« «
«
n
probably ou the priuclple of tbe watch “You want Die to drink this?" ba halt told Pat Barlie to put iu as much more out esme the depot stuff with a sheet
ed pot, the whole winter went without laughed, turning ou bis baiter.
as the cap held, and be did so.
ot flame through the goat's Hues, sb >t
a brush between Shockley aud tbecow
“1 didn't say so. did I? I said drink!"
"There, Chris; go home. 1 don’t like here, shot there, shot youder. flying
boys. Even Peg Leg Reynolds let him roared I'rg Leg.
you." added Shockley iusok-utly. turn down this spur and dowu that aud the
alane. Tie's the luckiest fellow on
Every body looked at Shockley. He ing ou Reynolds. "You dou't know other, like stones trout a catapult, aud
earth." remarked Callahan oue day at stood fingering the glass quietly. Some what fun is. This town wou't hold the tough connected, smut faced, blear
McCloud in reply to a question from how everybody, drank or sober, looked you aud me after tonight. You can eyed yard euglne coughed and suorted
Bucks about bhockley. "There hasn't at Shockley. lie glanced around at tlie take It or you can leave It. but the first and spit a shower of sparks aud soot
a shot been fired at him all winter."
cr«wd. Other guns were creeping from time I ever put eyes on you agatn one aud cinders up luto the Christmas air.
"He wasn't always lucky," commeut- their holsters. He pushed tbe glass of us will cash In.”
She darted aud dodged aud jerked aud
ed Bucks, slguiug a butch of letters.
He backed directly toward the from backed up and down and across tbs
buck, aailllug.
“He came troiu Chicago." Buck?
"1 don't drink whisky, partner,” said door and out
lead aud nevwr for a fraction of a sec-
went on alter a silence. "He was Shockly g.ntly.
Peg Iwg Reynold« took only the night onff took tier eye off Shockley's lump--
switching there on the Q ut the time ot
"You drink that whisky or I'll put a to decide; uext day he hit the trail. shivering and clanging und bucking
the stockyards riots. Shockley u«ed to little hole Into you!"
The nervy yardmaster he might have with steum und Itetl and air, but al
drink like a pirate. 1 uever knew just
Shockley reached good naturedly for wiped out if he had stayed, but the dis ways with oue sin >k> eye on Shockley's
tt
tbe right of it. I understood it was lu the glass, threw the liquor on tbe floor grace of kneeling before the dog of » lau p. until '-3 win wrecked clean to the
îî
a brawl. Anyway, he killed a man au I set It buck on the l ar.
Russlnn was s »methlng never to be caboose, uml the switch engine shot
there—shot him and bait to get awu)
"Go on!" sakl Shockley. It confused wiped out In the annals of Benkleton dowu the main I!" • with the battered
The
east
and
west
section
men
could
E'S rather a bad lot. I
I'eg Leg moved on. and therenfte- cow way car fit her claw« like a hawk with
iu a hurry. 1 was trainmaster, bhock- Reynolds.
guess.” wrote Bucks to run away from them on haud cars. It ley was a striker, but Iff always tuuuff
boys took occasion to st >? Shockley on h prairie dog.
that'll
waste
good
whisky
“
A
man
Callahan, “but 1 am was the yardmen who caught it. and It him decent, aud when bis wife catue to
oughtn't t' live anyhow.” he muttered, the street and Jolly h'm on the w-iy he
Then there wn« only the westbound
grew
so
bad
they
couldn't
keep
a
1
satisfied of one thing—
me about it I helped her out a little fiugerlng
his
revolver
nervously. did the one legged bully, and the lights freight. 55. to make up with the Fort
you can't run that yard switchman. About 10 o'clock at night. ' She's dead since. II.s record isu’t just
were
shot
no
more.
