with his nose
and started it, or something like that," and the man rolled up his
eyes. There was a loud laugh at this, as everybody understood that the
guards had loosened the brake and given the car a start, and they all
saw that it was a good way to get rid of the man inside. Tom Carr, the
station agent, said that, if the wind held, the car would not stop
short of the grade beyond Siding No. 15.

"My experience with the country," said Sours, "is that the wind always
holds and don't do much else. It wouldn't surprise me if it carried
him clean through to Chicago."

I went back to the barn and sat down in the office. To tell the truth,
I felt easier that Pike was gone. I well knew that he had no love for
me. I sat a long time thinking over what had happened since I had come
to Track's End. It seemed, as if things had crowded one another so
much that I had scarcely had time to think at all. I little guessed
all the time for thinking that I was going to have before I got away
from the place.

While I was sitting there on the bench an old gentleman came in and
asked something about getting a team with which to drive into the
country. There was a livery stable in town kept by a man named Munger
and a partner whose name I have forgotten; but their horses were all
out. The Headquarters barn was mainly for the teams of people who put
up at the hotel, but Sours had two horses which we sometimes let folks
have. After the old gentleman had finished his business he asked me my
name, and then said:

"Well, Judson, you did the right thing in pointing out that desperado
the other night. I'm pleased to know you."

My reply was that I couldn't very well have done otherwise than I did
after what I saw.

"But there's many that wouldn't have done it, just the same," answered
the old gentleman. "Knowing the kind of a man he is, it was very brave
of you. My name is Clerkinwell. I run the Bank of Track's End,
opposite the Headquarters House. I hope to hear further good reports
of you."

He was a very courtly old gentleman, and waved his hand with a
flourish as he went out. You may be sure I was tickled at getting such
words of praise from no less a man than a banker. I hurried and took
the team around to the bank, and had a good look at it. It was a
small, square, two-story wooden building, like many of the others,
with large glass windows in the front, through which I could see a
counter, and behind it a big iron safe.

I had gi