The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-12-02

aI5Ie. which was a double pun upon
The name Of the town and the fact thar
lie tavern, half restaurant and half
clearinghouse. was kept by China
man.
But 1 secured accommodation, and
rs | was turning to leave the resrau-
tanf-tayeFn trouble doomed mp in the
shspe of the heayy-slloEldered tBeS-
IseradoishloalziRg person whom | had
seen at the station talking with tlie
train conductor.
I'm onto you with both feet. he re-
marked. boring me with an eye that 1
6. uId easily fancy might strike terror
inta. the heart Of the most reckless
criminal. I'm givin' you warnin rigll
nov tllat no funny business don't go in
this mans town: seeE-
I'm quite harmless / assured him.
Give me little Information. and III
forthwith remove myself from the con-
fines of your charming city. How far
Is il by wag1n-road 10 PIaeervfIle-
Arropla. and how can get tliereF'
My gosh he said gloomiIy: Two
of you in the same dog-goned week ,"
Even SO. When did the other one
arriveT
DAY before yistidday He didn't
look so much bughouse as you do. hut
reckon he must a been off his ka-
whoop. too, r he wouldn't "a gone to
'Tropia."
Let him rest in peace. Do get my
infornation2"
shore: we speeds the partin' guest.
You've come apast your place Twenty
one mile back and the way-freight II
git you there to-morruh mognin'."
I'm going TO AtrOpia-this after.
noan.' / Dragged.
lie let me pass, and 1 tramped w
The street until found the one livery
stable. Here, again, my fool reputa-
zion had quite evidently outrun me,
rhe man had idle horses. plenty OF
Them. as / couldn't help seeing, but
couldn't hire one for love or money.
When it came right down to the pinca-
he wouldn't even sell me one.
BY this time / was ia, hot sweai
of impatience to be on my way; TO
bridge that twenty-one miles before
the elusive cIue-if it were the clue
could once more dodge me and vanish
into thin air In that frame of mind !
told the cautious liyeryman, in gentle
phrase. what / thought of him and his
kind, and hurried down to the rail
road, hoping TO be able to catch an
east-bound train of some kind, any
kind, whose crew could be bribed or
cajoled into carrying me TO Atropia.
IT was just as l was about to inquire
of the telegraph operator what the
ehfhces were that the great tempta-
ton rose sup and slapped me in the
face. Up the grade from the westward
II tiny, three-wheeled car, carrying two
men, came spinning along. | recog-
nized it at once as a track-inspection
car driven by a small gasoline engine
an evolution of the old velocipede car,
foot and hand-driven and used by road
masters and other railroad men for
making quick trips over short dis
tanceS.
In half q minute the little car rat
tied up to the station and made a
quick stop, the two men setting the
VI dhCS anu AAODbiAA6 bAh w NOOcC
the telegraph office They left the lit
tie pop-popping engine running at
:dling speed. and insa fash | saw my
chance OF course, if should steal
the car. I'd be caught and arrested ana
hauled off somewhere to be tried and
fined; but before any of these unto
ward things could happen. l should
haye settled that biting question of
the ownership of the pfebald pony and
the harIequin-faced dog.
With a quick glance over my shout
der to make sure that the coast was
still clear, / slipped into the driving
seat. jerked the throttle open and re-
leased the clutch, praying fervently
that the switches might be set right
for me at the upper end Of the Angels
yard.
As he machine began TO gather
speed, locked back. What l saw was
a-plantr Thraa mon ono of tham