The evening world. Newspaper, June 5, 1916, Page 15

Lik —— TEES TELE PST ore ning World Daily Magazine, Monday, June erento 280 ce ant i RE A ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROMANCE a OF A FIGHTING RAILROAD MAN PPA PAL PAP PAPAL AAP? PRA APAATATAPLA) By FRANK L. PACKARD }} RAR CaO aN AUIaAARGNAGIAE RARER AISI R GIS ilo W AA RGO ROBIN. Ce CHAPTER I. Bad Blood. IGHT-LIPPED, his jaw muscles twitching angrily, Larry Lannigan swung up from his desk and, walking to the office window, stood staring out at the railroad yards below. “If I had a temper like yours,” observed Mason, the division paymaster, offensively, as he tilted ek his swivel chair and tucked his thumbs superciliously into the armholes of his vest, "Ta craw! up to the top of the water tank out there, tie a stone around my neck, and drop In. Tho young assistant paymaster at the window made no response, Mason shifted his cigar from one corner of his mouth to the other, Narrowed his small, roving, black eyes and made another thrust, baited with @ short, jarring laugh. “And to look at your innocent, childlike countenance one wouldn't think butter would melt in your mouth! Still no response from the window. “So you hung some more scalps to your belt last night, eh?" went on Mason, with an aggravating drawl, “Walked right into Silver Dew like a Teal bad man and laid a couple of the boys out cold, eh? I suppose you'll get away with it; you always do. You generally frame up a story good enough to make you a candidate for a hero's halo! How does it Work out The massive shoulders at the win- ae ae dow seemed to square back with a until Jim Mason's advent to the mountain division from somewhere in the Lust, and then it h come in the shape of those ghastly dreams from which he would awake every now and then with the cold sweat stand out on his forehead, Larry looked up as Benson, the ductor, pausing in the aisle, leaned the arm of the seat for min- 8 chat, sudden jerk and, tists clenched, all muscle, every inch of the six feet of him, Larry Lanningan whirled like flash to the desk, It was a fine face for all the passion that was In It now, frank and open and genuine for all the steely licht in the gray eyes, for all the square, clamped jaw, for all the angry flush that burned upor his eks. co: uf ‘ut it out!" he sald hoarsely. “I've Heil, Larry Greeted the con- Stood for six months of this, and ['ve ductor, “Where you going” had enough! You don't ‘© what lello, Jack Jarry returned. “Beaver Damn, I'm going up to pay y ned last night, even if it were Noto rn off Masseno's gang.” any of your business, which it isn't it's anything for a c ce tohand me | “Pleasant litte outing," commented one! Now cut It out!” the conductor, with a grin, “Nice Mason, suave, oily, shrugged bis outfit, nice walk! So Mason's turning shoulders in mock despair. you loose on 'em, eh! What did he say “There you are, you see," he de- Was the trouble when he paid them plored unctuously, “Off the handle Off last month? again. Why don't you learn to con- Larry sat up in his seat. he repeated, “What's “I didn't hear about any trol yourself? I'm only talking to you for your own goodgiving you a little advice.” “Are you?" Larry laughed bitterly, as he eyed the other. Mason's eyes, like those of Ufted saint's, sought the ceiling “Sure!” he smirked. “You've got an ‘enviable record, haven't you? uve tried about ‘every department of railroading—and moved on to ti Next for brawling and fighting in th one before. All that's saved you {s that they call you a good railroad . but that Isn’t going to save you forgver. Your temper'lt iand you 2" Benson's grin widened. “Oh, well, in that case, then, maybe there Tony Hill, at the al nibs came back Q as a sick cat.” uspected the bowl of his pipe n up * he prompted. whole of it” Henson shook his head, “[ don't know,” he “T gu perhaps it wasn’t anything more than not liking the surroundings, and be- ing two miles from nowhere back in ‘Let's have same day whore maybe you'll decorate 41% EW s age ine end of a rope for murder. Nice {Ai uount rites Pa ery tie prospect, eh? Ever think of that’ — truth, 1 don't biame bim! They're all Yea," waid Larry ina queer, 10% foreigners—and a hard lot of foreign- Way; “I've thought of it, and that's ory at