Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

B16 THE stir and the others got them to their feet. They were dazed and baffled for a few minutes. They had been about to rob a pay-car and then darkness had descended upon them. They were emerging from that darkness to find themselves confronted by hard-faced men with revolvers in their hands. “‘ Where’s Sven?” one of them asked. “ Aw, shut up,” another growled. “Shut up yourself. Where’s Jensen, you felloyws?” ‘“He’s around somewhere,” Jerry said. “ Nabbed?” ** Just like yourselves.” “What happened to us?” “jensen had hired some other men to pull off this robbery,” Jerry said. ‘‘ They wanted too much of what the pay-car was to yield, and then he hired you.” ‘“That’s why the skunk sent us down here ahead of him, while he staved on watch,” the man said. ‘I wish he’d got a bullet. What're you going to do with us, neighbor?” ‘We'll see in a minute,” Jerry answered. “Go through them, boys, and see what we can add to our little collection of firearms.” While the men were doing that Jerry thought belatedly of Dayton’s man who had been hurt. ‘“Where’s Tim Mather?” he asked. “Oh, I’m right here,” said Tim from the side of the car. ‘‘ Don’t fuss about me, When you got everything else ’tended to, you can help me into the car. I’m kind of cold, but the hurt I got don’t amount to nothin’. ‘ Dayton appeared on the platform. ‘““Come and give me a lift with Tim,” Jerry called. “ He’s cold.” Dayton came down, and he and Jerry carried Tim into the pay-car. Dayton looked at the &vound, examining it with the quick gentleness of a woman. “ Don’t amount to much, Tim,” he said. * We'll wash it up in a minute and put a rag on it like your mother used to do when you cut your finger. Huh?” “In the mean time you can give me a chew of tobacco,” Tim said. Dayton complied with that often-made request, and turned to ferry. ‘Mr. Clayton wants you to flag the first ARGOSY., train that comes along,” Dayton said. “ He wants to move out of here. He don’t seem to like the locality. I don’t know whether it’s the scenery or the climate he objects to, but he wants to move.” ‘ Let’s have a lantern, then,” Jerry said. He went back to the track, while the astute Dayton waited in the warm car. In half an hour a light appeared in the east. An engine with a snow-plow bulked itself out of the gloom. It swept past them, leaving a clear track. Fifteen minutes later another head-light appeared down the track. Jerry flagged the train and found it to be.a fast freight. He explained to the engineer what was wanted, and the engineer pulled down so that the pay-car could be poled out on the main track and coupled to the caboose. The freight-train had to stop at the next station, and Jerry and Pat left the train there. In an hour there would be a pas- senger-train back to Wellsville. Jerry wanted to get back there, so that he could see Mamie in the morning. She would have need of him. “Tl just file Clayton’s report,’’ Dayton said. “ Mebbe they'll phone it to the supe before mornin’.” He and Jerry went into the Ree office. Dayton filed the report. “Will you have the operator at Wells- ville station tell Curry that I’m all right and on my way home?” Jerry asked the operator. “ Tell Curry to,get word to Miss McBride if he can.” “Sure, Jerry,” the operator said, and he did that before he sent Clayton’s report. “You'll take care of those dead men, and Jensen and the rest, will you, Dayton?” Jerry asked. “Don’t think a thing more about it,” said Dayton. ‘ You got enough to think about, Jerry. You tell Mamie I’m sorry, mighty sorry.” “T will,” Jerry promised. Dayton started for the door to return to the train. He hesitated for a moment, and then he faced about and held oft his hand to jerry. It seemed a hard thing for him to do, but he blurted out: “You're all right, son, and I hope you'll be so happy you'll bust.” JOOS COMMIC (C@)