“You’ve spoiled my alm. Throw up
Rawlins stuff anil the Cherry Creek
with a Sunday school after No. 23 had pulled In and they ; right back there yet
The railroad men swore by the new steel, which was “rush." uml u few
There's some- your hat." he yelled, "I'll put a bole
superintendent. He were distributing a train lend of bridge thing about the shooting hanging over
yardtraster; the Russians took their cars of ties fiui.g ou behind on general
through that to begin with.
ike you any trouble unless he timber, a switchman's lantern would hint, 1 never set eyes ou the fellow
cigarettes from their mouths and principles. It was quick work now
Instead
Shockley
put
his
cap
back
ou
rinking. If tliat happens, dou't go up in signal, when—plst!—a bullet agaiu till be struck me for a job at
touched their caps when fthock'ey pass sorting and moving the bridge steel -
his
head.
r words with him." Bucks uu- would knock the lump clean out of bis I McCloud; then 1 sent L ulu up to you.
ed; Callahan blessed his name, but lit ! half an hour f >r an hour's work, with
"Put
a
hole
through
It
there,"
said
1 three times. "Simply crawl baud and the nerve clean out of his He claimed he'd quit driukiug. Guess he. Reynolds set down his gluss. au 1 tle Chris worshiped hint.
' the north wind wakfiig at the clatter
head.
Handling
a
light
in
the
Benkle
cyclone cellar and wire me.
be had. Long as he's beh.iv.ug himself Shockley waited, It wus the cowboy
One <’ay Alfabet Smith dropped off I and sweeping a batik of eloml and sand
ton
yard
was
like
smoking
a
celluloid
you eighteen loads of steel to
nt Benkleton from Omaha headquar across the valle)
I believe in giving b.m a chance, h'm?" who hesitated.
Slto-kley aud Chris
ff six cars of ties. Blair re- pipe—you never could tell when it
It really wasu't any longer a case of
"Where’s your nerve!" asked the ters. Alfabet was the only species of I and the goat crew put ut it like black
I
itiou 10 ready for track layers woul 1 go off.
giving him a chance; rather of whether railroad m:.u. Tie gun covered him lizard on tl:e payroll. He was the - ants. There was rvleaslug uml setting
Cowboys shot away the lamps faster they could get ou without him. When w|th a flash und a roar. Reynold ’. west end spotter. "Who is that slim
,r's outfit moving into the Pal-
aud klckiug uml splitting, and once lu
uyon. l’ush the stuff to the than requisitions could be drawn for the Colorauo Pacific begau racing us whatever his faults, was a shot. His fellow?" lie nsked of Ca’lnhan ns ' awhile a flying switch dead against the
new ones. They shot the s goals off Into Denver that summer it begau to bullet cut cleanly through the crown, Shockley flow by on the pilot board of
rubrics, ami nt lest the whole train of
getting durk. aud Callahan sat the switches and the lights from the erowd even Shockley to keep the yard and the powder almost burnc 1 Sh ick an engine.
steel was in line, clean as the links of
tart of the Benkleton depot he tops of moving trains. Whenever a (lean. He saw he would have to have ley's face. Tbe switchman recovered
“That's Shockley."
a sprocket and ready t > run In ou the
je office, pub.ng at a muddy brakeman showed a flicker two cow help.
"t.'u. tlia*'s Sh.x-kley. In It?”
himself instantly and. taking off his
I hou :e track f >r the caboose.
t went unaccountably hot In boys stood waiting to snuff It. If they 1 "Chris, what do they give you for cup, laughed, u - lie examined the lime.
But be could say little things In a
For that run Chris set She east house
lashes. He took the pipe from gt'ssed the lamp, they winged the tinkeriug up the ties?" asked &io- kie)
"Cone With tue?" be asked eveuiy, way to make a man prick hot all over. I track switch. crossed the track and
th. leaving his toot ou the ta- r . nkemau. It compelled Bucks after oue day.
“Yes, that's Shockley. Why?" asked swung a great circle with bis lamp for
cap iu baud.
looked at the bowl resentfully, awhile to run trains through Benkle- I "Dollar an' n half."
| the back. To g t over to the switch
I'eg Leg drained his glass before l i i Cnlli.hau. with a dash of acid,
ag again if there could be pow ton without showing ever a light. This, j "Why don't you take hold of switch spoke. "G-'t out!" lie snapped. Tbe i "Nothing, only lie's a valuable man. again Le started to tecross the track,
1 iat infernal tobacco of llulie- though tough, could be managed, but tag with me ami get >3?"
s-.vltchmnn smarted on tlie word for t ie He's wanted, Shockley is,” smiled Al lu the dark hl« ankle turned on a lump
M k - iu Mitbpiece ii'-
1 i as a to shunt flats in the yard at night with
Chris was tliunuerstruck. First hi
front door. When he opened it every fabet Smith, but bis smile would freeze of coal, lie recovered lightly, but the
I
might ponder a tinal no light or to get a switchman willing said Calluhau wouldn't let him. but body laughed l>ut Shockley.
tears.
