Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-07-19
However. he felt confden'

threat. However, he felt confident
that he could manage the affair alone.
He painted with haste and succeed
ed in getting the wrong legs into his
trousers and having to begin all vel
again, his efforts greatly hampered by
window.
Then came the distant rumble of an
oncomtng train. aid an answering
scream from his own engine. The
two OF the ground had crossed quick
~ over the second track and wefe
looking down the steep embankment.
We're they going down there? What
tate tina he was not ready to follow
them at once! The train that was
coming would pass-thetrs own would
start-and he could not get out. His
opportunity was going from him and
he could not find his shoes! {
Well, what Of it? Me would go
without! What were shoes in q time
barefoot, and beg a pair at some
farmhouse, or buy a pair at a country
store. He must get out at any cost.
shoes Or no shoes. Grasping his coat
which contained his money and valu-
cables he sprang from his berth
straight into the arms Of the porter
who was hurrying back to his car aft
er having been out to gossip with a
brakeman over the delay.
Whats de mattah, sah?" asked
the astonished porter, rallying quick
~ from the shock and assuming. his
habitual courtesy.
my shoes!" roared the irate travel
shoes?" NV IVY
Quiet, sab, please sab, you'll wake
de whole cyah," said sthe porter. II
put yoh shoes under de berth sab,
right whar / allus puts 'em aftah
blsckin' sah."
The porter stopped and extracted
the shoes from beneath the curtain
and the traveller, whose experience in
furiously n made for the door,
shoes in hand, for with q snort and a
lurch and a preliminary jar the train
had taken up its motion, and a loud
rushing outside proclaimed hat the
other train was passing.
The porter, feeling that he had
been treated with injustice, stood gaz-
ing reproachfully after the man for a
full minute before he followed him to
the other end of the car and not down
past the drawing-room as he evident
~ supposed.
He found his man standing in stock
ing feet on the cold iron platform, his
head out of the opening left in the
vestibuled train, for when the porter
came in he had drawn shut the outer
door and slammed down the movable
platform. making it impossible for
anyone to get out: There was only
the little opening the size of a win
dow above the grating guard, and the
mar chung to it as If he would jump
over it if he only dared. He was
looking back over the track and his
face was not good to see.
He turned wildly upon the porter.
II want you to stop this train and
let me off," he shouted. 1--WE lost
something valuable back there on the
track. Stop the train quick. 1 tell
you. or I'll sue the railroad"
What was it you lost?" asked the
porter respectfully. He wasn't sure
but the man was half asleep yet.
ut was a-my-why it was q very
baluable paper. 1t means a fortune
to me and several other people and I
must so back and get It. Stop the
out"
II can't stop de train sab. you'll
hev to see de conductah sab, bout
u0s DNA \ SPS~Ao - AAA6Aty I
Tie prospec' O. gettin' dis train stopped
fob it gifts to its destinashun sab.
We's n hour a'hind time now, sab,
an he's gotta make up fob we gifts
to Bufflo
The excited passenger rallied and
stormed until several sleepers were
awakened and stuck curious sleepy
countenances out from the curtains Of
their betths. but the porter was OBJ
A,,rata o~A SDNVpl1 mt <okA o~,, veAoc
ures to stop the train, nor even, call
the conductor until the passenger
promised to return quietly to his
berth.
The thick-set man was not used to
obeying but he saw hat he was on
ly hindering himself and finally hur-
ried back to his berth where he hast
lily parted the curtains. craning his
nick to see back along the rack and
and smaller now in the distance. He
could just make out two moving
specks on the white winding ribbon
of the road. He felt sur he knew the
they were taking. II he on
ly could get of that train he could
easily catch them, for they would
have no idea he was coming. and
would take no precautions. II he had
only wakened 4 few seconds sooner
IN WOulO udt0 OC0u 4OllOwAuH lIlSlIi
even now.
Fully ten minutes he argued with
the conductor, showing a wide incon-
gruity between his language and his
gentlemanly attire. but the conductor
would do nothing but promise to set
him down at a water tower ten miles
ahead where they had to slow up for
water. He said sue or no sue he had
his orders, and the thick-se man did
not inspire him either to sympathy or
confidence. The conductor had been
many years on the road and, generally
knew when to stop his train and when
to let it 60 on. y
sullenly the thick-set man accepted
the conductors decision and prepared
to leave the train at the water tower.
his eye for the landmarks along
the way as he completed his hasty
toilet.
He was in n6 pleasant frame Of
mind, having missed q goodly amount
of his accustomed stimulants the
night before, and seeing little pros
pect Of either stimulants or breakfast
before him. He was not built for .
ten-mile walk over the cinders and
his fabby muscles already ached At
the prospect. But then, Of course he
would not have to 20 far before he
found an automobile or some kind Of
conveyance to help him on his way.