ed. Even in the mild
moonlight it flamed like a torch.

"What's your business?" demanded the man with the flamboyant hair.

"I came here," began David, "to wait for a train-----"

The tall man bellowed with indignant rage.

"Yes," he shouted; "this is the sort of place any one would pick out to
wait for a train!"

In front of David's nose he shook a fist as large as a catcher's glove.
"Don't you lie to _me_!" he bullied. "Do you know who I am? Do you
know _who_ you're up against? I'm----"

The barkeeper person interrupted.

"Never mind who you are," he said. "We know that. Find out who _he_
is."

David turned appealingly to the barkeeper.

"Do you suppose I'd come here on purpose?" he protested. "I'm a
travelling man----"

"You won't travel any to-night," mocked the red-haired one. "You've seen
what you came to see, and all you want now is to get to a Western Union
wire. Well, you don't do it. You don't leave here to-night!"

As though he thought he had been neglected, the little man in
riding-boots pushed forward importantly.

"Tie him to a tree!" he suggested.

"Better take him on board," said the barkeeper, "and send him back by
the pilot. When we're once at sea, he can't hurt us any."

[Illustration: In front of David's nose he shook a fist as large as a
catcher's glove.]

"What makes you think I want to hurt you?" demanded David. "Who do you
think I am?"

"We know who you are," shouted the fiery-headed one. "You're a
blanketty-blank spy! You're a government spy or a Spanish spy, and
whichever you are you don't get away to-night!"

David had not the faintest idea what the man meant, but he knew his
self-respect was being ill-treated, and his self-respect rebelled.

"You have made a very serious mistake," he said, "and whether you like
it or not, I _am_ leaving here to-night, and _you_ can go to
the devil!"

Turning his back David started with great dignity to walk away. It was a
short walk. Something hit him below the ear and he found himself curling
up comfortably on the ties. He had a strong desire to sleep, but was
conscious that a bed on a railroad track, on account of trains wanting
to pass, was unsafe. This doubt did not long disturb him. His head
rolled against the steel rail, his limbs relaxed. From a great distance,
and in a strange sing-song he heard the voice of the barkeeper saying,
"Nine--ten--and _out_!"

When David came to his senses his head was resting on a coil of rope. I