The evening world., 1916-06-05

to make you a candidate for hcro's h
The massive shoulders at the win
dow seemed to squnro back with n
sudden jerk and. fists clenched, all
muscle, every inch of the six feet of
him. Larry Lanningan whrled like n
Nash TO the desk. 1t was a fine face
for all the passion that was In II now.
frank and open and genuine for all
the steely light in the gray eyes. for
all the square, clamped jaw, for all
the angry flush that burned upon his
cheeks
-"Cut it QUIT" he said hoarsely. "I've
stood for six months of this, and Fve
had enough! You don't caro- what
happened last night. even IL 1t were
any of your business, which 1t isn't
it's anything for a chance to hand me
one! Now cut 1t out!'
Mason, suave, oily. shrugged his
shoulders in mock despair.
There you nre, you Sec" he de-
plored unctuously. "Off the handle
again. Why don't you learn to con-
troll yourself? I'm only talking to you
for your own good-giving you little
advice"
Are you?" Larry laughed bitterly,
as he eyed the other.
Mason's eyes, like those OF an up
lifted saints, sought the ceiling.
"SLre!" he smrked. you've got an
u'enviable record, haven't you?
Y uve tried about every department
OF Iailroading-and moved on to tho
next for brawling and fighting In the
ono before. All that's saved you Is
that they call you a good railroad
man, but that isn't going to save you
forever. Your temper'N land you
"ome day whore maybe you'll decorate
me end OF u rope for murder. Nice
prospect, eh? Ever think of that"
YES" said Larry in a queer. low
way; i've thought of 1t. and that's
why I'm telling you now to cut 1t out.
i didn't ask your advice, and l don't
want It. l may be under your orders
while I'm in this department. but
there's limit to how far you can go.
Back East you may have got away
with tout here in the Rockies you
can't! Do you get me? You've como
here new man and you've got the
idea, because you've taken dislike To
me, that the easiest way to get rid OF
me Is to get me to start something
thatll put me in wrong with the su-
per-" Larry's lips thnned ominously.
Look out you don't succeed-too
well! That's all"
Mason flung out his arms speciously
in an injured gesture.
IT'S always the way" he mur-
INJURED. the smirk on his faco again.
Always the way. Try to give any
one advice for his own good and
you're sure to be misunderstood"
The nush on Larry's cheeks deep
ened. and one clenChed fish raised as
though to reach out across the desk
and strike the other-then the list un-
clenched. the red ebbed from his
cheeks and. his face white, he drew
back.
1--WE got three minutes 10 catch No.
IL" he said heavily. "Wheres tho
payroll" And as Mason. swinging
around in his chair. pulled open tho
door of ths safe and took out a brown
leather bag. Larry reached for II with
out a word and started to leave the
ioom-but half wav across the floor
Maso' halted him.
II 'e's only about thirty poor. in
off( 20, pcacoable foreigners where
y3 re going, which may appeal 10
I'd "a valid excuse for beating them
vi purred III" paymster. who had
u Jme suddenly occupied with some
papers on his desk and did not lift his
|. eyes. "But Id advise YOU not to.
though-much as YOU dislike advice,
Well, goodbv-and try to keep out Of
trouble for once in your lifo!"
For an instant Larry stood there
motionless. tho red sweeping into his
face again-and then. swinging on his
heel. he went out of the oiiiCe, stood
another instant, his face twltchin.
with passion outside the closed doo",
then went down the stairs, out on to
the platform, and flung himself into n
seat In the forward smoker of the
} train.
II was only one more OF Mason's
"baitings" that had been going on
now for the last six months-ono more
. that was all!
ITS those Dreams" muttered Larry
Il to himself as tho train pulled out, "or
II there'd have been showdown long
II ago. But, dreams or no dreams, he'il
make one crack too many one of these
\ days, and then Jim Mason and | Will
meet head on"
Larry frowncd little anNiously as
he sucked on the mouthplcCc of his
briar. None knew better than he the
seriousness Of his bescttiug fault.
At first, In the earlier days of his
career, these outburSts of his had
frightened him, but solely for the rea-
son that he loved railroading as he
loved no other thing on earth, and he
feared dismissal so sweeping that II
would embrace the mountain division
in its entirety, rs II would have done
| save for the fact that, when still n
y TO any one, picked up the key" in the
despatchcr's office at Angel. the divi-
sion headquarters, and one night,
without soul within call, had "sat
in" until help came, when Jasper
HALEY, the dispatcher on the night
trick, and out in the mountains of the
West for his health, had shut up like
I jack-knife and collapsed under the
table in dead faint. And the big
, fellows" had remembered it. But as
n he had grown older, however, there
had come a gravor and more sober
sense OF fear-thc possibility that
stared him in the face that he might
do some one serious injury some day
- the possibility, in bald words, that,
with the tremendous physical
strength with which nature had en-
owed him. he might, on one OF those
| ccasions when he was 'seeing red"
SiIl q man., This however had never
.ssumed a vivid realism, as it were,