The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-02-17

him
Again the train started, and he went
along. this time catching the rods IN
der az empty cattle cur
Riding the rods AZ a rule Is not
distasieful 20 the seasoned hobo, but
Red had proper respect for the con
tents Of the bottle be carried.
I.arkin had been on the watch and
had marked the ear 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 hst, he
obtained a grip upon an iron brace. A
foot below his body the roadbed hed
by
A lurch that would tear him from
hs he.. rueant death; but by dis
play of strength almost incredible be
pulled himself across the gap from the
rods TO the beam
There, crouching on the thick tim
Der. he strained his eyes, squinted TO
avoid the dust, striving 10 pierce the
gloom IN which that humping whirl.
ing. pounding menace approached ever
closer.
"set a drag for me-damn him
His voice was hoarse IN its hate. "In
get hint I'll get him. he snarled.
Larkin had tied coupllng-pin 10
the end of a length OF wire and low
cred II beneath the cars. The heavy
piece OF metal. rebounding from the
ties banged against the rods and floor
ing above with SCATTERING force.
Had Red remained on the rods he
inevitably must have been Knocked
from his hold, 10 fall under the greedy
wheels
Slowly Larkin let out the wire TO It's
extreme length and as slowly drew II
back
Then he hurled the drag from the
train and settled himself for a long
ride. curslng the rule that prohibited
smoking on duty.
Under the car Frisco Red barred his
teeth In a cornered-dog smile as the
flying pin approached within a foot OF
his perch and then receded.
mot enough wire Damn hlm" he
said. "But I'll get him for thatW
While the train rumbled across the
Kansas prairie, Larkin sat with his
heels dangling over the edge OF car
roof and longed for cigarette, while
Frisco Red clinging to the brake
beam. strove to protect his face from
singing bits OF ballast and nursed
lurld thoughts Of revenge
The freight stopped after run Of
thirty miles. but Larkin did not even
trouble to investigate whether the
man sfill was under the car lie did
not think II 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.
II was Frisco Red
The railroad man did not hesitate.
He did moi need to be told what the
others intentions were. The attitude
Of the squat. thick-set form was In IL
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.
II was too late for Larkln to flee,
even had II been In his nature TO do
so. The vengeful yeggman was hard
ly dozen steps away.
To run merely would invite a bullet
I'm the back. and the brakeman was OF
the sort who prefet their wounds be
from the front
He jumped forward. and the weapon
spoke
A sudden Iureh OF the car sent the
bullet wide. but the gun again spat fire
IN Larkin's face, and he felt sting In
his shoulder.
The yeggman was firing rapidly, the
spurts OF flame 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 II In the others face and they
clinched.
Back and forth across the hesving
car top they struggled-two vicious
animals gone mad with ragei
Half the length OF the car they
rolled. twisting. straining. heavy fists
batterlng. and thick fingers clawing,
couging. The brakeman volleyed
curses.
The yeggrnan fought in silence. Ike
a man with a fixed purp0se-lo slay
Larkln was the better wrestler. One
OF his long arms erept across the 9th
er's hack and caught n wrist In en-
instant Red was pinned Cat on his
fare and MS antagonist was shouting
profaue triumph