Licking Valley courier., 1921-12-15

tlcket-named destination i Of Angels,
and found a typical mining camp of q
single street and tawdry, dusty
dlelriness scarcely exceeded by that
of the dead-allve Atropia.. The first
thing / saw on the station platform
was my train conductor talking earn
estly to a large, desperadoish-looking
man whose greatest need was for q
clean shave. BY the manner of the two
saw that their talk was aiming Itself
at me; the railroad man was only too
plainly warning the Angelic person
that Angels the Blest had probably
harmless, but possibly dangerous,
maniac in its midst.
Still saw only the humorous side
of it and refused to be disturbed. Fired
by the ambition to find some way Of
returning at once to Atropla, before
the magic horse and dog should disap-
pear, | tramped Off In search Of place
where | could leave my two grips. The
place that offered, and the only one,
was the celestial Ilciel," "'and won
dered what sly wag had suggested the
name, which was a double pun upon
the name Of the town and the fact that
the tavern, half restaurant and half
lodglng-house, was kept by China
man.
But | secured accommodation, and
as / was turning to leave the restau-
rant-tavern trouble loomed up In the
shape of the heavy-shouldered des-
peradofsh-looking person whom l had
seen at the station talking with the
train conductor.
"Tm 1fito you with both feet" he re-
marked, boring me with an'eye' that I
could easily fancy might strike terror
into the heart Of the most reckless
criminal. I'm glvin' you warnin' right
now that no funny business don't 80 In
this mans town seer"
I'm atlte harmless" l assured him.
"Giye me O Httle' Information, and I'll
forthwith remove myself frem the CON-
fines OF, your charming city. How far
is II by wagon-road to Placerville-
Atropia, and how can get there"
my goshl" he said gloomily, two
of you in the same dog-gOned week II
"Even So When did the other one
arrive?' 't..-
"Day before yistidday. He didn't
look so much bughouse as you do; but
I reckon he must a been or his ska-
whOop, too, r he wouldn't a gone TO
'TrOpia." ..t ""
LET him rest In peace. DO l get my
infOrmatlonY
"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-mofruh mornln',"
"Tm going to Atropla--thls after
noon," l Dragged.
He let me pass, and l tramped W
the street until found the one livery
stable. Here, again, my fool reputa
ton had quite evidently .outrun me
The man had idle horses, plenty Of
them, as / couldn't help seeing, but
couldn't hire one for love or money
When 1t came right down to the pinch
he wouldn't even sell me, one,
BY this time was ma hot swea'
Of lmpatience to be on my wayi u
bridge that twenty-one miles before
the elusive clue--if 1t were the clue
could once more dodge me and vanisl
into thin air. In that frame Of mind
told the cautious liveryman, In gentle
phrase, what / thought Of him and MI
I kind, and hurried down to the rail
road, hoping to be able to catch al
east-bound train Of some kind, an,
kind, whose crew could be bribed o
cajoled into carrying me to Atropla',
II was Just as was about to lnqulr
Of the telegraph operator what tn
chances were that the great tempta
tlon rose up and slapped me In tn
face. Up the grade from the westwar'
tiny, three-wheeled car, carrying tw
men, came spinning alongg ] recoG
nlzed 1t at once as u track-inspecuo
car, driven by II small g,(soline engine
ap evolution of the old yelocipede cal
foot and hand-drlven and1sed by road
,,masters and other railroad men 70
making quick trips oyer short dli
taRees. *.
In half minute the little car RAJ
tiled up TO the station and nude
,Qulck stop, the two men setting til
brakes and hopping off to dodge Int
the telegraph Office They left the III
tie pop.popplng engine running
/. ldllng speed, and In Il flash / saw m
chance. OF course, II should stei
! the car, I'd be caught and arrested an