The Press., 1921-01-20

pulled himself across the gap from the rods to the beam. -t
 There. crOuching on the thick tim- Der, he strained his eyes. squinted 10 avoid the dust, striving to pierce the gloom in which that humping, wnlri- ing. pOunClng menace approached ever closer. "Set drag for me-damn him! His voice was hoarse in it's hate. "III get him! I'll get him !'' he snarled. Larkin had tied coupling-pin to the end of length of wire and low cred it beneath the cars. The heaVy niece of metal, rebounding from the ties banged against the rods and noor- ing above with shattering 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 It's extreme length and as slowly drew It 1 back.
 Then he hurled the drag from the train and settled himself for a long ride. cursing the rule that prohibited smoking on duty.
 Under the car Frisco Red barred hls teeth in a cornered-dOg smile as the flying pin approached within foot Of i his perch and then receded. l "NOt enough wire! Damn hin! y ne. i said "But I'll get him for that!' l While the train rumbled across the Kansas prairie, Larkin sat with ms heels dangling over the edge of car roof and longed for a cigarette, while l Frisco Red. clinging to the brake beam. strove to protect his face from stinging bits of ballast and nursed , lurid thoughts of revenge.
 The freight stopped after run or thirty miles. but Larkin did not even trouble to investigate whether the man still was under the car. lie dld. not think it was necessary.
 When the train again was in motion he had started toward the engine to sw0D warns with the cab crew. when a bulky figure scrambled up from the bumpers and barred his path.
 If was Frisco Red!
 The railroad man did not hesitate. He did moi need to he told what the others intentions were. The attitude i of the squat. thick-Set form was in it. self warning.
 As Larlin 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 I.arkin t0 foe, even had it been in his nature to do so. Tie vPngeful yeggman was hard ly q dozen steps GwaN.
 To run merely would invite bullet in the back. and the brakeman was Of the sort who prefer their wounds be 1 from the front!
 He jumped forward, and the weapon | spoke.
 A sudden Iurch of the car sent the bullet wide but the gun again spat fire 1 in Larkin's face. and he felt a sting in l his shoulder
 The ypggman was firing rapidly, the i spurts of flame from his weapons muzzle seemingly scorching the others clothing. He was too close to miss
 Larkin knew he had been hit. hit 1 badly. perhaps fatally; but such was his tremendous vitality. his brute cour- age. that he kept advancing.
 They now were but a few paces l apart. Frisco Red, his pistol empty. l threw it in the others face and they 1 cIinched.
 Back and forth across the heaving car top they struggled-two vicious l animals gone mad with ragei
 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. like a man with fixed purpose-to slay {!
 I4arkin was the better wrestler. One of his long arms crept across the Oth- er's back and caught wrist. In an instant Red was pinned fiat on his face. and his antagonist was shouting prOfane triumph.
 Then, with a grinding of wheel flanges No. 9 took a sharp curve. Two glnrpling figures rolled off the roof l iniO' the darkness.
 Red fell underneath. square on the | bottle in his coat pocket!
 There was a flash, a splitting roar. A box car heaved; its trucks left the rails. The cars behind plOwed into 1t. The night was filled with crash and shlver of splintering wood. the rend- ing of steel as the train pulled up!
 "It's funny about that wreck" Ob- served McCarty. conductor of No. 9. a few nights later in the Acme lunch room. "We never could find Larkin. His hat and his busted lantern were picked up a mile down the tracks along with a gun, but there was neve! a trace of himI"