Pocahontas star herald., 1915-02-12
At PLACE OF PEACE
BY GEORGE FoxHALL.
LnunNLI M

f.
freight yards OF san Auduu, There
was war-rool wgr-tha yosmeu CA
one rIl3 end the employees on the
other A mails lie SEES gbgap.f than
q barrel ol nipples n San 'utau gt
that um9 for the ycsgman haa Moth.
lr code nor conscience 10 s.vea u8
ru8rIr ana he r..a uau3
-Four usn met .n tine once of Nafl'
master Oourau They bad ae. lhgu
tie HrHIau cyCaIs., joking W,h tHe
gm runH of uel Vl-a0 lives ua
suspended en- @ haIr between two
worlds
ICH.aFt there was Ha lum#r I'm tae.F
rrIWHg1. TguIHlt llrre Egrr IGur Ul
them. Tho previous night ta-re had
been SIX.
Tom Ciarh-0n. brother and cfiti e1-
f'sIanl of the chief snapped The ucr1'
Pine aF bis automatic into place and exc
pressed the sentiment of them an.
There's only one way to beat these
murj1rors.," he soid 'and that is, if
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 II get into anything.
My brother Martin rs on his way home,
an | 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 him7"
Within the week." answered o'Cur-
ran, smiling happily.
Tom Clarkson put out hearty hand.
TITS a long and lonely trail he's been
on, Tim." said he. Il hope he doesn't
bear any grudge against me for his
starting on IT,"
Never a grudge did Martin bear in
his life. / know you were 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 as the men sought their vari-
Gus patrols. No man was more glad
than Tom Clarkson that Martin o'Cur-
ran was coming home. for II 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
watchmlness by the sound Of a scuf-
fle at the end OF box car, and as he
advanced with drawn pistol, n 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 a second
he stood upright, then sank to the
ground-dead.
From beyond the car came the sound
OF fleeing footsteps. Clarkson sprang
past the inert figure and stumbled over
another man slowlS struggling 10 his
feet between the rails. He was evil
IDENTIFY dazed, and Clarksoa, still work
ing on the principle ~ taking no
chances, snapped o pair Of handouts
on him before he could recover
"All right, bo, gald, tho man re-
signoJly you can't prove n0thin' on
me morn trespass. Did you get the
guy you fred ut?'
You bet ] did It's the only way
to make sure Of you numbering
thieves"
Huh! Then I guess hcrcn be
somebody to pay am no birthstone hot
He warnt no yCgE.'
He made a pretty good imitation
Of one when he came for me with his
club"
The yeggmgn laughed sardonicaly.
Say, bo," he said, "I reckon you shot
the yardmasters brother That's who
he said he was. He dubbed me on the
head when ! tried to make him 20 in
with US"
The sickoninE horror OF that minute,
and the ordeal Of the next few days
wrote haegrrd lines upol tho face Of
Tom Garrison
Ead og soul, he wort back TO duty
end the big yardmas.er, Tim O'Currau,
with a pitiful ache In his heart, read
and reread tho letter in which his
brother had told him that his fit Of
wandcrlust had passed and he was
coming home.
Two days after the funeral Tom
stepped softly into the yardmasters
Office and closed the door after him.
The yardmaster bending unseeingly
over some papers, looked up as the
shadow fell across the light
Tim said Clarkson, q don't know
exactly what I've come to say, but
somehow | want to add my sorrow to
yours and to know that you bear me
no enmity'
O'Curran stared at him with hard
eyes and grimly set lips without say
ing a word, and Clarkson knew that
the hope that he had felt was vain;