that. They've been getting why I'm telling you now to cut it out. jooge into the camp from somewhcrs | I didn’t ask your advice, and I don want it. I may be under your orders while I'm in this department, but there's a limit to how far you can go, Back East you may have got away with {t—out here in the Rockies you can't! Do you get me? You've come y, here a new man and you've got the q idea, because you've taken a dislike t and lots of it. It strikes me as fun. | ny that the super hasn’t put some | white man up there to show ‘em where they get off.” Larry laughed shortly, say, by the way, Larry, did ee the Russian nabob yesterday | 12" replied Larry, shaking his me, that the easiest way to get rid of pend. “LT was up the line when he me is to get me to start something went through. I heard about him, that'll put me in wrong with the su- though,” per.” Larry's lips thinned ominously, you did." said Benson, “So's “Look out you don't succeed—too everybody on the division. Dire well! That's all!” of the Imperial Russian Rallw, Mason flung out his arms speciously Out here to study American railroad in an injured gesture. methods. What do you know about “It's always the way,” he mur- that! He's going to spend a couple mured, the smirk on his face again eks or so on the division, they “Always the way. Try to give any i Kk him up this train yes~ one advica for his own good and y and dropped him at the Forks, you're sure to ba misunderstood!" You ought to have seen the car they The flush on Larry's cheeks deep- sent with him from the East—the ened, and one clenched fish raised as swellest thing that ever pounded a though to reach out across the desk f#hnlote—brass trimmed and solld and strike the other—then the tist un- Mahogany. And say, Ta Henson clenched, the red ebbed from his beat a confidential tattoo with his cheeks and, his face white, he drew ficket-puneh on Larry's shoulder I've got threa minutes to catch No Phe ottioohaniatannantacn. cela iy neneaid heavily: “Wherelal the «420. Connor Mant T piannee payroll?" And as Mason, swinglis wiion ahows he's no fool. He's had around in his door of the air, pulled open tho nd took out a brown leather bag, La rhed for it with- out a word and started to leave the Loum—but half way across the floor halted him, ‘e's only about thirty poor, in- aceable foreigners where her educated heres at 6 finished at some sw in the Fastern State: Tenson went on down the alste, Larry stared out of the window and the smile on his lips at the conduc tor's gossip faded away, What pare ticularly interested him at the moe she's fust girls’ school > Zz, Which may appeal (oO ment was not the director of the Im- $4 Valid excuse for beating them perial Russian Railwava, nor vet the purred the payin 10 had director's daughter was Masseno ymo suddenly occupied with somo and the ean mere two miles on his desk and did not lift his ip the old. de n Reaver But Vd advise vou not to, pam that and, ir it of what ugh—much as you dislike advice. he had j sturbing Well, goodby~and try to keep out of ey that Mason was oetnated trouble for once in your life by more than purely routine motives For an instant Larry stood there jn sending him up there on his motionless, the red sweeping into his present misston, face again—and then, swinging on his he went out of thi another instant, his face twitching with passion outside the closed doo, then went down the stairs, out on to the platform, and flung himself into a heel, ollice, stood CHAPTER I. The ‘Repeaters. SBROM Angel, the headquart- seat in the forward smoker of the ers of the mountain divi- train, sion of the Wostern and It was only one mors of Mason's Pacific, the right of way, “paitings” that had been going on minnie \eanded:, miner wane now for the jast six months—ono more 4). ee RAMeStT n ae oan hrough some thirty miles of the “t's th Ircams," muttered Larry Tveh, broken country of the foot~ to himself as tho train pulled out, “or hills to Beaver Dam that nestles un- there'd have been a showdown long der the shadows of the Rockies; then ago, But, dreams of a yar ane, et cutting through the mighty range, a Be ee ee ik Madcon cna tent triumph of engineering, and as meet hear wicked 4 strc fuck as Waa ever 1 row little sly ag are of even in the Andes, links