Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1920-09-10

lew yards out on the Sage-DruSn
covered plain he lay fiat, watching the
lanterns that told of the search for
| him.
Again the train started. and he went
| along, this time catching the rods I'M
der an empty cattle car.
Riding the rods" as rule, is not
| distasteful to the seasoned hobo, but
Red had proper respect for the con-
| tents of the bottle he carried.
| Larkin had been ON the watch and
had marked the car under which he
had swung
Ten minutes later a new note in the
metallic clamor around him aroused
Red to action, and he worked his way
back over the. rods until near the
swinging brake-beam.
| Stretching forth a knOtted fist, he
! obtained a grip upon an iron brace. A
| foot below his body the roadbed fed
by.
| A lurch that would tear him from
! his hold meant death but by a dis
| play of strength almost incredible he
| pulled himself across the gap from the
! rods to the beam.
| There, crouching on the thick tim
| ber he strained his eyes, sQuinted to
! avoid the dust striving to pierce the
| gloom in which that humping. whirl-
| ing, pounding menace approached ever
| closer.
set a drag for me-damn him J"
| His voice was hoarse in its hate. III
| get him! I'll get him." he snarled.
Larkin had tied a coupling pin TO
| the end of a length of wire and low
| cred it beneath the cars. The heavy
piece of metal. rebounding from the
ties banged against the rods and floor
| inc above with SCATTERING force.
| Had Red remained on the rods he
| inevitably must have been Knocked
from his hold to fall under the greedy
! wheels.
Slowly Larkin let out the wire to its
extreme length and as slowly drew II
! back.
Then he hurled the drag from the
| train and settled himself for long
ride cursing the rule that prohibited
smoking on duty.
Under the car Frisco Red barred his
teeth in cornered-dog smile as the
flying pin approached within foot of
his perch and then receded
"Not enough wire! Damn him. he
said. But I'll get him for that"
While the train rumbled across the
Kansas prairie, Larhin sat with his
heels dangling over the edge of a car
roof and lOnged for a cigarette while
Frisco Red, clinging to the brake
beam. strOve to protect his face from
singing bits of ballast and nursed
lurid thoughts Of revenge.
The freight stopped after a run of
thirty miles, hut Larkin did not even
trouble TO investigate whether the
man still was under the car. He did
not think it was necessary.
When the train again was in motion
he had started toward the engine to
Swap yarns with the rab crew, when
bulky figure scrambled up from the
bumpers and barred his path.
1t was Frisco Red
The railroad man did not hesitate.
He did not need to be told what the
others intentions were The attitude
of the squat, thick-set form was in it.
self a warning.
AS Larkin paused the fireman
opened the engine furnace door, and
the glare that flashed down the length
of the train cleaned on weapon.
1t was too late for Larkin to fee,
even had it been in his nature to do
so. The vengeful yeggman was hard
Iy dozen steps away.
To run merely would invite a bullet
in the back. and the brakeman was OF
the sort who prefer their wounds be
from the 'front.'
He Jumped forward, and the weapon
spoke,
A sudden lurch of the car sent the
bullet wide, but the gun again spat fire
in Larkin's face, and he felt a sting in
his shoulder.
The yeggman was firing rapidly, the
snurts of fame from his weapons
muzzIe seemingly scorching the others
clothing. He was too close to miss.
Larkin knew he had been hit. hit
badly perhaps fatally; but such was,
his tremendous vitality, his brute cour-
age. that he kept advancing.
They now were but few PAGES
apart. Frisco Red, his pistol empty,
threw it in the others face and they
clinched.
Back and forth across the heaving
car top they struggled-two vicious
animals gone mad with rage.
Half the length of the car they
rolled, twisting, straining, heavy fists
battering, and thick fingers clawing,
gouging The brakeman volleyed
curses
The yeggman fought in silence, Ike
man with fixed purpOse-t6 Stay!
Larkin was the better wrestler. One
of his long arms crept across the 9TH
er's back and caught a wrist. In an
instant Red was pinned fiat on his
face, and his antagonist was shouting
profane triumph.
Then, with a grinding of wheel