Short Story Classics (American) Vol. 2

painted "PIKE'S PEAK OR BUST" on the canvas covers of their wagons and started for the diggings, they

r built a forlorn ranch-house and corral, and offered what

rants and their stock. Then the first railroad to Denver was built, taking another route from the Mis

he bane of Western settlements; then scattered houses and shops and a shabby so-called hotel, in which the letting of miserable rooms (divided from each other by canvas partitions) was wholly subordinated to the business of the bar. Before long, Barker's had acquired a worse reputation than even other towns of its type, the abnormal and uncanny aggregations of squalor and vice which dotted the plains in those days; and it was at its worst when Sinclair returned thither and took up his quarters in the engineers' building. The passion for gambling was raging, and to pander thereto were collected as choice a lot of desperadoes as ever "stacked" cards or loaded dice. It cam

sat on the rude veranda of the engineers' quarters, smoking his well-colored meerschaum and looking at the sunset. The atmosphere had been so clear during the day that glimpses were

at his elbow, and he turned to see one of the

my mind, Sam," he replied

the game ain't on the square wuth a cent. Some of 'em down to the tie-camp wuz a-talkin' about a vigilance committee, an' I wouldn't be

at abou

world, an' ef the boys is bound to hev a game, I cal-kilate they'd like to patronize his bank. Thet's made the old crowd mighty mad an' they're a-talkin' about puttin' up a job of cheatin' on him an' then stringin' him up. Besides, I kind o' think there's some cussed je

were cast down. She looked pretty and, in a way, graceful; and there was in her attire a noticeable attempt at neatness, and a faint reminiscence of bygone fashions. A smile came to Sinc

e idea of my leaving him and going away to such dreadful and remote places as Denver and Omaha

"ef thar ain't one of them

over his eyes, half concealed behind a pile of lum

sure pop, an' it don't suit his book to hev Foster hangin' round. It's ten to one he sent that cuss to watch 'em. Wa'al, they're a quee

the table in his office, busy with maps and plans, the do

I ask you to protect me. The other gamblers are going to hang me. They are mor

Avalked to the window. A party of men were

"Thank you," stood still a moment, and then began to pace the room, rapidly clinching his hands, his whole frame quiverin

oncentrated intensity, "to be

to enter. Then there came a knock at the outer door, and he opened it an

eir spokesman, "

not have

re a-goin'

e, but you won't do even that without one or two of you going down; and then you know perfectly well, boys, what will happen. You know that if you lay your finger on a railroad man it's all up with yo

n of flinching they might have risked the issue, but there was none. With muttered curses, th

n will pass here in half an

ty, M

safely off." He went to an adjoining room and called Sam,

s yer'd better be gittin' up an' gittin' pretty lively. The train boys w

d looked out. On a small mesa, or elevated plateau, commanding

the boys to go down to the track and, when the

his instructions, he returned, and immediately on engine, tender, and platform appeared

no time to lose. Take Sam's arm

on the train, two behind the window-blinds of the one passenger coach, and unseen, kept their fingers on the trigger

good-by. I am not good at lecturing, but if I were

was muc

all never forget what you have done for m

quietly returning the firearms to their places as it gathered way. Then they walked

, I think I'll light out and find some of the boys. You ain't got no call to

nducted the men to a distance from the town, where they left them with an emphatic and concise warning as to the consequences of any attempt to return. An

Fifth Avenue. In due time he arrived at Barker's, with his young and charming wife and remained for some days. The changes were astounding. Commonplace respectability had replaced abnormal lawlessness. A neat station stood where had been the rough contractor's buildings. At a new "Windsor" (

o his wife, "I ought to be ashamed to sa

young bride had never known Sally Johnson, the whilom belle of Barker's, but her husband would have noticed at a glance how greatly she was changed from the girl who walked with Foster past the engineers' quarters. It would be hard to find a more striking contrast than was prese

me, and I've had so much trouble that I'm just drove wild, and like to kill myself; and then I was at the station when you came in, and I saw your sweet face and the kind look in your eyes, and it came in my heart that I'd speak to you if I died for it." She leaned eagerly forward, her hands nervously closing on the back of a chair. "I suppose your husband never told you of me; like enough he never knew me; but I'll never forget him as long as I live. When he was here before, there was a young man"

before, and as if frightened by her own emotion. Mrs. Si

delighted that you came to see me, and that my husband was able to help you. Tell me, can we not do more for you? I

u for your words," she said. "I don't suppose I'll

r's hand, pressed it to

tful when he came home, and he list

he man to help her. I wonder where

f some months, come back and lived without molestation amid the shifting population. Now and then, too, some of the older residents fancied t

with the station rooms by the ticket window. Jim was a cool, silent, efficient man, and not much given to talk about such episodes in his past life as the "wiping out" by Indians of the construction party to which he belonged, and hi

egrams there, ain't yer, Jim?"

d to him when he passes through here. He left on No. 17, to-night.

wife of his'n a-comi

few moments where no one can interrupt us? It's a matter of life and death." She clutched the sill with her thin hands, and her voice trembled. Watkins recognized Sally Johnson in a mome

for God's sake, ask me how I found out, but I hope to die if I ain't telling you the living truth! They're going to wreck that train-No. 17-at Dead Man's Crossing, fifteen miles east, and rob the passengers and the express

s eyes on the girl's face, and began to question her. At the same time his right hand, with which he had held the pipe, found its way to the telegraph key. None but an expert could have distinguished a

rs, as it were, playing with the key. If he were imperturbable, so was not a man sitting at a receiving inst

d write this out!" With his wonderful electric pen, the handle several hundreds of miles long,

orrow (Thursday) night, kill passengers, and rob express and mail. Am alone here. No chance to verify story, bu

d time to write it out. His lips were closely compressed as he put his own hand on the key

e door a little way, saw that the station was empty

'll take care that you don't suffer and that you get well pai

n't go with you." Detecting a shade of doubt in his eye, she added: "Don't be afeared; I'l

etly impressed secrecy on his operator and clerk, ordere

and now I'm going to let Uncle Sam take care of his mails. If I don't get to the reserv

and was alert in an instant; and before the superintendent had finished the jorum of "hot Scotch" hospitably tendered, th

the superintendent remarke

but if those Perry hounds mean business they'll get all the fight they want

despatches, two of w

ENRY S

7, Pawnee

demand obedience of all officials and trainmen on road. Please do so, and

Station

on, about nine Thursday night. Troops will await train at Fort ---. Car ordered ready

e, "that Sinclair's on that train. He's got both sand and brains.