peagery troy net Mt et hig UP With the coast division in the briar, None knew better CEE Tak SEA aU dl morning that Larry Lannig soriquanvan of his be fault and his pay bag swung from No At firat, in the earlier days of his {4 the platform of Heaver Dan career, the t sof his had old spur had been in possession of its frightened him, but solely fe - own weain for aim. of some two son that he loved railre months, due primarily to the Joved no other thing on earth, and he ery that it tapped & most excellent feared a dismissal so sweeping that It gravel bed, and incidentally. to U puld embrace the mou 4 pressing need of the road for that in its entirety, as it would have done eommodity--hence Masseno and his save for the fact that, when still a jy gang of foreign who had call boy of fi n, he had, unknown qioved up tie , to any pieked up the "key" in the Hill, y »praising despatcher’s office at Angel, the divie glance at 17 dis- sion hea ers, and one night, dppeured ¢ without a soul within call, had Going up to the camp to the pay in” until help came, when Jasper off, eh?" he observed, ‘What's the Halley, the despatcher on th ht qatter with Mason this trick, and out in the mountains of the Nothing that [ know of," West for his health, had shut up like Larry quieuy, dow's Hill?" a jack-knife and collapsed under the "Oh, pretty good!” said Hill, and table in a dead faint. And the “big grinned. ‘Then: "Say, I'm 1 fellows” had remembered it, But as didn't know you were com d he had grown older, however, there Id the section gang t had come a graver and more sot » hou und they’ sense of fi the possibility. t ken you up on the hand car; but stared him in the face that he might they've gone up the line across the do some one serious injury some day river, Guess you'll have to walk, But — the possibility, in bald words, that, the work train goes up every noon with the tremendous — physical with empties and brings back the pBcrength with which nature had en- loaded cars, and you can come down owed him, he might, on one of those on it and ‘catch No, 10 back to * ceasions when he was “seeing red," Angel.” ‘ia man.. This, however, had never “All right," agreed Larry, He ssumed a vivid realism, as it were, glanced along the platform and en- f 181A, iblia York renin ote Resta natinionce, By Maurice Ketten The Day of Rest WIFEY DEAR | HAVE INVITED MY FRIEND JOHN TO SPEND THE DAY WITH US IN THE COUNTRY - 1 GAVE Hit HY WORD WE WOULDN'T HARE YOu ARE WELCOME N® TOHN To Qua. QUIET AND RESTFUL UTTLE ColTAGe Re HAVING, THE RooF SHINGLED = WE CAN MOVE IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT! KKIND OF A NOISE THAT'S ONLY A STONE, THEY ARE BLASTING OUT” A ROCK THE Cows Used To STUMBLE ON AT NIGHT Does THAT RACKET Borven you 2 1AM HAVING & PRivaTE PORCH BUILT FoR THE COOotw IN THE BACK oF THE HOUSE _ 'S Go AND SIT ON THE CAWN WHERE IS YouR ITS OUR NEIGHBOR FRIEND 2 A RETIRE Le ENPLOYEE.. = IT'S Hig DAILY EXERCISE HE WENT Tod DRuG STORE THE QUIETNESS OF THE COUNTRY GAVE HIN A&A HEADACHE countered an unusual sight—the Presence of some one else besides the about the percentage! Cnn oty and began to bawl ordera at . his men, Tommaso trudged on for a moment ing modest in silence, his eyes nervously fixed on You said Masseno stole your mo Jone station agent, “Who's the kid?” the tice. How did he do that? Larry placed the pay-bag on the he demanded “Did the other man tell you about 16 boy's small fists clenched. table, opened it, took out the pay- “Belongs to the gang,” Hill an- the trouble last month?" he jerked "He took my envelope. He said I sheet, and, as he watched the men ewered, “Ile came requisition for supplies wired in, You're in that much luck, anyhow. He can carry your bag for you. He's going back no always carry laughed Larry. get my board, that's all “How'd you in with Masseno in the first p * Larry tucked the pay t back into the bag and in exchange quietly took out an auto- matic revolver and a box of cart- ridges, which he dropped into his in- down to have a out hesitantly, 1 Straggle across the tracks from the cars and pit and gather in front of him sided grimly that on one count at least Masseno had told the truth they we an unwholesomo and unloyely looking lot. He counte them as he made a pretense of a This