The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-04-18

"Thought so - He dared open his
eyes u mite wider. Hes pukkn-true
to typel Rob first and then XIII"
As he watched, the thief drew the
sheet back from Hyde's face. with
trained fingers that could have taken
spectacles from the victims nose with
out his knowledge. Then as fish glide
In and u among the reeds without
touching them. swift and soft and I'M
seen, his fingers searched Hyde's body.
They found nothing.
King moved In his sleep. rather
nolsily. and the movement knocked q
book 10 the floor from the foot Of his
berth. The noise OF that awoke Hyde.
and King pretended to begin to wake.
yawning and rolling on his back Chat
being much the safest position an I'M
armed man can take and much the
most awkward for his enemy.
"Thleves :" Hyde yelled at the top Of
his lungs, cropping wildly for his pistol
and not finding II.
King sat up and rubbed his eyes.
The native drew the knife, and-be-
| IltNlHK UlllStlt III tOuiliiuhu VA ~
situation-hesitated for one priceless
second. lie saw his error and darted
for the door too late. With a move
ment ~unbelievably swift King was
there ahead OF him and with another
movement not so swift, but much more
disconcerting, he threw his sheet as
the ~retiarius used to throw a net In
ancient Rome. II wrapped round the
natives head and arms, and the two
went together TO the floor In a twisted
stranglehold.
In another half-minute the native
was grooming, for King had his knife
wrist In two hands and was bending II
backward while he pressed the mans
stomach with his knees.
The knife fell to the floor, and the
thief made n gallant effort 20 recover
II. but King was too strong for him.
He seized the knife himself, slipped II
In his own bosom and resumed his hold
before the nHtive guessed what he was
after. The train screamed itself TO q
standstill at q wayslde station. and q
nan with n lantern began to chant
the stations name. The instant the
trains motion altogether ceased the
heat shut In on them MS II the lid of
Tophet had been slammed. The prick.
~ hcnt burst out all over Hyde's skin
and Kings TOO.
There was plenty OF excuse for re.
laxlng hold, and King made full use OF
II. A second later he gave n very good
pretense of pain In his finger ends as
the thief hurst free. The native made
n dive nj his bosom for the knife, but
he frustrated that. Then he made a
rrodigiOus effort. Just too late, to
clutch the man again, and he did sue
coed in tearing loose n piece of shirt :
but the fleeing robher must have won
dcred. as he bolted into the hlacker
shadows OF the station building, why
such mn i~ron.fingered. w~ide-awake
sahih should have made such n truly
feeble showing AT the end.
Hang i~t!-couldn't you hold him7
Were you afraid Of him, or whatl" de-
mnnded Hyde, beginning TO dress him
, self, Instead OF answering, King leaned
out into the lamp-llt gloom, and In n
minute he caught sight OF a sergeant
OF native infantry passing down the
train. He made n sign hat brought
the man To him on the run.
"Did you see that runaway" he
: asked.
; "Ha, sahlb. I saw one running. Shall
| follow"
"No. This piece Of his shirt will
Identify him. Take It. Hide It When
n man with n torn shirt, into which
that piece fits, makes for the telegraph
office after this train has gone on. see
that he Is allowed TO send any tele-
grams he wants to! Only. have copies
OF every one OF them wired 10 Captain
King, care of the s~tationmaster. Delhi.
Have you understood?"
"Iia, sahib."
"Grab him. and lock him up tight
afterward-but not until he has sent
his kilograms
"Atcha, sahib."
snake yourself scarce. then |"
Major Hyde was dressed. having per-
J formed that military evolution In some
thing less than record time.
"Who was that you were talking
tor he demanded. But King did not
seem 10 understand until the native
sergeant had quite vanished into the
shadows.
The engine shrieked of death and
torment the heat relaxed as the en-
CINE moved-loosened-let go-lifted
Mt last, and n trainload Of hot passen-
gers sighed thanks.
y what are you looking att" Hyde
demanded at last, sitting on Kings
berth.
U "Only a knife" said King. He was
a standing under the dim gas lamp tina,
!, helped make the darkness more un'
J. bearable. He slowed the knife away
in his bosom, and the major crossed tC
HE ,.n. ,tla