The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-12-21
The Marooned Trauelers-s
The Bandit Holdup-c
The Kidnapped Special
The Crippled Engine
An in This Installmcnt Of
The WreCkerS
By
Francis Lynde
tCopyrlxht. 1870. Charirs serlbnrr's sonsl

would souna just n few degrees less
than plumb foolish. when the young
woman took up for m.. Shed had
the clatt.r Of my typewriter dinnsd
into her pretty ears all day. and
she knew who was. even II "
was dark.
Don't take n ou, on the poor
boy she said. kind Of crisp. and
yet sort Of rsoth~riy. III you feel
Obliged 90 bully some one. I'm the
one who Il TO blame-
Indeed. you're notr chippsd In
the stocky utti. Girl Il was the
one who jumped first. And I don't
care. wasn't going 10 lose my per
fecuy good fnuff."
By this time the boss was begin
ming 10 get a lstti. better grip on
himself and he laughed.
We've all earned the tcafher
medal. I guess he chuokisd. -its
done now. and n can't be helped
Were stuck until another train
comes AIonx. and perhaps. we ought
10 be thankful that we've got Jim
mse Dodds along 10 cbapsron us.-
-But lsnr there anything else ~e
can doT-, said the younw wumsn.
Cant wc walk somewhere 70 whsfr
there Is a station or a town with
people in itg-
I mw Mr. Norcrvss look down at
her skirts and then at the xirl's-
you two couldn't walk very far
or very fast In those things you are
wearing" he gruntcd Besides. we
are In one Of the desert strips. and
IL IL probably miles to n night wire
station In either direction"
"And how long shall We have TO
wait for another train7- This time
4, was the little giri who wanted 10
know.
Il wish couId tell you. but I
can't" said the boss ''I'm no, IA.
miiisr with the Short Lane sched-
ules" Then 10 the young woman:
shall we so and cit under the
water tank, That seems 20 be
about tls nearest approach TO a
waiting room that the place af-
fords."
We tralled off together up the
track. two and two. the boss walk
inF with the young woman. After
we'd counted a few Of the cross-
ties. the giri said is your name
Jhnmie Dodds7" And when ad.
mittcd Il: Mine IL Maisle Ann.
I'm Sheila's cousin on her mothers
side. l think this IL great lark:
don't your"
Il can tell better after It's over
I said. Maybe wen have TO stay
here all night"
Il shouldn't mind" she came back
airily. II haven't been up all night
since I was a little kiddle and our
house burned down. You're just
boy, aren't you? You must excuse
me. it's so dark that can't see
very we'll"
told her had been shaving for
three years and more. and she let
out a little gurglIng laugh. as tho
had said something funny. BY
that time we had reached the big
water tank. and the boss picked out
one Of the square footing timbers
for seat II seemed as II he were
finding 4 a good bit harder to get
acquainted with his half OF the com.
bination that / was with mine, but
after little the young women
thawed out a bit and made him talk
Ito help pass away the time. took
it--and the little girl and I sat and
listened. When the young woman
finally got him started. the boss told
her all about himself. how he'd been
railroading ever since he left col
lege. and lot OF things that I'd
never even dreamed OF. It's curious
how a pretty woman can make
man turn himself inside out that
way, just for her amusement
Maisie Ann and / sat on the end
OF the timber. not too near TO be
buttins. nor so far away that we
couldn't hear all that was said.
still had the cigar the boss had
given me, and sure wanted to
smoke mighty bad. only thought
IL wouldn't look Just riRht---me being
the chaperon. AloAg In the middle
OF things, Mr.. Norcross broke off
short and begged the young WON.
ans pardon for boring her with 30
much shop talk.
"Oh, you're not boring me at all:
I like TO hear IT," she protested. And
then; You have been telling me the
story Of a man who has done things.