I misstep sent bis other f wt wide, and
to
play
young
Tell
to
I'eg
Leg
Reynolds'
Shockley
"guessed
yes."
Tbeu
Chr..-
Callahan took It up short. “Look , with a bit of a jolt Rubedo's new shoe
ft.
Maybe an hour later Reynolds was
originally come from William for uny length of time was llgurid. To save tbe last of the Luu
sitting back of tbe stove in a card here. Alfabet. Keep off S tockley.”
I slipped into the frog.
^Kmnliy, with a beautiful aiu- impossible. At last Bucks, ou whom deed dollars necessary to get the worn
game when u voice spoke at his ear. i "Why?”
I'p the track he heard n roll of
aud a beautiful bowl, the worry reflected at beadquarters, au and tbe babies over—it could bi
Because you and I will stormy coughs from the engine gather
Reynolds looked around I “Why?
"Get up!"
^Kras -i preaent from hi-« sister swore he would tight them with fire, dQUe I d three months Instead of six it into a pistol, Behind It stood Shock- touch, head on. if you don't."
ing push to sb >ve the string of tints
I been bought at a dry goods and he sent Shockley. Callahan still only Callahan would li ten. But whet. icy, pleasant. "Get up!" be repented
Smith said nothing, He was used tc down. They were coming toward him,
if
you
)m-e when thinking—or.
sat speculating ou what he would be Shockley talked Callabau always Its
Nobody hud seen him come in. but that sort. Tlie next time Bucks wat over tile sp it where lie stissl, on liis
when not thinking—Callaliau up against when Shockley arrived.
tened. and when he t.«ked for a uea there he ' as and with an absolutely up his assistant told him of the incl- signal, anil lie quietly tried to looseu
| a lighted match to the beau-
The impression Bucks' letter gave swRchmau lie got him. Aud Chris gj
infantile gun, n mere baby gnu. lu the dent.
Ills heel.
Iber mouthpiece instead irf to 'alm. knowing Bucks to be frugal of his $i3, to him a sum unspeakable yellow light, but it shone like bright
"If he bothers Shockley." Bucks said,
The engine's drivers let go, and she
tco, aud in the fire that ensued words, wus that Shockley would H e By tbe lime the woman and the chil silver.
| "we'll get his scalp, that's all. He'd roared a steaming oath, itnil Chris
I hard work to save tbe depot, up with cartridges m his ears and dren arrived lu tbe fall Chris woul.'
Reynolds with visible embarrassment better l.xik after bis conductors and could hear It, but lie was glad, for Ills
an never wrote bis sister about bowle knives dangling f-o.u his .vatch have died for Shockley.
leave our men alone.”
stood up.
heel would not work quietly out of the
thought only about buying chain. To live iu fear of the cowboys
Tlie fall that saw tlie woman aud tin
"Throw your cannon into the stove
“I notice Shockley isn't keeping hit frog; it stuck. Thqu the engiueer, un
stunted
suojects
of
the
czar
stowe.
; dry goods stores and about was one thing, but to live in fear of
Reynold«; you won't need it.” suggest frog« blocked." continued Bucks, re ruffled. pulled ut his saml lever, aud
then they exploded, a thousand the cowboys ou the one hand and In sway under tbe bench iu I.it.'.e Ilussi;
verting to other matters. "That won’" his engine snorted again, uml her driv
'em the man who sold them terror of u yardmaster ou the other brought ul.-o the cowboys dowu iron
do. 1 want every frog In the yard er tires bit. uml slowly she sent the
I iii . h plenty in that to think seemed, all things considered, confus Montana to bait the Ru-sians.
blocked, ami kept blocked, and tell liitr long train of steel down on Chris’
Iwhat lie now brought bistei-tli ing. particularly if the uew ally got to
Oue stormy night, when Cails though-
I said so.”
switch
lie heard the frosty flanges
tly together on was part of driukiug aud bls tire scattered. Just it was perfectly safe to venture up t<
But the fr >g blocking was not what grinding ou (lie face of the rails as he
lier tube of a dismantled ato then train 51) whistled. I’at Barlie's I Rubedo's after groceries, the cowboy
worried Shockley. His push was tc trie I to '.oosen his foot.
ll happier post-Christmas days corner began to sputter Its salute. Cal , caught him aud dragged him over t
keep the yard clean, for the mouth ol
Coolly first like a confident man iu a
fixture.
