The Lamar register., 1920-08-11
Anderson's
Ambition
tCopyrisht)
By GEORGE FoxHALL

ltsei1 perslstentiy through the fespec
table broadcloth or Arthur Anderson's 3
exemplary life.
Other ideals OF youth had given way
to the staid conservatism OF middle
age, but this one. from the moment OF
It's Inception nearly thirty years ago.
had remained unquenchable.
For the ambition of Arthur Ander-
son, president OF the File and Finish
ing Company. Incorporated. millionaire
and philanthropist. small and dyspep-
nc, was-to hold up train. He had
gained all things but this
1t was pathetic. Even his name was
against him
Arthur Never in history or fiction.
from King Arthur down, had there
been a villain named Arthur. Arthur
is the very key TO virtue.
Yet, In an Indirect way and to lin
tied extent. the ideal actually had got
the better Of him. AT the age OF four
teen he had invested three dollars IN
d secondhand revolver, with which he
practiced joyously, rehesrsing hold
ups with icy coolness and increasing
iy deadly aim.
Here. by all the rules. his down
fall should have commenced; but IL
didn't He progressed steadily In both
the open and secret branches of his
life; from office boy TO president Of
the File and Finishing company from
bepatched practicer with an old
pistol to the foremost though unknown
authority on small firearms ia the
United States.
He had written reveling In the al
turing pen-name OF Dead Shot Dan
= brochure called ''Touchy Triggers"
which was the standard and final rev.
elation OF the mathematical science Of
pistol-shooting In all Its branches from
draw TO trajectory, from Dick Turpin
to the Battle OF Stepney.
And yet. Anderson had never held
up q traini He had practfced assidu-
ously until hand and eye were instinct
i've rails down which he could zip bul.
lets at will with the precision Of q
cash-carrisr In g department store.
but
II was so futile: he had never held
up train-probably he never would
On these things he was Illuminating
as he walked toward Csssavera station
one evening.
He had dined with the president of
the Cassavera Compound Engine COM
pnny, and had failed to get ten-thou-
sand-dollHr order he had been trying
for thing like that turned his mind
10 train robbery.
He abandoned himself 10 his imaz-
insry and reckless amusement and
was having a decidedly prosperous in
terview with an express messenger
when the shrieking OF whistle told
him that only hard run and short
cut would get him TO hts train.
Had Anderson been more familiar
with the territory round Cassayera
station ne would probably have
watched that train go, with q wise
shake Of his head al the trsacherous
ground between. Not being familiar
with IT. and tempted on BY the bright
moonlight, he stepped boldly into the
alluring trap which was to prove the
long-prepartng magnet OF adventure.
Tho grass was long and rank. and In
something less than two minutes he
had found and explored hidden ditch
about two feet deep, and having at the
bottom soft bed of mud and water.
About the same time he found and ex-
plored hidden wells OF vocabulary. but
fortunately neither discovery broke
any bones
When he scrambled out he found
that he had gathered sickenins
amount OF mud and had lost his hat,
his train and his temper He regret.
ted none OF them.
The ditch lay behind and the swamp
before To the left he saw the CLEAN
OF what looked like road, but might
be river that passed under the track
With nerves flickering like a flame
of a burned-out candle, and stepping
for all the world like the stealthy vii
lain in a melodramn, Anderson steered
his course toward this goal
THIS time fortune was his guide. The
white streak proved to be road set
up little above the low-lying swamp
land, and up the embankment Ander-
son wps thankfully climbing when he
was halted by the sound of voices lust
in front OF him and evidently coming
from behind group of boulders.
ITS no use, Jake. I'll never be able
to make II tonight. l can't stand up
TO save my life. ! reckon that canned
r,usf a. Give ma ntafnatns