Was an invitation direct, and rry, stepping closer to the other, id his hand in a friendly fashion on shoulder, no," he said quietly. ‘T ny trouble, this bag myself," ‘But I'll be glad of “Why, didn't know there was his company. Hi, son, come here!" What was it, Tommasi sida pocket. ranging the pay envelopes—there he calle then, asa sinall, bright- Tho boy looked furtively around The boy's eyes widened a8 NO wory twenty-one, including ‘Tom- faced Italian boy of fourteen or fif- him; and then suddenly his young Watched the transfer. maso, teen answered the summons: “What's face was contorted with passion “Well?” urged Larry, with a simile. “Ait right, Masseno; I'm ready," he your name?” “E hate Masseno! I hate him! 1 ...f,came from Italle ® baby.” 95° announce “Tommaso Ingorbordino,” respond- pate him!" he shrilled out. ‘4 plained Tommaso, his eyes now fas- nh ees Ai 5 sapmmaso'l be quite enough.” 4% And he laa bad man, 1 do not wey OC , My_eatber And mother die. I cawlnns Une tewciner two crawling cided Larry, with a smile. “Wen, AN I xo to school with American boys, pay-sheet, : ear reoaive come on, son, if youre going up to the {raunjng to {hat man at the station, ‘Then one day I'm selling papers on indecipherable #ignatur my. Reenived camp, Well ptari. Or'—he gave the touKh he asks me questions all the ing street, and Massono come along their envelopes a epped a little to time, for Masseno would kill me if he knew I told. But you, signor, it is not vieht that perhaps harm should come one side, Out of the corner of his eye, as ho paid off tie fourth man, Larry boy a pat on the back--"you start on, he Vii cateh up with you in a minute.” and see I'm lialian boy and say give mo a job on the railroad if I go ry oO oy Ld watched the first three warily, They moved away and Jerked his hand ag, {2 Sou, and 1f Masaeno finds out you “"Rnd ee been pocketing all you've tore open. thelr envelopes, took. out nificantly in the direction of the ola KNOW, the signor will say that it Wis made ever since, | suppose?” grunted the money, began to talk ‘excitedly the man who was here last month who told—is It not so?" it down here and tell me about invited Larry, in his big, genia impulsive way, and drew the be down beside him on the embankment, “Don't you worry about Masseno; Vil see that you come to no harm through and then one of them shoved himself truculently forward, “No gotta da right pay!" growled threateningly. rry straightened up and leaned @ Jo across the table, No gotta da right pay!" yelled an- other of the three, jumping suddenly spur, “Henson was speaking to me about it coming up,” he said abruptly, “What's (iis about Mason last month? What happened?" The grin was back on Hill's lps again as he shook his head. “You can search me,” he sald. “I Larry, his Jaw set as he rose to his TerT nate him!" said the boy fiercely. CHAPTER III. Fighting Against Odds. 'T the end of half an hour the be M only know he looked as though he'd him.” : yast the padrone at Larry, had @ seare thrown into him when he Tommaso touched his lips with the gravel pit and camp Sanne v iphore: uy me Peieaa oe a. knite got back. tip of his tongue and again looked into sight around @ curve in , | in the sunlight—and then Lar- the track Tommaso plucked at Larry's sleeve. “Signor, you will not tell Masseno that I told?” he pleaded anxiously. Larry's hand fell reassuringly on the boy's shoulder for the second time. “Don't you worry.” he said again. “I'll take care of you—you won't be “What about? persisted Larry, “Blamed it 1 know! 1 asked him What was the matter, and he told me to mind my own business, Ido know, though, as I daresay Benson told you, that they've got booze in there, and that fellow Masseno is a devil when he gets started. Maybe he'd been hit- ting it up when Mason struck the camp, and got a little too playful.” furtively around him, “Last month, signor,” he said, al- most in a whisper, “the other man who came began to pay the gang, and after the first two or three had opened their envelopes they began to shout and swear that the pay was not right, and then one of them pulled out a knife and rushed at the man, and then in @ moment all the camp was ry's voice, cold as an ici jis menace “Drop it The knife dropped promptly, and, burying its