The Little River news., 1920-07-31
CHAPTER |.

tant trails, Jagged the S.. F., L. A. & s. L. Limited at blistered board sta tion in Death valley, California, he had definitely resolved to do certain things. To begin, he would invade the dining car at the first call to dinner and order approximately twenty dol lars worth of ham and eggs, which provender is, as all who know will certify, the pinnacle of epicurean de light to an old sour-dough coming out of the wilderness with healthy bank roll and healthier appetite.
 Following the ham and eggs, MT. Webster planned to saturate himself from soul to vermiform appendix with nicotine, which he purposed obtaining from tobacco with nicotine in it. It was week since he had smoked any, thing with an odor even remotely like tobacco, for the August temperature in Death valley is no respecter of moist. ure in any man or his tobacco. Upon arrival in Salt Lake City his spree would really begin. Webster designed chartering a taxicab and proceeding forthwith to hotel where he would engage sunny room with bath, fill the batktub, climb blithely in and soak for two hours at least, for 1t was near ly eight months since he had had regular bath and he purpOsed making the most of his opportunity. His long, drawn ablutions at length over, he would don a silken dressing gown and slippers, order up barber and pro- ceed to part with enough hair and whiskers to upt,olster an automobile. and upon the completion of his ton sorial adventures he would encase his person in suit of mauve-cOlOred silk pajamas, climb into bed and stay there for forty eight hours, merely walk ing long enough to take another bath, order up periodical consignments of ham and eggs, and incidentally, make certain that friendly side-wtnder or chuckwalla hadn't crawled under the blanket with Tim.
 So much for John Stuart Webster's plans. Now for the gentleman himself. No one-not even the Pullman porter. shrewd judge of mankind that he was could have discerned in the chrySalis that Jagged the Limited the butterfly of fashion that was to be. AS the ebony George raised the vestibule plat form, opened the car door and looked out, he had no confidence i1 the lean, sun-baked big man standing by the train. Plainly the fellow was not a first-class passenger but wandering prospector, for he was dog-dirty, ruin of rags and hairy as tarantula. The only clean thing about him was a heavy-calibered automatic pistol of the army type, swinging at his hip.
 "Day coach an tourist up in front" tke knight of the whiskbroom an- nounced in disappearing tones and started to close down the platform.
 "So perceived" John Stuart Web- ster replied blandly. q also observed that you failed to employ the title sir when addressing white man. Put that platform back and hop out here with your little stool, you saddle colored son of Senegambia, or I'll make you hard porter to catch"
 "Yassah, yassah" the porter sput- tered, and obeyed instantly. MT. Web ster handed him disreputable-lOOking suitcase and stepped aboardsin state, only to be informed ttat there wasn't vacant first-class berth on the train.
 "Yes, know I'm dirty" the late ar rival announced cheerfully, but still, as Bobby Burns once remarked, a mans man for a that'-and I'm not unsanItary."
 "I'm very sorry," the conductor re- piled perfunctorily and e1deavored to pass on, but Webster secured a firm grip on his lapel and frustrated the es- cape.
 "You're not sorry," the ragged wan- derer declared, mot one little bit. You're only apprehensive. However, you needn't be. There is no wild life on me, brother, I assure you"
 But tell you, tEe train is full up. You'll have to roost in the day coach OT LuC lOuAlSts 1 III 'CAJ ooAAS
 Nevertheless, despite your deep grief, something tells me you're spoofing. so while l must. of necessity, accept your suggestion. said acceptance will be but temporary. In about two hours, young fellow, you're going to make the alarm ing discovery that you have bats in your belfry." And with whiskery grin which, under the circumstances. was charming in its absolute freedom from malice. Mr. Webster departed for tEe day coach.
 Two hours later the conductor found him in the aforementioned day coach. engaged in mild game ot poker with mule-skinner. . Chinaman. an aged prospector. and a half-breed Indian. and waited until Mr. Webster. on bob-tailed flush, bluffed the Chinaman out of a dollar-and-a-half pot.
 Are you MT. John s. Webster3"
 "Your assumption that l am that person is so eminently correct that 1t would be a waste of time for me to dispute it," Webster replied quizzical- ly. However. just to prove ttat