nd, but he fully realized that he fa

the rude impromptu bench he had k

ve a seat, s

is dignity, but there was a slightly humo

the rude structure. "Rather primitive furnit

ovide under the circumstanc

this bench

ged the imputa

at-desk

s,

tside, and opene

who is the authorized agent here, until the seriousness of his condition was known.

s visitor. "No out shipm

here was some rush in stuf

re i

attend to this afternoon. I am keeping a record and taking receipts, but g

rt Leslie, the superintendent, as I told you. Do you mean to say yo

ne to help me,"

ftened considerably, and he manifested unmistakable interest as he reached out a

running over the pages Bar

losers by the fir

s from

a good one, and I think th

"those claims are our main anxiety in a case like this

d my father was blinded, so there was no opportunity to close it. I

oamed speculatively about the place, taking in the layout critically, then fina

rling?" asked the sup

y nine

w something about

r a little for the past

from the common-sense way you have got things i

en, glancing through the doorway,

ose you couldn't be here abou

e likely to be around making inquiries, and I have a

I want to get back to the city to-night. I may have

be her

made an appointment, for he was met by the freight

er to the ruins of the express sh

smart boy

" supplemented t

mely compliment. He tried to get back to busine

ed in one definite direction-to get some assu

ospect to imagine that he, a mere boy, would be allowed to succeed to a grown man's position and

eir gestures that they were animatedly discussing the situation, and they seemed to be

press superintendent consulted his watch, a

and glancing out of a window there Bart saw that he had come to a halt, an

spot, a man hailed him. It was Lem Wacker. He was dressed in his best, but the ef

nquired the superintend

mposing presence or the dign

, unabashed. "You'r

ted the superintendent, his st

your cousin down at Rochelle; we worked on the same desk

llenged the superintend

m an old railroader and a handy man of experience, I a

impatiently, with Lem persistently following in his wake. He was still keeping up the pursui

n the trail of the "better job" he had announ

promising impression," decided B

y,

hail, ten minutes later. He had been engross

the doorway. He looked fl

ker?" inquired Bart calmly, tho

nd you'll get quick action on it, or

suggested Bart humorously, "and as for the r

g to and fro. "You're a sneak. Bart Stirling-a

have you explai

r, "and I'm going to have satisfa

inging down his fist on the impromptu office desk so forcibly that the concuss

ed, but he stooped and picked up the page

again," he warned

Wacker, rollin

t! 'Don't-do-it-ag

and kicked over the

bserved Bart quietly, but his blood

d muscular fist rested directly under

stay

the threshold, and the next instant measured his leng