But Callaliau had lahan shifted around behind bis IJomb- Pat Bttrlle's.
December brought more stuff twice quicksand, soon with alarm running
It was 7 when they caught hint au
ed the use of bay rum after proof, lit bls powderhoru and, looking
over than was ever poured into the into fright; but there was time enough.
His razor had gone to the down the liue, wondered whether by I) they had put him through every
front end yard before. Chris, though, The head car was four or five lengths
pace that civilization could suggest
oil on Sunday morning he mere- ' Shockley might be ou that train.
hiul developed Into a great switchman above tlie switch nml coming very,
pair of scissors over the high
It was not till the next night, though, Peg Leg Reynolds, as always, mastei
anil the two never let the work get very slowly, heavylike und squeaking
br Callahan was railroading— that a tall, tbinnisb chap, without visi of ceremouii s. then ordered him tied t<
ahead.
stiffly uuder Its load, yet coming, and
ble reasons for alighting, got oil 5'J and tlie stove. When it was done the cow
he frout.
So It came that Little Russia honoree he wrenched harder, but his foot stuck.
losing the mouthpiece be would walked tentatively down the platform. boys got Into a big circle for a dunce
Chris and his big pay check above Tlieu be yelled for Shockley. Shock-
in completely in the air but for At the ticket office he asked for the as Tlie fur on Chris's cwt had already be
most men. Shockley stood first it ley had gone over to open the caboose
to
sizzle,
when
the
frout
door
open
gun
fis Oxen. Chris was Callahan's sistant superintendent.
Lit de Russia, then the czar, then Chris, switch. Shockley couldn't hear, and he
Shockley
wnlke
■
In.
gang.
His name was once i •'Out there on the platform talking ed.
then Callahan. Queen Victoria und knew It, nml lie yelled again.
St; .•algin, iu his ambling, hurried w.i.
but that wasu't ki Benkleton. to the conductor.”
Bismarck might have admirers, but
The sweat broke over him as he turn-
The thin fellow emerged aud beaded he walked past th?deserte I I ar .b
i was hurried when be made up
they were not In it under the b-iv-h.
’ -nd twisted. The grip of the frog
the
ring
of
c
»vboys
at
the
rear
to
■oil ami put it Oxen, ns being for Callahan. CallaBau not.ced only
When the Russian holiday.« c.imc ,-.ei u. ,j i'fle him. Half the time
alust tlie stove a.<J beg-;
United States.
I say United his light, springy amble aud bls hatchet frying
down below. Chris concluded that the was gz:e. The i -T truck wheels
ting him loose. Through every
«■cause Callahan said United face.
celebration would be merely hollo«
cr.ecl.ei two car lengths away, and
that bis knife silt lie sent a ver.'
l preference to English.
"Mr. Callahan?”
Without Shockley, for was not the very the switchman played Ills last card.
und
i
e
•)'
Lal
word,
and
no
sooner
La
lad been In America only three
"Yes."
existence of Little Russia due t > him? Time uml time itg In Shockley liad told
ut lie bud been tn Russia 3‘tO
"Bucks sent me up to take the yard.” . he freo-.l Chris that' he Jerke l him 1
All the growth, all the pr isper.ty— l:!m what toilo if t'u t moment came In
the
collar,
as
If
quarreling
with
hit;
that time had learned many
"What's your name?”
what was It due to? Protection. What the ulglit—hail told him to throw Ills
toward the back door, wh! li
getting something out of noth . "Shockley.”
was the protection? Slu.-k.ey. There lamp 111 the air liken rocket. But Chris
in n the red haired dispatcher.
"Step upstairs. I'll be up In a min handy, and before the cowboy«
were brakemen who argued that pro had forgotten nil that till the flat drop
wind
lie
li
id
shoved
liim
tlir
nt.di
It.
1 expl >sl m. cast away with blt- ute.”
tectlon came from the tariff, but they ped heavily on ll.e tongue In frout of
"Hold
on
there!"
cried
Pc,
Leg
Roy;
Uie remains of the pipe, Chris
Shockley walked back into the depot,
never made any couverts In Little Rus blru. Tlieu be threA bis lamp like a
t up and by judicious action but be left the copper haired assistant olds when it wus Just too lute,
sia, where the inhabitants could be iu
rocket hlg'.i Into the night.
