The Mucker

When he did jump he might have been directly over a picket

assing across a culvert at the instant. Beneath the culvert was

re that frightened and astonished officer of the law could gather his wits together he had b

ith cold steel, and warning him to silence. Above the pool stood a littl

ncealment of the foliage to make discovery

" he commanded. "I'm

looked up at him

always been your friend? What've I ever done to you? For God's sake

rather unpleasant

croak everything I meet that stands for the law. They wanted to send me up for life-me, an innocent

eputy sheriff slumped to his knees and tried to emb

Billy. "You've gotta die and if you wa

n happy unconsciousness. Byrne stood looking down upon the man for a moment. His wri

back of the man's ear. "Justice!" he muttered, sco

eside him the figure of a beautiful girl. Her face was brave and smiling, and in

ough in physical pain. He brushed

I can't do it-but I ca

uty sheriff and commenced to go through the man's clothes. After a m

presently he was free. He still st

I'll never make my get-away if I don't

t the man any to stay here for a few hours, or even for a day. Billy removed the deputy's coat an

ty regained consciousness. He

for a while. They'll be lookin' all along the right o' way in a few hours-it won't be lon

a later train, so no suspicion was aroused when they failed to come upon the train they really had started upon. Th

d a fast Santa Fe freight. Shortly after night had fallen the train crossed the Mississippi. Billy Byrne was hungry and thirsty, and as the train slowed down a

prone to make, unexplained and doubtless unexplainable by any other than a higher intelligence which directs the movements of men and rolling stock. There was no town, and not even a switch light. Presently two staccato blasts broke from the engine's whistle, there was a progressive jerking at coupling pins, which started up at the big locomotiv

e wake of the departing train. Somewhere a road would presently cut across the track, and

. He was thinking of this as he walked briskly toward the west, and what he thought of indu

e wouldn't see nothin' wrong for me to get something to eat. I ain't got no money. They took it all away from me, an' I got a right to live-but, somehow, I hate to do it. I wisht ther

one side of the track. It was not such a light as a lamp shining beyond

a voice, too. Billy approached more carefully. He must be careful always to see before being see

pproached the camp fire with small chance of being observed. As he neared it the voice resolved itself

unches roasting something above the flames. At one edge of the fire was an empty tin ca

tered. But the voice-that interested Billy almost

saraband from here

ss the land, the bi

elope, out there some

in your hair and ki

incense which induces pleasant daydreams they were wafted in upon him through the ri

many things, including love. It was the voice of culture and refinement. Billy strained his eyes through the darkness to have a closer look at the

ld have been proof positive of this without other evidence; but there seeme

hid in mist, the val

y turn and twist, oh,

along the sea a ship

he bubbles slip with

ff. I wonder where he gets it. It makes me want t

s he turned his eyes in the direction of the slight noise which had attracted

ne. The latter did not hear them until they were directly behind h

" said one of

lied the camper, "welcome to m

uck. There ain't enough fer one here, let alone three. Beat it!" and the man, who was big

n looked as though he might have eaten him at a

me a severe and highly localized pain, an

a quick, sharp blow in the face. Instantly the fellow's companion was upon him; but the camper retained his

first tramp succeeded in tangling his legs about the legs of his chastiser and dragging him to the ground, and the

ull off any rough stuff like that with this here sweet singer. Can it! Can

d swung a blow to the tramp's jaw that sent the fellow spinning backward to the river's brim

attacker by the shoulder a

, too, you big st

yrne had once handed the surprised Harlem Hurricane, removed from the mind of the tramp the last vestige of any thought

onscious, to the ground, t

eeve, my friend," he said; "place it there

k it and

s like those verses of your

s thick skull," replied the poetical one, "and it's a

of the creek's foot of water and two

" inquired Billy Byrn

uttered the moist one thr

e railroad right of way. "An' you, too, John L," he added turning to the

d shuffled away, and were presently l

t, as unruffled and unconcerned, apparently, as though

ith me. Take that leather easy chair. The Louis Quatorze is too small and spindle-

fowl impaled upon a sharp stick which he held in his

back again; we saw it

hot old plain fro

the time. I rustled g

t, ride or climb-we a

uddenly. "There ain't many boes that

an' I don't like them odds. Besides I like

I wouldn't be pan-handling. A guy by the name of

ere I live," and then, after a paus

e. Here, take first crack at the ambrosia. Sorry I have but a single cup; but James has broke

mes?" ask

s is my man," re

uizzically, then he tasted the dar

nnounced. "I thought y

nd," replied the poetical one politely. "I am highly com

and forth, and slicing-hacking would be more nearly correct-pieces of

t you been stringin' me-

aughed good

world, you know, and we're all looking for amusement. If a

that part again 'bout Penelope with the kisses on h

tter sat with his eyes upon the fire seeing in the sputterin

rth his hand and took the tin can in his s

id, and drank, passing the batte

r; "here's to his Kn

y," returned

ip pocket and a rumpled package of papers from the

makings?

even some day, and I sure do want a smoke. You see I was fri

so the movement bared his wrist, and as the firelight fell upon it the marks of the steel

as an almost imperceptible raising of the man's eyebrows; but he said

The camper quoted snatches from Service and Kipling, then he came back

ar?" he asked during a momen

. "Nowhere in particular-any place sui

me," sai

hen," said the poetical

ere, shake," and Byr

wearied of the other's

eplied Billy.

keeping James. He should have been here lon

feet toward the fire. A couple of feet away Bridge paralleled him