Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

planned for a long time. That train is hid mighty safe, else it would have been found a long while ago.” ‘“ But where could they have hidden it, uncle?” | Uncle Add scratched his head in deep thought. ‘ That bothers me a heap, Lark. - ¥ don't knew. Like as not, there’s a sim- ple answer to all this that nobody has on. ”. Lark closed the kitchen door and tramped across the fields to the railroad-yard. He was thinking of the events of the day. J. J. D. would undoubtedly be in his office. , The eastern detectives were scattered along the read from Newhouse to Cotopaxi. marshals and posses were scouring the coun- try. Suspects were being brought in. The whereabouts of the missing train might come to light at any moment. The search might continue through the night. A mua- lion in money wasn’t stolen every day. The yard-master’s office, back of the Station, was a hive of activity. Congested trafic, on account of the closmg of the road, made double duty. Each train, m and out of Newhouse, had to be checked. Lark took his erders from a clerk—trimmed and lighted his lantern, and set off around the station. He discerned the lights of the private car on a siding. ' The traffic manager was holding a night session. Brakemen guarded the car. They carried long brake-sticks. ' “ Anything new?” Lark asked a tram despatcher who had come off duty and was standing on the platform. ‘““Nothing new. J. J. D. is. in his office with his coat off. The G. P. A is coming, and so is the president It does beat hell!” Lark went on down the yard The slush underfoot made walking difficult. A bank of fleecy clouds obstructed the moon. Water trickled from the tops of the freight cars. The main line was clear, and trains were moving west. It occurred to Lark as he began taking numbers ona siding, that no matter how things turned out, J. J. D. would be fired: The division superintendent had given the best years of his life to the C., M. and W. He was not a young man. Young men were getting the responsible ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. The . 4 railroad peaitions under the new administra- tion. They were not exactly respecters ef tragition—the romance of the rails. They cut red tape ard slashed old-time schedules. Lark wanted J. J. D. to stay on the raad. He commenced thinking of the events since the Purple Limited disap- peared. One clue stood out in his mind. The red mask—the matches—the news- paper, he had picked up from the snow, could scarcely be reckoned as clues. The girl named Nan might lead te the robbers. She had been anxious about the Purple Limited. Her inquiry at the lunch- wagon was the hirst thin edge of 2 wedge. Lark remembered his second sight of the girl. She was hurrying toward the water- tank, where the three men bearded the en- gine. She had’ appeared on the station- platform, where news could be gained ef the robbery. He had frightened her away with a stare. | Lark had heard of a gay-cat, or leakeut for a yegg meb. The girl could well be a spy fer the train-robbers. No one would suspect her. She could come and go as she willed. ‘ Lark filled his train list and turned it over, slowly realizing that he was doing boy’s work instead of a man’s. His job ought to be to find Nan, whom Micky had called a, “homeless Kate.”’ He started for the roundhouse. It would be a simple matter to ask the helpers and wipers about her. A ‘“‘ homeless Kate ” was a car or a girl that wandered around a railroad. A shrill cry, followed by loud laughter in the direction of the reundhouse, caused Lark to wheel beside the end car of the Strmg. He crammed the car-list in his pocket—hitched up the lantern, and sprint- ed across the rails. An ash-pit, half filled with glowing coats, . illuminated the sand-box and a space in front of the roundhouse. A Mogul leco stood to one side of the sand-bex, her driv- ers resting on the shining rails before the turn-table. Lark saw three wipers struggling with Nan. She covered her face with her shaw}. Her arms drepped to her sides. They lifted while her elbows jabbed. <A greasy-faced ids CONMUC S CO