¡atomizer figured out a new superintendent uncertain as to whether was out of it, aud Shockley
duced to vote for president only on the
No help came. He raised Ills arms
!■<■" no worse than the original. it was really over, whether Shockley alone.
as urnnee that Shockley was running
"All right. partner; what Is it?
h ‘ t o second, like the first, was
had actually arrived or not. As Cal
"Well, what’s the racket uuyliow. frantically above bls lieatl. uml his
rr. It was not of the explosive lahan studied the claimant's luoffen- 1 asked amiably.
Chris?" demanded Sho.-l.5y laz.ly alter cries cut the wind. Despi rate at Inst,
"You’ve got a ripping nerve."
lie threw himself flat, to lie outside the
give appearance walking away be rath
Cro s Byes, trying to get rid of the
"I know It."
[presented the remodeled root er thought it couldn't be over or that
invitation to the festivities, lia 1 sput rail to save all but a foot, but the frog
"What’s your name?”
Lin as a surprise. Callahan. In Buck« was mistaken. But Bucks nev
tered switch English five minutes at In I I him nml crying horribly he strug
"Shockley."
gled buck t o ills feet, only to sink again
bf gratitude, promoted him on er made a mistake.
him.
"Can you dance?”
2’iy Lcj danced
I. He made little Chris fore-
"Ve got Chrlsmus by us." explained half crazy to the ground, As liis senses
Next morning at 7 the uew yardmas-
“No.”
left him he was hardly a ware of a
ed Shockley. Reynolds looked around. Chris desperately.
1 didn’t bring any advance in ter took hold. Callahan had intimated
It was Peg Leg’s opportunity,
There appeared to be no hopeful alter
( there was the honor. To be that the night air in the yard. It being
"Christmas." retreated Shockley grim st.aging pain In his foot, of a wrench
drew bls gun. "1 reckon m.t.v'ie
native. The drop looked very cold. ly. “Christmas, Why. man. Christ at Lis leg. an in ■ ant artu around Ills
I was an honor, and. as little low land, was miasmatic and that
can. Try it." he a Ided. point ni
1; mid b.s y irdnn'.ster’s voice In Ills
Not a cowboy interp ■ ed. Under con mas dou't come nowhere on earth !..
ns the only mnn on the yard Shockley bad maybe better try for
s
suggestion with the pistol. Slit»
ear.
voy Reynolds stumped over to the January, You want to wind up j
> i' came by promotion foreman awhile to do his switching In the day
looked foolish. He didn’t begin t I
I
"M\.mpl" »creamed Shockley.
stove and threw In bls gun. but the calendar,
If.
Where'd you get them
time. Just before the appointed hour plug soon enough and u bullet f.
th
Chris serambled frantically on the
grace of the doing was bad.
l! than sat thinking of the !n- In tte morning toe assistant had look
shoes?"
cowboy’s gun splint’red tbe bnso io-i
deadly rails, unable to jump, felt him
"Get up there on the bur and dance
t>f I'lirls, reflecting on th? sting ed out on Ills unlucky yard. He thought
“Dollar sefenty-vffe.”
nt Ills feet. Sho’klev .-l’te .
’ l
self picked from the ground, beard a
(ruction tobacco and studying to himself that If that yard didn't drive shuffle To any oue who didn’t kno« Hustle!" urged Shockley. They hud to
"Where?”
choke
in the throat at bis ear, and be
help
the
confused
cowboy
up.
and
when
fits' letter.
“
Rubedo.
”
a man to drink nothing ever would. him It looked funny. Rut Peg T .......
he stood, shamefaced, looking down on
I rd was his worry—not that It Piled shanty high with a bewildering
"And don't you know a switchman wus flung like n drawbar through the
a rou-h dancing master and befo’e !.
tbe scene of bls constant triumphs and oughtn't to put bis feet in flatboats? dark. Shockley had passed a knife
f'i of a yard; Just a dozen runs array of material, it was enough to
said “Enough” an ordinary man would
did a painful single foot, marking time Don't you know some day you’ll get blade from vamp to sole, slit the Rus
tad to take the construction raa- take the heart out of a Denver switch
have dropped exhausted.