point in the earth, stood upright, quivering like a tuning fork, as the man, white-faced, edged has- tily back from the vicious, blu black muzzle of the automatic that je, deadly in 1'm!" commented Larry reflea~ shouting and swearing and. waving Working for Masseno after to-day.” Marry had thrust eee an Ble eres tively, “Any of the gang come down their knives, But it was only what, "Not work for Masseno, signor?” a hey, Sante UP aa ‘ y, one after ths hove often that ‘kidy for inscanee?" almnor, you eall uf. Maxsino pre’ the boy's face was bewllderod. Sea in a” sheeening Ceaeering rhe id's the only one,” replies ended to be vel an an tin a a a he Hk Mie Leinee alk tho wenkagon Letetan Un han coke gang and , There won't be anybody working group a few fect away from the ta- eran thaveamol pretended to get knocked down’ him- fF him,” said Larry, with @ curious ble. ‘There remained only Tommaso “What's he say about it?” and then he got up again and Smile, “That's he there, isn't It? Bat Maeee ee Seer bie “Him?” Hill laughed shortly, "He's drove the gang back, ‘The man was “Si, signor,” replied the boy, and fletitious names that swell the pay deaf, dumb and bind when it comes very frightened, signor—he thought drew back a little, sheet, to questions, You couldn't get a they would kill him, And then Mas. Larry's eyes held apprajaingly for Larry glanced inqutringly around. Hing out of him with a corkerew." geno sald to him?’ “‘Wou leave the an instant on a sort, thicket nan, | "Well, where are the others?” he de- rinerrou rather indef- doge to y them for you.’ Who, evidently catching sight of Uiem, manded innocent! nite hue as a frown on And thet S very glad, and Mas> started forward, and then his glance —“Masseno acowled, but answered Larry's face as he the platform, seno paid off the gang, Then afte pt comprehensively around t Blibly ene 1 i Walked up the track and, joiming tbe Ward Masseno pretended to be very camp. It was a small affair, Flank- | "Dey gone cut da timber in da woods Ttalian boy, started on along the old @orry und gave the man wine and ing the track on one side were a couk- for mak’ shores on da pit, No gotta spar. But, Jndefinite though it might bade very good friends with him.” house, a bunkhouse and a Uitte sane baci i bon it was’ nevertheless very attange | “But I don't understand, Tommaso,” ty that, presumably, did’ duty for ois murmured Larry. “Too b that Mason, if tere had been any Larry said, staring at ‘the boy in Masseno's private quarters; on the It have to wait tl next month, trouble, had said nothing about it, amazement: “The pay In the envel- other side a temporary siding had for their pay fevered sit of the OPS Was right, because T made them been latd down alongside the grave Nex! month!">-Masseno's astound- They were well out of slwht of the uo i veeien wank, and on this was a string of eq growl was echoed hy a muttering station now, the old roadbed leading “wey signor,” the hoy nodded. “The gondolas-—the gang, at work, dividing Chorus trom” the men. behind. hing on, picturesquely enough, into @ pay was right—that was only the its atention between the loading of swat you mean—nex' month? You duininutive cut through which one PAN, ¥ the cara and the gravel bank, aun th ay to eet wae te could just glimpue the promise of & "yin picked up a pebble, adjusted Larty's cyan returned to the Shy “A URY {OD Weoe OeD its thickly wooded laud colorful with i 'petween hia thumb Knucklo and the SWArthy, heavy-featured man, WHO egaing tho rules,” aald Larry curtly autumn tints bey. and | Larry, tip ot his forctinger with a nicety bad now halted before them He handed ‘Tommaso his envelope and, Jooking Up, ca ug boy's eyo8 rominiacent of marble days, acowied _"Good-a da-day." greeted Masseno, ay though inadvertently, drew the hoy fixed on bin im ® Ball-frightened, nla OF THAT ® CAy8, 860! with an cxpansive ainile, He pointed && | Matin Dieke ea tibs e a4 half-hesitatin And then, to bis &f it and whot it wway, A glimmer Tre pag in Larry's hand. “You Sround behind the ta 1 Re DaleDeMllAtiDg. Waa, H of the truth was dawning upon bim ng nas ih Larry she pay sheet. surprise, he found that the boy spoke come pay-4 da gang? Signor Mason English with scarcely a trace of fore mabe gotta da sickness” By jo