Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 21, 1922 — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

66 As that thought struck him every shadow held a policeman. He darted his glance from right to left. But he saw no one. When he reached the bottom of the hill he saw that ahead of him the buildings thinned out. The last arc light was not more than a quarter of a mile away. If he could pass that last light he would be safer. By now he was gasping for breath and he had an ache in his left side. With a hand pressed against his side he jogged on. He passed the light in safety, and ‘then just beyond him he saw a railroad crossing. He perceived that he had come about in a half-circle and had reached the road he had lately worked for. He went out on the track and looked up and down. Just then there was nothing in sight, but a moment later he saw an engine’s headlight appear around.a curve. The light was just moving. The figure of a man showed in it, and he ran ahead and threw the switch. The en- gine nosed in on a siding and stopped. Shelby knew the engine would not have stopped just there if there had been a train behind it. He observed that there were white lights on the engine. - “ An extra east, running light,” Shelby said to himself. The extra, apparently having plenty of time, had stopped while the flagman closed the gate. ‘Now the engine came slowly along the siding. Shelby could readily dope out the situation. The extra had a meet here and the meet was not very close. They were drifting down to the east end to wait for the opposing train. He knew all the conductors on the dis- trict, of course. They were like the com- mon run. Some of them were good scouts; some were crabs. He -would be taking a chance if he got aboard the caboose. Nevertheless, when the rear steps were opposite him he swung himself up. A man who had been leaning down on the other side turned to him. It was Sweeney. ‘Hop down, son,” Sweeney said. “ This is no passenger train.”’ ‘‘ Sweeney, it’s me, gasped. Then, spent by exertion and excitement, he dropped down on the step. Sweeney crossed to that side and hung above him. Shelby,” Shelby ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘“‘ For the love of Mike, what’s happened to your” Sweeney asked. “ You look like you’d been through a cyclone.” | ‘¢ Lemme get my breath,” Shelby pleaded. He sat in silence while the engine and caboose went down to the east switch. Sweeney, to whom Shelby’s knockdown of Osborne was still a sweet and vivid recol- lection, let him take his time. At last Shelby stood up. ‘“‘'Where’s your flagman, Sweeney?” he asked. “Inside, eatin’ a bite,’ Sweeney an- swered. Shelby laid a hand on the fat man’s shoulder and turned appealing eyes on his face. In fact, Shelby was pretty much shaken. He had had some trouble and he ‘was beginning to have more. He was realizing slowly that he was somehow a fugitive from the law. ‘* Sweeney, have you got any old duds in the hack?” he asked. “ Huh?” said Sweeney. “ Any old clothing in the wagon? Any- thing I-,could put on?” “Qh, I see,” said Sweeney. ‘“ You're figuring on hittin’ the grit just because you lost your job. Now, son, I wouldn’t do that. I—” “Tt isn’t that,” Shelby said. ning away from the police.” “From the police?” Sweeney repeated. “¢ Are they tryin’ to pinch you for the wal- lop you put on Osborne?” Shelby could have fallen on Sweeney’s neck and wept. The explanation was ridic- ulously simple. And it dovetailed with everything that had happened that evening. Osborne had sworn to a warrant for his ar- rest. Thornton had summoned him to his own house, so that he could be easily apprehended by the policeman whom Thornton would have there. ““T guess that’s it,”’ Shelby said. not sure. I ran away.”’ “I don’t blame you,” Sweeney said. “ They’d give you at least ten dollars and costs and thirty days for it. I’d rather run a couple of blocks than serve that sen- tence. You wait here just a minute. or two.” Sweeney stepped into the caboose. “1m run- ce I’m The COMmiclboo SS C©