joe the hotel boy-第23部分

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〃There　is　a　barn　just　ahead；〃　said　Bill　Badger。　　〃Let　us　get　inside。〃

Joe　was　willing；　and　soon　all　were　in　the　barn。　　It　was　now　raining　at　a　heavy　rate　and　they　were　glad　to　be　under　shelter。

〃With　a　barn　there　ought　to　be　a　house；〃　remarked　our　hero。　　〃But　I　don't　see　any。〃

It　grew　still　darker；　and　the　rain　came　down　in　perfect　sheets。　　The　roof　of　the　barn　leaked；　and　they　had　to　move　from　one　spot　to　another；　to　keep　out　of　the　drippings。

While　this　was　going　on　Gaff　Caven　was　working　at　the　handkerchief　that　bound　his　wrists　and　soon　had　it　loose。　　Pat　Malone　also　liberated　himself。　　Caven　winked　suggestively　at　his　confederate。

〃Watch　me；〃　he　whispered。　　〃When　I　give　the　signal　we'll　knock　'em　both　down　and　run　for　it。〃

〃But　the　pistol〃　began　Malone。

〃I'll　take　care　of　that。〃

In　moving　around　the　old　barn　Caven　spotted　a　club　and　moved　close　to　it。　　Suddenly　he　snatched　the　weapon　up　and　hit　Bill　Badger　on　the　arm　with　it。　　The　pistol　flew　into　a　corner　and　went　off；　sending　a　bullet　into　a　board。

〃Run！〃　yelled　Caven；　and　leaped　for　the　open　doorway。　　Malone　came　beside　him；　and　both　ran　off　through　the　rain　as　fast　as　their　legs　could　carry　them。

Joe　was　startled　and　made　after　the　pair。　But　at　a　groan　from　Bill　Badger　he　paused。

〃Are　you　badly　hurt？〃　he　asked。

〃He　gave　me　a　stiff　crack　on　the　arm；〃　growled　the　young　westerner。

Joe　ran　for　the　corner　and　caught　up　the　pistol。　　Then　he　leaped　for　the　open　doorway。

〃Stop；　both　of　you！〃　he　called　out。　　〃Stop；　or　I'll　fire！〃

〃Don't　you　dare！〃　shrieked　Pat　Malone；　and　ran　faster　than　ever；　behind　the　nearest　of　the　trees。　　Joe　aimed　the　weapon；　but　before　he　could　pull　the　trigger　both　of　the　bad　men　were　out　of　sight。

〃Go　after　them；　if　you　want　to；〃　said　Bill　Badger。　　〃I'll　go　too。〃

〃You　are　not　badly　hurt？〃　queried　our　hero；　sympathetically。

〃No；　but　if　I　catch　that　fellow　I'll　give　it　to　him　good；〃　grumbled　the　young　westerner。

Both　now　left　the　barn　and　made　after　Caven　and　Malone。　　Once　they　caught　sight　of　the　rascals；　moving　in　the　direction　of　the　railroad　tracks。

〃They　are　going　to　catch　a　train　if　they　can！〃　cried　our　hero。　　〃I　hear　one　coming。〃

〃It's　a　freight　most　likely；〃　was　Bill　Badger's　answer。

He　was　right；　and　soon　the　long　line　of　freight　cars　hove　into　sight　around　a　bend　and　on　an　upgrade。　　Far　in　the　distance　they　beheld　Caven　and　Malone　scooting　for　the　train　with　all　speed。

〃They　are　going　to　make　it；〃　sighed　Joe。　〃Too　bad！〃

They　continued　to　run；　but　before　they　could　get　anywhere　near　the　tracks　they　saw　Caven　leap　for　the　train　and　get　between　two　of　the　cars。　　Then　Malone　got　aboard　also；　and　the　freight　train　passed　out　of　sight　through　the　cut。

〃That　ends　the　chase；〃　said　Joe；　halting。　〃They　were　slick　to　get　away。〃

〃If　we　only　knew　where　they　would　get　off　we　could　send　word　ahead；〃　suggested　his　companion。

〃Well；　we　don't　know；　and　after　this　they　will　probably　keep　their　eyes　wide　open　and　keep　out　of　sight　as　much　as　possible。　　Anyway；　I　don't　think　they'll　bother　Mr。　Vane　any　more。〃

〃It's　not　likely。　　I'm　a　witness　to　what　they　were　up　to；〃　answered　the　young　westerner。

Both　Joe　and　Bill　Badger　were　soaked　from　the　rain　and　resolved　to　strike　out　for　the　nearest　farmhouse　or　village。　　They　kept　along　the　railroad　tracks；　and　presently　came　to　a　shanty　where　there　was　a　track…walker。

