Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

580 Lark pulled out his dollar watch. The Purple Limited had gone through New- house fifty minutes late. He replaced his timepiece, trudged forward to the water- tank, and flashed his lantern beneath the dripping shelter. There seemed no evidence that any ho- boes had climbed aboard the blind baggage at the tank. The slushy snow alongside the track was mixed with cinders and water. The spout was vertical, and in its correct position. Lark looked at this spout. Sometimes careless firemen left it extended over the road-bed. He started walking toward Newhouse. A chance ray of light from his lantern re- vealed an unexpected color in the snow. | Lark stooped to pick up a piece of red cloth, evidently torn from a woman’s skirt. It was cut in the shape of a mask. Two strings dangled from his frosted fingers. Two eye-holes appeared when he pressed through them with his thumb. Lark’s first action, after pocketing the mask, was to jerk his lantern until the light flared out. The mask was a reminder that there might be train-robbers about the water-tank. He blinked, and attempted to penetrate the gloom. He waited, and tried again. A faint light shone across the snow in the direction the Purple Limited had gone. This light came from a switch-lamp at the junction of a stone quarry. The Limited had rushed by it at full speed. It came to Lark that duty was expected from him in the matter of the red mask. He stepped over the slippery ties and bent beneath the water-tank. He searched the place. There was evidence in burnt matches and a crumpled newspaper that tramps or robbers had hidden from the prying eyes of railroad detectives. Lark methodically gathered all the matches the could find, and crammed them into his pocket. He spread the ‘newspaper, refolded it, .and then thrust it under his coat. Picking up the lantern, he climbed to the road-bed, looked once more to the west and the faint switch-lamp, and turned his steps in the direction of Newhouse station. J. J. D. might still be on duty. It was the division superintendent’s business to know ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. of the mask found where the Purple Limit- ed had stopped for water. Lark quickened his steps. He stretched two ties with effort. The lantern swung at his side. It knocked his knees. He drew down his cap’s vizor and scanned the great car-dotted yard. Red lights as well as green ones showed on either hand. Locos stood at the roundhouse. A cloud of min- gled steam and smoke rose through the snow. The metal plates before the lecos sent up white vapor. Helpers and firemen moved grotesquely within a yellowish glare from the ash pits. | . Ragan called to Lark. The railread de- tective crossed the yard on-.a long diagonal. ‘““ Come on!” said Lark. ‘ Come with me to J. J. D.” Lark did not wait for the detective. He sprang on the station platform, set his lamp on a baggage-truck, and ran for the train despatcher’s door. From this door, muffled in a black coat that reached to his heels, J. J. D. emerged with the air of a man who had done a night’s duty. ‘Hold on, Mr. Darrah!” called Lark. ‘“‘ Something may have- happened to the Purple Limited.” | J. J. D. let a fawn-colored glove drep to the planks. He picked it up. He eyed Lark sharply. ‘‘ What could happen?” he asked. ‘ She’s reported making up time at Green Creek.” Green Creek was a telegraph station seven miles beyond the yard limits at New- house. | Lark drew out the red mask. “ Found it by the water-tank,” he said. . Darrah took the mask and moved to- ward a light that streamed through a win- dow. He turned it over. Ragan lumbered _ onto the platform and started puffing at Lark’s side. he inquired. _ The division superintendent stepped be- tween Lark and the detective. ‘ You found this thing by the water-tank?r”’ “Yes! It was lying near the track.” “Were you at the tank when the Limit- ed stopped?” “No. I got there too late.” Darrah crammed the mask in a pocket. He reached for the knob to the door that CONMUC “What d’ye want ov me?” NOOK CO