Evening star., 1925-10-18

sort of a tool. But, anyway. 1t woulc
be foolish and too cheap to crash
a store here for a few bites to eat
There's be no money in sight.
No. he'd stick it out, take warm
nap by this fire, and about daylight
he'd hop on the fast freight he knew
would be due. 1t had to go slowly
up this steep grade. He's hold it down
right into "Cincy' by dark that night
And then his vacation would be over
He guessed he'd try out that graft he
and Big Bill had doped out. They d
| get the money.
What was that? His quick ear had
heard a soft branching sound in front
| Of him, past the fire.
Listening intently. he heard nothing
for a while, and was half convinced
he had been mistaken when he again
heard a slight movement. He could
not see far into the nights misty wall
of blackness which began where the
circle of freight ended, but he had an
uncomfortable feeling that some one
was watching him from a little way
down the track. toward the town.
There's room for one more in this
hotel" he called out cheerily, and was
not greatly surprised to see a figure
emerge from the gloom and slowly
approach the fire.
II
THE newcomer was tall. peculiar
looking man Of about 80. His lank
figure gave the impression of having
recently wasted with some serious Ill
ness until the loosely hanging blue
suit was much too large for him. This
was further suggested by the extreme
! pallor of his skin, showing dead white
in contrast to jet-black hair, and sew.
| eral days growth Of beard. His dark
| beady eyes reflected a curious blend.
| ing of timidity and appeal, and he
walked slowly with q seemingly pain.
| full limp.
Powell Judged this was no ordinary
Weary Willie" and felt pity for his
obvious weakness Of body and air of
helplessness.
''Sit down. buddy, and warm your
self: You look all In" he invited.
kindly
With a murmur of thanks the
stranger settled down close to the
fire. The warmth OF the blaze seemed
soon to loosen softly glib tongue and
he began to reel off q tale OF his trou.
bles.
Curley listened with sympathetic in.
terest at first. but before it had gone
far his sympathy was all but wiped
out by an increa sing conviction that
the story was too loosely put together
to be altogether true.
The strangers story started Off with
losing a job through sickness last
| Spring" as telegraph operator in a
Washington stock brokers' Office. His
wife had been sick. too, with long.
| lingering lung trouble. He had buried
| her last month" and It had taken
almost his last dollar He had rela-
tives out in Marion; was on his way
there. He was broke, half starved,
but could not bring himself to beg.
He had been, he said, two weeks get
ting this far from Washington toward
Marion and the certainty OF a welcome
by his relatives there.
why did it take you two weeks to
get only this far?" inquired Curly,
we'll knowing the freight train crews
In this part of the country seldom
or never bothered a man travelling
quietly alone.
Il have a sprained ankle. have to
get on a train when she's standing
still. But they have cops and de-
tectives around the railroad yards. and
I'm afraid Of getting pinched for being
hobo,' was the ready response, &C
companied by a darting side glance
across the fire that was not unnoticed
by Powell's sharp eyes.
But he gave no sign that he felt
sure his companion had deeper rea-
sons for avoiding the police than ap-
peared in the others hard.luck recital.
well, buddy" he finally volun-
teered, I'm heading your way. In a
couple Of hours. about daybreak, a
fast freight will be coming along. She
slows up going through that burg back
there and up this heavy grade around
this curve she will only crawl. 1 can
! make her down a ways, and If YOU
grab the side ladder I'm on when l
come past, III lean down and swing
you on as easy as pie. And now" he
concluded. dryly, "we"1 quit chewing
the rag. I'm going to take a light
snooze till I hear her coming"
THUS 1t happened that long after the
sun was up that morning, when
the fast freight stopped at a lone
water-tank 60 miles nearer Cincinnati,
it had for passengers Curly Powell
and the tall. beady-eyed liar with a
limp. They were riding the rear end
behind two large Grated threshing
machines.
Leaning over the side Of the car,
Curly looked forward along the now
stationary train to the engine. where,
standing on the tender top. the fire.
man was swinging the long water.
nozzle Of the tank to the mouth Of his
painting, thirsty engine. AS he gazed
his eye caught sight Of a thin spiral
of smoke. blue in the sunlight, in q
field off to the side. between the flat
car and the head Of the train. AS he
looked he saw three men leave the
fire. climb over the barbed wire fence
and Chamber aboard another fiat car
up near the engine.
Slim" he called over his shoulder,
I'll be right back. I've got a
hunch."
He jumped to the ground and step.
ped out for the deserted fire.
AS he had guessed, this had been
a breakfast fire. His searching eyes of
hunger saw scraps of paper strewn
about. Three small overturned tin
cans contained wet coffee grounds,
their blackened sides still warm. An
empty pasteboard cracker box yielded
nothing but dust.
All. Here was luck worth a million
dollars! A long wide slice of thick
bacon. Drowned to a turn, had been
left to one side on a clean, folded
paper bag. AS he reached down for
1t his eyes glistened brightly. {.
then dulled. He remembered the pale
faced man he had just left.
For long minute he fought a
strong desire to devour the tempting
treasure, but finally he wrapped the
paper bag around it and turned toward
the train, carrying it in his hand
Its a good-sized piece" he told
himself. "Ill bring it back and give
the poor fellow half of it. He's been
yapp1ng about being SO hungry all