〃How　far　to　the　nearest　village？〃　asked　our　hero。

〃Half　a　mile。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

〃How　is　it　you　are　out　here　in　the　rain？〃　went　on　the　track…walker。

〃We　got　off　our　train　and　it　went　off　without　us。〃

〃Oh；　I　see。　　Too　bad。〃

Again　our　hero　and　his　companion　hurried　on；　and　soon　came　in　sight　of　a　small　village。　They　inquired　their　way　to　a　tavern；　and　there　dried　their　clothing　and　procured　a　good；　hot　meal；　which　made　both　feel　much　better。

〃I　am　going　to　send　a　telegram　to　Mr。　Vane；〃　said　Joe；　and　did　so　without　further　delay。　　He　was　careful　of　the　satchel　and　did　not　leave　it　out　of　his　sight。

They　found　they　could　get　a　train　for　the　West　that　evening　at　seven　o'clock　and　at　the　proper　time　hurried　to　the　depot。

〃I'm　glad　I　met　you；〃　said　Joe；　to　his　newly…made　friend。　　〃Now；　what　do　you　think　I　owe　you　for　what　you　did？〃

〃As　we　didn't　land　the　fellows　in　jail　you　don't　owe　me　anything；〃　said　Bill　Badger；　promptly。

〃Oh；　yes；　I　do。〃

〃Well　then；　you　can　pay　the　extra　expense；　and　let　that　fill　the　bill。〃

〃I'll　certainly　do　that；〃　said　Joe；　promptly。

As　they　rode　along　Bill　Badger　told　something　of　himself　and　of　the　mine　his　father　owned；　and　then　Joe　told　something　of　his　own　story。

〃Did　you　say　your　name　is　Joe　Bodley？〃　asked　the　young　westerner；　with　deep　interest。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　you　are　looking　for　a　man　by　the　name　of　William　A。　Bodley？〃

〃I　am。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　I　know　a　man　by　that　name；　although　the　miners　all　call　him　Bill　Bodley。〃

〃Where　is　this　Bill　Bodley？〃

〃Out　in　Montana　somewhere。　　He　worked　for　my　father　once；　about　three　years　ago。　　He　was　rather　a　strange　man；　about　fifty　years　old。　He　had　white　hair　and　a　white　beard；　and　acted　as　if　he　had　great　trouble　on　his　mind。〃

〃You　do　not　know　where　he　is　now？〃

〃No；　but　perhaps　my　father　knows。〃

〃Then　I'm　going　to　see　your　father　as　soon　as　I　can；〃　said　Joe；　decidedly。

〃Mind　you；　I　don't　say　that　this　Bill　Bodley　is　the　man　you　are　after；　Joe。　　I　don't　want　to　raise　any　false　hopes。〃

〃Did　you　ever　hear　where　the　man　came　from？〃

〃I　think　he　told　somebody　that　he　once　owned　a　farm　in　Kansas　or　Iowa。〃

〃This　William　A。　Bodley　once　owned　a　farm　at　Millville；　Iowa。〃

〃Is　that　so！　Then　he　may　be　the　same　man　after　all。　　To　tell　the　truth；　he　looked　a　little　bit　like　you。〃

〃Was　he　a　good　man？〃　asked　Joe；　eagerly。

〃Yes；　indeed。　　But　some　of　the　men　poked　fun　at　him　because　he　was　so　silent　and　strange　at　times。　　I　liked　him　and　so　did　father。　　He　left　us　to　go　prospecting　in　the　mountains。〃

Thus　the　talk　ran　on　for　half　an　hour；　when　the　train　came　to　a　sudden　halt。

〃Are　we　at　a　station？〃　asked　Bill　Badger。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Joe。

Both　looked　out　of　the　window　but　could　see　nothing　except　hills　and　forests。

〃We　are　in　the　foothills；〃　said　the　young　westerner。　　〃Something　must　be　wrong　on　the　tracks。〃

〃More　fallen　trees　perhaps。〃

〃Or　a　landslide。　　They　have　them　sometimes；　when　it　rains　as　hard　as　it　did　to…day。〃

They　left　the　car　with　some　others　and　soon　learned　that　there　had　been　a　freight　collision　ahead　and　that　half　a　dozen　freight　cars　had　been　smashed　to　splinters。

〃Do　you　think　it　can　be　the　freight　that　Caven　and　Malone　boarded？〃　came　from　our　hero；　on　hearing　this　news。

〃It　might　be；〃　answered　Bill　Badger。　　〃Let　us　take　a　look。　　Our　train　won't　move　for　hours　now。〃