on, w “It was that mmaso,"” he prompted Masseno should pay, much a day do you pay this u y, Masson?" eign accent P 4 ¥ | “No,” said Harry, pleasantly, 10, evidently misinterpreting “You come ingwead of other man to 8° {he Inan would oe know” ex oi Tigat. Ive como tis wip in ie acre h vetted He pay the gang?" inquired the boy tim- 1); wry) ‘ of him, that's all.” « across the t laity men far MANY of the names on the OF DIT coe nore troub’ ay tine" lligerently across the table “That's right, Tommaso," Larry Pe tit roll! T sea! observed Masseno said contidentially mak’ LL pay-a him wixty cont @ answered pleasantiy= and,’ though parry « Ree an Dnt. theme erea da pay for you~you leave it to me day, You mak’ da pay of da men in tempted to take advantage of the Adal ck droop at the corners at's da bes” way da woods to me, or you getta da other's lead and ask In turn the dozen &)*4 4s a © Tete eee ns "Oh, E guess it fan't ax bad as all fy" getta da pay now, not questions that were on his tongue, said; and, opening tho pay bag, took tbat,” returned Larry unconcernelly. nex onth! tactfully refrained, Dumb in refer- out the pay. sheet. low many in “Anyway, I'M take @ chance, Line "°“pwenty-six days at sixty cents,” ence to the gang as Hill bad pro- the gang, Tommaso? ‘em up there in front of the door, caloulated Larry aloud, "iy fifteen. claimed the boy, Tommaso, if given “Twenty,” replied the boy. “And Masseno.” sixty--call It sixteen dollars.” He tore the reins, might Yolunteer enough in- For an instant the padrone hest- formation to furnish the key to the tated, then, shrugging bis shoulders as though to absolve himself of the comsequences, walked out of the counting me makes twenty-one.” Larry glanced at the pay sheet. “and thirty here!” He sucked tn iy breath. “Nice little graft! Noth- open Masseno'’s envelope, deducted a ten, a five and @ one-dollar bill from the contents, smiled coldly at Masseno, and with @ quick, sudden movement —— EA | another sorpppeernioe oe o shoved tho amount hand—and Tommaso open door of th Into Tommaso's in through the shanty, Then like a flash he whirled upon the padrone “Hero's your pay, you yellow pup!" he gritted betw is teeth, and flung the envelop n the table, “Your kame's up, my buck You. can talk to the company behind the bars for stuffing the payroll; but, by pu'll talk to me now for stealing the cop- pers from that little kid! You damne akunk!" he roared—and his fis crashed full into the padrone's face: There was a scream of wild rage from Massero, that was lort in a burst of oaths, yells and shrieks from the mob behind—a rush—and they were on Larry like snarling wolves. And Larry laughed-laughed and struck {struck again, One, flank- ing him around the table, he flung | back like a toppling ninepin with his michty strength, and another and and then the table was torn | away from in front of him and they |awopt him back against the shanty | wall, Knives out, stabbing at him, and | flinging themselves upon him before jhe could reach the door, bore him to the ground by sheer weight of num- bers and closed over him, a wriggling, heaving, squirming mass. | weight upon him crushed the | breath from his body; something warm and wet bathed his face, and a mo- mentary weakness selzed him. And ‘then suddenly all that was gone and a | newborn strength surged upon hir hideous medley of ra a na, grunts and curses hot- hed into his face, there eame treble scream. It was the hoy shrill la whipped the blood ina furious ti through Larry's veins, It was the boy Little Tommaso—and Masseno woul [Kill the boy for this! It was the boy's life at stake--and there was no help for the lad except from him, He whed again, for he was strong Jagain—and while they clung to. his arma, his shoulders and his neck, and ile they wrapped themselves about his legs, screaming in their fury, slash- ing at him with thelr knives, the mag- nificent physique of the man rose towering above the ruck. He flung and shook t! striking with a sav t seemed to engul m from him, and passion his si ind ng, swept the blood from his eyes— nd, with a ery like a wild beast in mortal hurt, dashed in through the shanty door, One glance he got of Masseno with ‘a pick stave in his hand, of the boy clubbed into insensibility on the floor— und