Shockley,
sian's clumsy sTi-s*. jerked bls foot
with his peg tlie cowboys, who bad
r Callahan to distribute fast as ing crew.
breathing a good bit quicker, only stooi! their own share of his bullying, your foot stuck In a t >ngue or a guard?
from It aud thrown him bodily Into the
Dutch,
with
a
I' was pushed westward. The
Then
wbère
’
ll
you
be.
~
While he stood at the window he saw ' steadied himself against tbe bar.
roared.
Shockley didn’t roar; ou.y string of flats rolling down on you. clear.
at the Benkleton yard came their plug switch engine that had been
"Take off your hat before g”ntlem<’n."
stood with busy eyes where he could eh ?”
Ihout. not from within.
Chris staggered printing to hfs feet.
kicked out of every other yard on the cried tbe cowboy. Shickley hesitated,
cover any man ou demand, not forget
However. Chris stuck for bls request Already the steel was moving slowly
tad was being pushed Into the system wheeze out of the roundhouse, but be did pull off hts cap.
»
hmtry, and It was all easy till
ting even I’at Bariie.
He wouldn't take no for an answer. over the switch. He heard the sullen
"That's more like it. What’s your I
saw the new yardmaster flirt his hand
!>■ k Benkleton. Benkleton was
pounding of the trucks on the contact.
I Peg Leg. who had danced so many In Next day be tired Shockley out.
[ at the engineer aud swing up on the name?"
his day. danced, und his roasting gun
lard knot on the Yellow Grass
“Well, for God's sake let up, Chris,” A lantern, burulng yet, lay ou Its side
"Shockley.”
foottxmrd, but the swlug-it made Cal-
sputtered an accompaniment from the
squally, sandy cattle town.
It was Shockley's
“Shockley?” echoed Reynolds with a stove; but a.s Shockley, who stood ir said the yardmaster at last. “I'll come near the stand.
I lahan's heart warm to him. Not the
down awhile after 23 comes In. Get lamp. Chris looked wildly around for
1' re some bad meu in Benkle-
“Well. front of It. paid no uttentlon to tbe
lubberly Jump of the hoboes that had burst of range amenities.
back early after supper, and we’ll bis yardmaster, called out, called
t>oy didn't bother often. But
worried the life out of him all summer, Shockley, you can't help your name. fusillade of bul'ets g>od form prevent make up 35 and let the rest go."
ire some men In Benkleton who
Shockley's name, listened. No scream,
even when the cattlemen didn’t bother. Drink for once in your life with a man ed others from dodging. "That’li do;
It was a pretty n'g*it; pretty enough no groan, no cry. no answer, no sound,
they were bad. and these were
of breeding—my name's Reynolds. Pat. get down. Come here. Chris.” called
It
was
the
swing
of
the
sailor
into
the
| of constant bedevilment to the
over the yard for anybody's Christmas. but just the steady pounding of the
, shrouds, of the Cossack Into the saddle. set out the good bottle—this guy pays.” Shockley. Chris Oxen, g-eatly disturb Julian or Gregorian -no snow, but a
men.
wheels over the contact. Tlie little
exclaimed
Peg
Leg,
wheeling
to
the
ed. Issued from an obscura corner.
moon, and a full one, Hsing early over switchman screamed again lu a frenzy
kest of the yard, where the riv- 1 of the yacht Into the wind. It was like
"Get down on your knee«!” ex’lalm the Arlkaree bluffs and a frost that bit and, turning, raced stumbling up the
Is sheer Into the bottoms, there falling down or falling up or falling on bar.
"Wbat'll it be?” asked Pat Barlie of ed the yari~aite?.
Jerking Reynolds and sparkled and the north wind asleep track to the cab. He swung Into it and
rdr
»d still hives a colony of rall- I —the grace of a mastery of gravitation
borers, Russlana. They bare I —that was Shockley's swing on the Shockley, as he deftly slid a row of with a chilly twist in front of the frl-ht- in the sand hills.
by signs made the eng ma r shut off.
of
the
men
of
breed
glasses
in
front
ened Russian. “Get on your kr.-es
Shockley after supper, snug In a pea He tried to talk nml only stammei ?d a
I there, burrowed Into the face ' footboard of the yard engine as it »hot
ing.
r'ght where I threw your whisky.” And jacket aud a storm cap, rode with the ling-1 of strltcb pidgin n I the :a c of
bench like sand swallows and snorting past him.