They　walked　to　the　scene　of　the　wreck。　　One　of　the　cars　had　been　burnt　up　but　the　conflagration　was　now　under　control　and　a　wrecking　crew　was　already　at　work　clearing　the　tracks　so　that　they　might　be　used。

〃Anybody　hurt？〃　asked　Joe　of　a　train　hand。

〃Yes；　two　men　killed。　　They　were　riding　between　the　cars。〃

〃Tramps？〃

〃They　didn't　look　like　tramps。　　But　they　hadn't　any　right　to　ride　on　the　freight。〃

〃Where　are　they？〃

〃Over　in　the　shanty　yonder。〃

With　a　queer　sensation　in　his　heart　Joe　walked　to　the　little　building；　accompanied　by　Bill　Badger。　　A　curious　crowd　was　around　and　they　had　to　force　their　way　to　the　front。

One　look　was　enough。　　Gaff　Caven　and　Pat　Malone　lay　there；　cold　in　death。　　They　had　paid　the　penalty　of　their　crimes　on　earth　and　gone　to　the　final　judgment。



CHAPTER　XXX。


CONCLUSION。


〃Let　us　go　away！〃　whispered　Joe；　and　moved　out　of　the　gathering　without　delay。

〃It　was　sure　rough　on　'em；〃　was　Bill　Badger's　comment。

〃Oh；　it　was　awful！〃　cried　our　hero。　〃II　didn't　expect　this；　did　you？〃

〃Nobody　did。　　It　must　have　come　sudden　like　on　to　'em。〃

〃It　makes　me　sick　at　heart　to　think　of　it。　II　hope　it　wasn't　our　fault。〃

〃Not　at　all。　　If　they　hadn't　broke　away　they'd　be　alive　this　minute。　　They'll　never　bother　you　or　your　friend　again；　Joe。〃

Our　hero　felt　weak　at　the　knees　and　was　glad　enough　to　go　back　to　the　train；　where　he　sank　into　his　seat。　　He　scarcely　said　another　word　until　the　wreck　was　cleared　away　and　they　were　once　more　on　their　journey。

〃I　reckon　you　are　glad　you　got　the　satchel　before　this　happened；〃　remarked　Bill　Badger；　when　they　were　preparing　to　retire。

〃Yes。　　But　II　wish　they　had　gotten　away。　It's　awful　to　think　they　are　deadand　with　such　bad　doings　to　their　credit。〃

Joe　did　not　sleep　very　well　and　he　was　up　early　in　the　morning　and　out　on　the　rear　platform；　drinking　in　the　fresh　air。　　He　felt　as　if　he　had　passed　through　some　fearful　nightmare。

〃How　do　you　like　this　climate？〃　asked　Bill　Badger；　as　he　came　out。　　〃Ain't　it　just　glorious？〃

〃It　certainly　is；〃　said　Joe；　and　he　remembered　what　Ned　had　told　him。　　〃I　don't　wonder　some　folks　like　it　better　than　the　East。〃

〃Oh；　the　East　can't　compare　to　it；〃　answered　Bill　Badger。　　〃Why　I　was　once　down　to　New　York　and　Boston；　and　the　crowd　and　confusion　and　smoke　and　smells　made　me　sick　for　a　week！　Give　me　the　pure　mountain　air　every　time！〃

The　day　proved　a　pleasant　one　and　when　he　did　not　remember　the　tragedy　that　had　occurred　our　hero　enjoyed　the　ride　and　the　wild　scenery。

At　last　Golden　Pass　was　reached；　late　at　night；　and　they　got　off　in　a　crowd　of　people。

〃Joe！〃

〃Mr。　Vane！〃　was　the　answering　cry；　and　soon　the　two　were　shaking　hands。　　〃Let　me　introduce　a　new　friend；　Mr。　Bill　Badger。〃

〃Glad　to　know　you。〃

〃Mr。　Badger　helped　me　get　back　your　satchel；〃　went　on　our　hero。

〃Then　I　am　deeply　indebted　to　him。〃

〃In　that　case；　just　drop　the　mister　from　my　name；〃　drawled　the　young　westerner。　　〃Joe　tells　me　you　have　a　mine　up　here。　　My　father　has　one；　toothe　Mary　Jennie；　next　to　the　Royal　Flush。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　know　the　mine；　and　I　have　met　your　father；〃　said　Maurice　Vane。

They　walked　to　a　hotel；　and　there　Joe　and　his　young　western　friend　told　their　stories；　to　which　Maurice　Vane　listened　with　keen　interest。　The　gentleman　was　shocked　to　learn　of　the　sudden　death　of　Caven　and　Malone。

〃It　was　certainly　a　sad　ending　for　them；〃　said　he。　　〃But；　as　Badger　says；　they　had　nobody　but　themselves　to　bla