then he was on Masseno like a madman. He was blind with rage now, (4 rage that made the other's strength as that of a pygmy against his own. Once he struck—a blow that seemed to t the padrone’s head halfway around and set it to swinging like a pendulum ‘on the man's neck~ and then Masseno was in his arms, up shoulder high, whirling, he hurled the man. Ii stone from a catapult full through the full into the faces of the gang t, rallied now from their momen- tary repulse, were rushing forward. ‘Two went down before the human battering ram, and with the the shock of imp others for an instant wavered, staggering backward; but that instant of reprieve was enough. Quick aya panther in its spring, Larry leaped for the door and slarained it shut, and with a prayer of thankful- ness for iis existence, shot home the heavy iron bolt that fastened it ni He glanced over at the bey, half rose to Ko to him, and turning instead to face the door again, whipped his revolver from his pocket. rush of foe and twice f\ There was a @ crash upon the door, in quick succession Larry d through the panels. shrick of in, the scuffle of hastily retreating Bteps answered this-—and then silence, Masseno and his gang now kept up & series of ferocious attacks, Again @nd again they rushed the door f without, tering at it with hi timbers. Again and again Larry filles the cartridge clip of his autotnatic and mptied it through the panela and beat them back. Tt might have beer an hour, it might hi time in tts duration bh nifleance-and then 1 for the first time, “Signor —Usten!" the boy whispered T hear something at the back of the shanty.” Larry nodded. THe had heard It too But he did not turn his) head—he dared not take his eyes an instant from tho doorway Silence again—and then suddenly bitter whiteness crept into fac With the draught open door the powder cleared aw but now whiff of burning wood an hour or half © been two, for id lost all sige nMasO Spoke a Larry's the n smoke 1 puny was rear « came a to his nostrils from the with f crack! k shack PD series nes biting 1 brushwood over wet teeth T the shack to drive Stand ap, Tomma around & bit to Ket th of you," he directed qui have to run for it in a mnute Through the smoke that was swirling In ever-increasing — volume through the shack, the boy shook his hend “L've tried, signor,” he said, quivering "L-T n't, My hurt ‘Well, never mind, cheerfully, "We'll m same! And I guess w vd quick, and! y's lips parted had fl him into th and stiffine We u his lips is leg son! nage 1 bett he erte just th ma a break for it now before the sm chokes the breath out of us, Now then, Up you com He lifted the hoy ‘on to his shoulder—and reeled under the weight, and bit his lips, and staggered to the de and our lie was weak far Weaker th had thor , heavy th ! Heb e into @ strange lurc he tr Five yards, perhaps ten, bh de, tt moke that 1 from the blazing shack curtaining m for that distance-and then an earsplitting yell of demontacal triumph went up. On he went, another yard, and an: other, He could hear the pound of their feat now behind him, closer and closer-and then he turned and tired, and laid the boy down behind him, and Like a wounded animal stood at bay. ne GLORIOUS RASCAL By JUSTIN HUNTLY M’CARTHY NEXT WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVENING WORLD You will be thrilled by the flashing of sword and color in this fascinating story of ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE NA ARMA, i erW DARING, WIT AND TT: Were possessed by FRANCOIS VILLON, the beloved vagabond poet of France, All his lova- ble brilliant qualities are brought out vividly in RUA R aT “a It was the end, and there seemed to be only one thought now in Larry's mind—to single out, from the dis. torted, #nariing, murderous sea of faces sweeping toward him, the face of Masseno. Ab! There it was! He fired—and missed. And then—what was that! What was the sound that was so familiar! They had only two. yards nore to come before they would be upon him -and—-they were hesit king into one an- . drawing back—and bow, turning suddenly, they scattered and ran Larry reeled weakly, swept the blood-clotted hair from his forehead, and looked bewilderingly around. “Signor,” Tommaso, with @ choked sob, ! Jt is the work train