The Argosy, Vol. XI, No. 22 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

THE ARGOSY ‘¢ That fellow’s got too good an opinion of himself, and he'll come to grief yet.” ‘*T wouldn’t mind him at all, as long as you have the con- sciousness that you are innocent, and mean to do the right thing.” ‘*T don’t care a rap for him,” protested Dash, though it was evident he did ; ‘‘ and perhaps I ought not to blame him, as I haven't a thing to show that I wasa flagman on the express but this battered lantern, which could be picked up by any one.” ‘‘Mr. Dykeman !” cried the young operator, seeing the boy for the first time when he came under the lights in the waiting room ,; *‘ Is it really you? What has happened, and how did you come here ?” ‘« There's evidence of the truth of my story. He can vouch for my being a flagman, any way,” smiled Dash, as he turned to the doctor. ‘‘ Indeed I can,” began the operator, coloring painfully, as his neglect of duty was recalled. ‘*T got left from No. 6, and just came back on the train that has left,” continued Dash, in answer to the boy's ques- tion. ** But how did you get mixed up with ¢ha?t?” pointing to the prostrate form of the dead tramp, whose face had been covered with a handkerchief. ‘‘ That’s a different story,” and Dash briefly repeated his meeting with the two tramps, and afterward the finding of one of them dead. ‘‘And now we'll examine the body as far as we can,” added the physician, as Dash concluded. He quickly loosened the clothes from the corpse, and made a thorough examination that took some minutes. ‘‘ There’s positively not a sign of violence on bis person,” ' reported the doctor finally, ‘‘ and, judging from all external appearances, he died from heart disease, brought on by alco- holism, or excessive drinking.” ‘Retribution overtook him very quickly, Dash, with a shudder. ‘* But brought on by himself,” added the doctor. ‘‘ Nature will have her reckoning when she 1s abused.” ‘* Heaven have mercy upon him,” said Dash with feeling - and he could not heip-wondering where the soul had gone that had inhabited such a vile and much abused body. ‘Will you remain till the inquest?” asked the doctor; ‘‘ there is really no necessity for it, if you would like to go. You can leave a short written statement of how you found the man.” ‘Thank you, I will do so. I would hke to go on as soon as possible,” replied Dash, with satisfaction ; not so much at being at liberty to continue his westward journey, as at the prospect of escaping the disagreeable attendance on an in- quest, and getting away from the vicinity of his recent try- ing and discouraging experience. ‘* But hadn't I better leave these until after the inquest ?” he asked, producing the chain and locket, though he was loatu to part with them again, even temporarily. ‘‘ As you say they are yours, I believe you, and you might as well keep them. I'll go security for them, should there be any claimants. All 1 want is your future address. that I may communicae with you should the necessity arise.” ‘Thank you again, doctor,” said Dash, for a moment wondering what address he could give. He finally gave that of Mr. Hummon in St. Louis, to whom he had a letter, and from whom he expected to secure a position. Then was presented the problem of how he was to reach Pittsburg, much less St. Louis, without any money, and not even a hat to wear. commented 301 But this latter was provided by the young operator, who had an extra one at the office; aud he alsu said he had no doubt he could get the conductor of the next west bound train to take Dash on to Aldunta, which was the end of the division, where all local trains stopped. The conductor proved to be more credulous and kind than the one Dash had already met, and said he would be glad to help a friend of Tom Freeman’s. So Dash once more said good by to the operator at Deck- erton, and was soon whirling over another stage of his west- ward journey. After an uncomfortable slumber of a few hours, curled up in the confined limits of a coach seat, Dash stepped from the train at the station in Aldunta, with the cool air of early morning sharpening his healthy appetite. The booming of a gong in the door of the restaurant seemed to increase his hunger, and reminded him forcibly of his financial inability to supply his wants. Just as he was wondering where his next meal would come from, and the prospect seemed most dismal, he glanced at a man who was approaching him, and gave a start of agreea- ble surprise. Conductor Freeman was coming down the platform, roll- ing a toothpick in his mouth, as if he had just finished his breakfast. Dash was certainly astonished, for he thuught the conductor was nearly in Pittsburg by that time. CHAPTER XV. ON THE PAY CAR. - ELLO, Dykeman! Where did you come from, and how did you get left?” exclaimed Freeman, with visible astonishment and curiosity, advancing to- ward Dash. His manner was a little constrained. no doubt occasioned by the temporary flagman's apparent desertion of his post, and the latter hastened to give a brief account of how he had missed regaining his train, and his subsequent perilous predicament and encounter with the tramps. ‘‘ You've had a hard night of it, Dykeman,” commented tha conductor, when he had finished. ‘' But you left us ina bad fix, and I wouldn't have known it if I hadn’t gone back to speak to you about that Deckerton matter. I at first feared the engineer had started up without you, but when he told me he had received the signal to go ahead, I could not understand it. Then I was afraid you'd fallen off the rear when the train was running. I’m mighty glad to see you.” ‘‘ No more than I am to see you,” responded Dash, with a faint smile; ‘‘and you are the last one I expected to see here.” ‘I got orders to stop off here to take the pay train, and turn my run over to Cartsover,” explained Freeman. ‘‘ Did you get another nagman ?”’ ‘* One of the forward men took your place to Aldunta, and then Cartsover got a man to go on to Pittsburg.” ‘‘ Then I suppose I am left out in the cold,” suggested Dash, in disappointed tones, for the meeting with the con- ductor had led him to hope that he could get something to do that would take him further on his way. ‘‘ Not much, Dykeman ; not. after last night,” responded Freeman positively ; but whether he referred to the inci- dent at Deckerton, or the events that followed, Dash could not decide. ‘‘Mr. Freeman,” he began in some embarrassment, ‘‘as I have told you, those tramps took every cent of money I had. Would you please advance me enough to pay for my breakfast here, until I can get something to do?” ecoMmceoooks COLL