dusky.

"Oh, Mamma," cried a youngster, "I'm afraid of that big black man. Will
he steal me!"

"Nonsense, Willie, that's the nice, kind gentleman, who gave you some
candy at the station yesterday." Jim laughed and the only show of white
about him was his teeth. "I don't blame the little chap for being
scared," he said, "I'm a bad looking object for a fact."

"You ought to have seen three of those fellows jump," remarked Mr.
Conductor, as they went on their way through the train; "that was when
Bob opened up. I guess one of 'em was badly shook up by the way he lit."

"I saw them take their flying leap," returned Jim, "but was anybody hurt
back here?"

"The brakeman got it in the shoulder," replied the conductor, "but I
guess he will be all right. Have to take a lay-off for some weeks."

"It's curious how many bullets are fired without hurting anybody,"
remarked Jim, "but I've noticed that before."

The conductor looked at the tall young fellow keenly for a moment.

"I reckon you are no tenderfoot," he asserted.

"Right there!" replied Jim; "that is if experience counts. But I was
born in the East."

"You can't help that," remarked the conductor, to Jim's amusement; "you
would have laughed to see them fellows lying close to the floor of the
car, when the shooting was going on. It ain't a dignified sight to see a
round fat man trying to make himself small by lying as flat as
possible."

"I can't blame them," replied Jim; "I would have been trying the same
maneuver if I had been there."

"No, you wouldn't," contradicted the Taker of Tickets; "you would have
been busy trying to get a line on some of the gents who were kicking up
a ruction outside.

"Maybe," said Jim doubtfully.

When they entered the first Pullman, Jim was in the lead and at the
sight of a tall, blackened-looking individual entering through the plush
portieres into the main body of the car several of the women shrieked,
and two stout gentlemen dived down between the seats.

"Conductor!" they yelled; "Conductor! help!"

Jim was greatly embarrassed by this reception, and started to back out
hastily, but was stopped by the rotund figure of the greatly in demand
conductor.

"Ha! ha!" he roared. "Ladies and gentlemen don't be frightened. This
young man is no desperado, but he has been fighting them off down in
front on the engine during the late hold up."

Slowly like twin round moons rose the faces of the two stout men from
opposite sect