coming CHAPTER IV. Larry Pays His Score. IGHT In the mountains in the fall comes riy, and it was al- ly dusk when, after reach- ing Angel and ing the young Italian boy ‘in hospital, where he learned to his relief that Tommaso's injur. we hot serious, Larry re- traced his steps down the main atreet of 6 little mountain town which housed the divisional headquarters; and, reaching the railroad station, entered, and made his way upstairs, heading for the aymaaster's office that he shared with Mason, Ile pusted the door open and en- tered the room. The oll lamp in the wall bracket was already lighted. Lyall, the trainsmaster, and) Mat- Glynn, one of the despatchers, were lounging in chairs, their feet up on the window sill, Mason was placing some packages of banknotes In the safe. It Mason who spoke. “Hello!” he drawled ironically. “So you're back, eh? I heard you'd gone up to the hospital for repairs?" Lyall and MacGlynn screwed around their heads, grinned a little, and as- sumed a discreet stare out of the window, othing to say for yourself, eh? Weil, L don't wonder!” continued Ma- son, affecting a sharp, caustic official tone for the benefit of his visitors, “You've gone litue too far this time, my man—so far that, though you're in my department, you've gone over my head, ‘Phe super Wants to see you in the morning." Larry made no reply. It was strange the way the words on his paper Kept dancing before his eyes, and he had to keep reading over the sentences he was writing to make sure they made sense. “I daro say you're, rather taken with yourself over it at that!" re. sumed Mason, his thumbs seeking their accustomed resting place in the armholes of his vest. “Single-handed, larry Lannigan beats up a gang of th menor something like that, eh? That's very nice! Marvellous! But we've bad a full report from Beaver Dam-and what about the company’s property, eh? What about that? What about the fire loss—the shanty and the bunk house that the fire spread to and that the crew of the work train couldn't s that? Some heroics, all righ The pen handle snapped toothpock in Larry's fingers. “You call yourself a railroad man!” snorted Mason, “Down where I come from they'd call you just a plain damned nuisancet What [can't un- derstand is" he turned ingratiatingly to the trainmaster and MacGlyni ve--what about like @ how you fellows out here hay for It as long ax you have! What? 1 thought the wild and woolly bad man of the In cages hi West was only kept now it Coney Island and places that!" rom the across the ya o'clock whistle Lyall heav lowed by t Cain't 1 Lyall, s and tr boomed out raucously. ! up from his chair, fol- lespatcher, in on this, wrufly, Mason,” “When you come to Uukingwbout down East and out here-[ dunno! [ like it pretty g00d out here myself—or L wouldn't stay, As for Larry there, him and me ain't had any trouble so far, and mab- be he's got his own story to tell the super, [ain't butting in. And, any- Way, there's the whistle gon © two men crossed the room, threw a "ood night” to Larry as they wd his desk, and went out of the office Larry did not answer them, did not hear them—he was watching Mason now with hungry rowed eyes With a disdainfal grunt, Mason took his hat from Its pex on the wall, put it on, stepped to his desk, slammed down the r t to close the vor then Larry minut y 2 Mason {and scowled You can inything you've got te say to the super—t morning," he sneered. said,” said Larry in a sort of deadly hat 1 wanted a few minutes with you." With the letter that he had been writing tn his han + erately across to the door, turned the key in the lock, and slipped the key into Mas 1 suddenty. ow mean by that?" he blust k ut that Key back it and open that d snswer Larry stepping quic toward the other, laid the letter on tie top of Mason's desk, res omy resi Ung out intr. u've been wantin you've got it, And now, you dirty coyote, you're going to Ket something vise that you've been asking for Mason's face from pale grew pasty and he edged back until he bumped against the wall "What do you mean?” again, and wet his lips with the Up of his tongu White-faced, quivering with a pa: gion that was rocking him to the soul, Larry followed step for step, (To Be’ Continued) on his now. “1Us and now V what he said nervously