Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 166: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

508 A reaction of mind and body had set in for Weir; after the previous night’s loss of sleep and prolonged exertions, after the swift succession of dramatic events, after the tremendous call that had been made upon his brain power, nervous force and will, he experienced a strange unrest of spirit. His triumph seemed yet incomplete, somehow unsatisfying. It was as he approached/the camp that he saw a slender, girlish figure sitting on a rock in the moonlight. He swung his car off the road beside the spot where Janet Hosmer sat. ‘What, you are still awake?” he asked, with a smile. “Could I sleep while not knowing what was happening or what danger you might be in?” she returned. ‘ Mr. Pollock said we must not think of returning home until quiet was restored in San Mateo. One of the engineer’s houses was given to us by Mr. Meyers before he left, where Mary and I could sleep. But I could not close my eyes. So much had happened, so much was yet going on! So I came out here to be alone and to think and watch.” ‘“‘ And your father?” “‘ He’s attending the wounded Mexicans in the store.” Steele alighted, and tossing his hat upon the car seat gazed out over the mesa, misty in the moonlight. “There will be no more trouble,” said he. ‘Sorenson and Burkhardt are Mad- den’s prisoners, and on their way to a place of safe-keeping in another county. Vorse is dead. The people in town have a fairly good understanding of matters now, I think.” ‘“‘ How in the world did such a change of opinion occur?” Janet exclaimed. ‘“‘T had a little talk with the crowd and made explanations. The feeling for me was almost friendly when I took my departure; what enr':" remains will soon die out, I’m sure.” Though unaware from Steele Weir’s la- conic statement of what had actually -oc- curred, the girl divined that his words con- cealed vastly more than their surface pur- port. With the general hostility against the engineer that had existed, for him to ARGOSY AND RAILROAD MAN’S MAGAZINE. swing the community to his side meant a dramatic moment and a remarkable moral conquest. “Your friends have always known you would win,” she said, smiling up at him. He seated himself on the rock beside her. “It is but a short time ago, Janet, that I had no friends, or so few they could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Busi- ness acquaintances, yes. Professional com- panions, yes. Men who perhaps respected my ability as an engineer, yes. But real friends, scarcely a one. And now I think I have gained some, which is the greatest satisfaction I have from everything that has happened here. After years the pen- dulum has swung to my side. Do you know the hour my luck changed?” Janet shook her head wonderingly. “No, I can’t even guess,” said she. “Well, it was that afternoon, and that moment, I found you sitting in your stalled car in the creek down there. That was the beginning. From that time things began to run in my favor, and they haven’t ceased to do so for a moment since, I now see, looking back over events. You brought ‘good luck to me that day in your car.” “What an extraordinary idea! Then at bottom you’re superstitious,” Janet re- plied. ‘I shall have to give you a new name; I must no longer call you Cold Steel.” ““T really never liked that name,” Weir said quickly. ‘‘ Perhaps I was cold steel once, but I have changed, along with every- thing else. And you’re responsible for that, too.” . Janet leaned forward and looked into his eyes. “You were never truly hard to any one except to those who deserved it,” she said. “I know! You would never have been so quick to help Mary Johnson, or me, or others who needed help, if your heart was not always generous and sympathetic. Only against evil were you as steel and in moments requiring supreme courage and sacrifice. And that’s how you gained the name before you ever set your foot on this territory.” ‘“‘ Anyway, I’ve changed,” said he. ‘“ I’m out from under the shadow which I felt al- ELOOO (C(O) S Co mM