The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1918-04-12
By JOSEPH C. LINCOLN
Copyrights By D. Appleton D Co..


sometimes we was In the bushes.
told Ez we'd ought to have fetcned
along dipsy lead, then maybe we
could get our bearin's by soundin's'
Couldn't see 'em If we did get 'em,
says he. No. says I, but we could
taste em. Man that's driven through
as much Ostable mud as you have
ought to know the taste Of every road
In town."
"Well, you caught the train any
how" observed Dan.
"Yup. If we'd been crippled as wei
as blind we could have done that"
He seated himself just in front of the
pair and glanced across the aisle at MIR.
Graves, to find the latter looking in
tently at him.
"Pretty tough night" he remarked,
nodding.
"Yes," replied the lawyer briefly. He
did not encourage conversation with
casual acuuaintances. The latest ar
rival had caught his attention because
there was something familiar about
him. He must have seen him before.
Conversation across the aisle was
brisk, and its subjects were many and
varied. Mr.. Graves became aware,
more or less against his will, that the
person called "cap'n" was, If not
leader in politics and local affairs. still
one whose opinions counted. Some OF
those opinions as given were pointed
and dryly descriptive-as, for instance
when a certain town meeting candi'
date was compared to sculpin, with
a big head that sort Of impresses you
till you get close enough to realize 1t
has to be big to make room for so
much mouth"
The conductor entered the car and
stopped to collect ticket from his
new passenger. 1t was evident that
he, too, was acquainted with the lat
ter.
Evening, cap'n," he said politely.
Trains little late tonight"
at is-for tonight's train" was the
prompt response, "but II It keeps on
at thu rate it's trayelin' now it'll be q
little early for tomorrow mornin g.
won't itT'
The conductor laughed. "Guess
you're right" he said. "This Is about
as wet a storm as I've run through
since I've been on the road"
The brakeman swung open the door
to shout: ''Denboro! Denboro" The
conductor picked up his lantern and
hurried away, the locomotive wnis-
tied hoarsely, and the train h1ccupeo
alongside another little station. Mr..
Graves, peering through his WINDOW
imagined that here the silhouettes on
the platform moved more DrlsKly'
They seemed almost excited. He In
ferred that Denboro was bigger ana
more wide awake village than OstaDle
But he was mistaken The reason
for the excitement was made plain by
the conductor a moment afterward
That official entered the car, removed
his uniform cap and rubbed wet
forehead with wetter hand.
well. gentlemen" he said, i've
been expecting it, and here 1t is. Mark
me down as a good prophet, VIII you
There's a washout a mile farther on
and a telegraph pole across the track
It's blowing great guns and raining
pitchforks. It'll be out Of the question
for us to go forward before daylight, II
then. Darn a railroad mans job any
howw
Five minutes later Mr.. Graves de-
scended the steps of the car, his traV-
cling bag in one hand and an umbrella
in the other. AS soon as both feet
were securely planted on the platform
he put down the bag to wrestle with
the umbrella and the hurricane, which
was apparently blowing from four di-
rections at once. Feeling his hat leav-
ing his head, he became aware that
the umbrella had turned inside out.
He threw the wreck violently under
the train and stopped to pick up the
bag. The bag was no longer there.
'Its all right" said calm voice be-
hind him. 1--WE got your satchel,
neighbor. Better beat for harbor,
hadn't we? Here-thts way.
The bewildered New Yorker felt his
arm seized in a firm grip, and he was
rushed across the platform, through a
deluge of wind driven water, and into
a small. hot, close smelling waiting
room. When he pushed his hat clear
Of his eyes he saw that his rescuer
was the big man who boarded the train
at Ostable.
"Dirty weather. heyT be observed
pleasantly. Sorry your umbrella had
to 90 by the board / see you was
carryin' too much canvas and tried to
run alongside In time to give you q
tow. but you was dismasted just as l
got there. Here's your dunnage, all
safe and sound"