Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1905 — As the Train Rolled North [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

As the Train Rolled North

By PRANK H. SWEET

When the Southern Palm Limited drew out from Jacksonville, northbound, there were two young men on board under widely different circumstances. One was crouching upon the second step of a Pullman, forward, .with his eyes fixed grimly upon the door through which the conductor would pass on his round of ticket collecting. The other was in the observation car at the rear of the train, two seats from the end, staring at an open letter with eyes widened in despair, horror and desperation. This train made few stops, but at the first station, in obedience to a signal from the bell cord, it slowed down sufficiently for the conductor and brakeman to thrust the man from the second step of the Pullman; then it shot ahead at full speed to make up the few seconds lost The tramp remained standing where he had dropped, hla face now keen and alert, and his right arm upraised. As it swept by the train brushed his clothing and the wind of it stirred his rough, unkempt hair and beard. Three cars passed; then came the observation car. Suddenly his hand closed like a vise upon the rear railing, his body swung out end writhed for a few moments in midair, then his feet caught, and he drew himself in by sheer force of muscle and nerve to the same crouching position he had occupied on the Pullman forward. Inside the car the other man was now tearing the letter Into the most minute fragments, as If striving to annihilate Its contents. When the pieces were too small for further reduction they swept through the open window and were scattered thinly over a half a mile of the roadbed. The man rose and glanced about the car. It was almost empty, and the other passengers were buried In papers or books. He turned back quickly, opened the door, and with a light spring threw himself from the train, but not to the ground! Just as he sprang, the tramp flung himself out suddenly, with nothing but his left hand grasping the rail. As the two bodies came together the tramp’s right arm closed like a, Steel barid around fte otha jrhjfejty

weight of It bore them down, “down, until their legs almost swept the mocking rails of the roadbed. Not many men—not one In a thousand—could have sustained such a weight in such a position, swinging from side to side under the motion of a train going at fifty miles an hour, but gradually, little by little, the left arm contracted and drew them up, up and In until finally, with a last desperate effort, they were both crouching upon the rear platform, white, gasping, too exhausted to stand or speak. The well dressed man recovered first. The horror was still in his eyes, but with it was something more. Perhaps that instant in midair, with death in front, had made him see more clearly; perhaps his miraculous rescue had made possible the greater rescue from himself. As be rose staggeringly the tramp’s arm went out in feeble protest, but a hand fell upon the arm gently. “No need of that now, my friend,’’ the still white lips whispered. “I am awake and in my right mind. I shall never attempt anything like that again." The train began to slacken, and at that moment the door opened and the conductor came out. They were passing over a short piece of road where repairs were being made fc and slow speed was necessary. The conductor

nodded to his, passenger, but seemed surprised at bis disheveled appearance. Then his gase fell upon the tramp, and his face darkened. "You here,” he exclaimed, "after being put off once too? And, from the looks of this young man, you have been up to more than stealing a ride this time. I” There was a sudden jerk, which Intimated that die train was about to increase its speed. The conductor caught the tramp by the shoulder and with a quick twist sent him from the train. The passenger uttered an angry cry of remonstrance and tried to stay the act, but too late. As the train gathered headwsy they saw the tramp go plunging and staggering down a steep embankment, at the bottom of which he righted himself and waved his hand cheerfully at the receding train. Five minutes later the young man was back in the car, two seats from the end, still dazed and white. Suddenly the door at the forward end opened, and a girl entered, holding a paper in her hand. She came straight to him. "Robert, what does this awful thing about you, mean?” she exclaimed. "I suppose you have seen the paper." He was holding to the back of the seat for support, bis face drawn and haggard. "No, you needn’t show it to me, Helen,” he answered. "I have not seen the paper, but I know what it contains. It Is true. I only discovered it myself a short time ago. I was given my mall as we left the hotel and slipped it Into my pocket. I did not read it until I left ,you and your mother and came back to khe observation car just now. It was gU in a letter from my partner.” ? The girl looked at him, her lips trefiabllng, but she smiled. "I know It Is not lime, Robert,” she declared positively, “not a word of It I have known you ever since we went to school together, and you are utterly incapable of a tiling like that. You have not read the paper, so you do not understand. Why, Robert"—her voice quivered witii indignation—"the paper says you stole half a million and from poor people, mostly people whose means of support it was. It’s absurd. You have been with us the last three months, and this has all happened within that time.” "But don’t you see It’s just the same, Helen,” be said gently. “The money was intrusted to me, and I am the. sole one responsible. If I neglected the trust and allowed my partner an opportunity to do the rest I am really the one to blame.”

”1 say you are not,” she Interrupted emphatically. "Maybe It was unbusinesslike and maybe you are legally responsible—l do not know about that. But I do know you are no more guilty than I am In the way the paper puts it Of course you will let every cent of your property go toward paying these poor people, and if it isn’t enough we will pay the rest off Just as fast as we can earn it” "Helen, Helen”’ he remonstrated sharply. “You must not talk like that. You do not understand. We cannot be married now. Why, dear, I may be arrested.” “All the more need you will have for my help, then,” she replied quickly. “If I am to be a helpmeet there will never be more occasion for it than now. We will be married Just as soon as we reach Washington, Just as we planned, and then we will work together to live this thing down. Why, Robert”’ For the young man’s head had suddenly dropped to the back of the seat, and his shoulders were heaving convulsively. She sank to the seat beside him. slipping one of her hands Into bis, stroking It softly until he should regain control of himself. And miles bAlnd them on the track sat a tramp waiting for the next freight.

THE TRAMP'S RIGHT ARM CLOSED LIKE A STEEL BAND AROUND THE [?]HEE.