him that his At {
. wanderlust had passed and he wa
coming home.
Two days after the funeral ToI
stepped softly into the yardmaster
office and closed the door after hin
The yardmaster, bending unseeingl
! over ONE papers, looked up as tn
; shaC fell across the light
Tin id Garrison, Il don't kno
exactly \ lat I've come to say, bt
1 somehow | want to add my sorrow
yours and to know that you bear m
no enmity."
O'Curran stared at him with har
eyes and grimly set lips without sa,
! ing a word, and Clarkson knew thu
the hope that he had felt was vain
but pity for the sorrow he had brougl
was in his heart.
4 Il hope you bear me no enmit