"Ginger ale for me.” suggested Shockley, crowding Reynolds down to switch engine down from the round
"He's all right," muttered Callahan.
1er «ti ' It
caves out for themselves, and
Shockley. They could •t
Shockley mildly, The cowboys put up bls humiliation, dropped for the first house. Chris. In his astrakhan reefer
le of the place is Little Russia, It was enough.
all, but they shut off 1th f
h-
Ginger
ale!
It
was
too
A man who flipped a tender like that a single yell,
time into range c'vdlltiea himself, and and turban, walking over from the dug ed and sallow, threw
fas In the troublous days when
funny.
the shame and the abasement of It out In Rubedo's new shoes, flipped the door and. grabbing tl
‘>oys, homesick for evil, would was not like to go very wrong even In
m
Reynolds, choking with contempt were very great
footboard at the stockyard with almost back, lite fireman, ou
«nd Little Russia with rope that chaos of rails and ties and string
u.ld
pointed
to
the
yardmaster's
glass
"B ys.” said the yardmaster, with the roll of Shockley himself.
his lamp out under the flat that span
and scare the pioneers cross ers and coal.
"Now.” continued Callahan to him "Fill It with whisky!" he shouted. "Fill one restless eye on T’eynoldl and on? on I Happily for Christmas in Little Rus ned the contact. He drew, shrinking.
he cattle fellows spent the en-
It. Pat!” he repeated, as Shockley lean everybody else, as he pointed at Chris j sla 23 pulled in on time, but it was long
back and, rising, started on the run
ier months, all sand and sun- self. timidly hopeful. “If the cuss only ed undecidedly against the bar. The
“this man'« cost wss burnt up. He’* and heavy that night. It brought coal for tbe depot to rouse Callahan.
utting up schemes to worry doesn't get to drinking!” He watched yardmaster held out the glass and the
a
poor
devil,
and
h'.s
money
eom-s
hn-d
and ties and thé stuff for the Fort
It was Callnhnn who pulled the pin
and the Little Russians. The apprehensively, dreading the first time barkeeper began to pour. Shockley
Chip in for a new coat. I've nothing Rawlins depot and a batch of bridge a moment later. Chris shivering like a
rters for this restless gaug he should see him entering Fat Barlie s looked at the liquor a moment, then he
agH.ust any man that don't want to steel they bad been waiting two weeks rabbit at his «Ido. It wn« Callahan
I'at Barlie's place, across from place, but Shockley didn't appear to
looked st Reynolds, who fronted him give, but Reyr;ok!s must pass the hr.
for. mostly Cherry Creek stuff, eleven who give the «low pnll ahenn order
office, it was there that the I know Tat had a place. The cowboys,
with gun In one hand and red water In Take mine, you coyote.”
care of It
that ent the train In two st the frog
loved to congregate. To Cal- too. watched him. waiting for his lamp
Nearly ev»-y’ '>-!y mnt’’bn*ed as I‘.'>-
the other
The minute the tired engine was ■ ut and Callahan who stepped, wavering,
it Parlle's place was a wasps* to gleam at night down In the yard,
noli’s went round. Shockley made n
' "Drink!”
off the long train up ran the Llttl* from tbe gap that oneneil beh I nd the
t to Chris ft was a den of but their patjen'-e wes strained for a
et ♦*« (Vl-’Tl —’1 *« "< O-’- t ft " h«
Shockley pi need, looked
switch eng'ne and snapped at tbe head receding flat—back from «»nething Is«-
and of a dreader sort than ■ long time. Shockley got all his work wb!«ky and drew the glass toward him wt-n f » filler mon-—*’ b"d
less monster l!ke a coyote.
ick to put his hauls
tween the rails
wolves, for Barlie's pack nev- idone by daylight.
tale was ma ’e Shockle t Out came the cxJ with a clatter
with the curving hand of a drinker and when the ♦ri
To the surprise of Callahan, and
blindly out for the target rod an i un
—
«
♦
(Continue! on Page Seven.)
E
Story
::
«
îî
HO
REh
n n tt
Jeten
uCus
lap
th hi
.spin
dosi
he ov
i N i.
I
tn.
tnooi
goit