New-York tribune., 1920-10-17

ton to meet him.
But five days afterward, when he
stepped out into the dim trainshed
in the southern California city, there
wasn't soul that he knew in sight.
Sending his luggage to his hotel in
one Of the omnipresent hotel buses
he took taxicab up the long, dark
curving road to Pasadena.
A cocky looking Japanese man.
servant told him that Miss Barrett
was not in, but she had left q note
for Mr.. Farr. Dick tore it open
eagerly, while the japanese watched
with keen eyes.
Ny Darling Boy:
So sorry to disappoint you. But
the Dodsons planned this trip in
their yacht weeks ago. And I do
want to see Alaska. We're leaving
tomorrow morning. And, can you
imagine, I am not yet half packed
Paul Dalsimer and Bobby Miller
arc going along. They have been
rushing mo until I am nearly dead
for sleep. But, Dick dear. every
time either Of them held my hand
or kissed me, wished it was you.
Maybelle wants me to stay out here
with her and not go back East at all
In the winter we would go to the
mountains. | should just love to-
Perhaps | shall. suppose you will
have to go right back East. Goodness
only knows when l shall see you
again if | stay out here. 1t might
be best if we let our engagement go,
dear. 1t was nice as long as it wasn't
so horribly inconvenient for US both
I'm certain | shall not get packed
in time. Give my love to every
body back East. FLORENCE.
Dick remembered getting back to
his hotel all right, but stubborn
haze always clouded the remainder
of the day and several days and
nights afterward His memory be-
gan with the sight of a dying man
on the floor Of dimly lighted back
room Of a saloon near the railroad
yards in Pocatello, Idaho. The
sunken eyes Of the man on the floor
were swimming rigidly over the So
bercd group.
zone Of you," he gasped rattllng-
ly, zone Of you has got to pay back
obligation | owe. Take out some
paper and put it down To Walter
Whitman. He used to be at Port
Reading, N. J. Seven years ago last
March he took his crew in saloon
and got them drunk. Then he gave
In their names. His crew was all
fired, except himself. He was the
conductor. | was the engineman.
Here | am, where he put me. To-
day he's the chief yardmaster on the
Eastern, at the big Rutherwood
yards. | want you to-.
His lips tried to form another
word. His eyes strained. Then he
shook his head hopelessly and closed
his eyes.
Of the little group Dick was the
most affected. Whitman was on his
fathers railroad. Sobered, he struck
out of the place. Outside an in
ventory revealed that his clothes
were a mess, his money gone, his
luggage might be in China as far
as he could remember, and, worst OF
all, the stubs of his checkbook
showed expenditures Of $110 more
than he had money in the bank.
He turned his pockets back anc
struck desperately for the railroad
Almost Of sudden it sprang up be
fore him. He stood still, breathing
fairly hard, doing nothing but look
ing at it. His eyes drank in its
blackened ties, it's rock ballast, the
broken waves of heat following the
glinting rails as they ran dead away
to the East.
Hello, old scout, old scout" he
found himself saying. He wanted tx
bend down and pat the rails will
his hands. The first freight tha
went East slowly enough for him t.
catch a rusty handle and step wa
his.
T>ROM Pocatello, Idaho, to Har
risville, Pa, he obeyed al
the rules of the hobo game. II
ode flats and lowside gondolas, high
side gondolas, hoppers, cruisers an,
battleships, and learned the gentl
art of springing the sealed door O
the older type Of boxcar, in whic1
he could sleep without fear.
At last, at the big Rutherwoo,
yard near Harrisville, he came il
sight of a traprock ballast, doubl
track line with Hall signals. 1t wa
his fathers own Eastern Railroad
He stayed up in the end of his high
side gondola. loaded with fragran
lumber, while rider dropped it owe,
the hump down into one of tn,