train
rolled slowly up to its platform. The general wrung Glen's hand warmly
as he said,

"God bless you, boy, for what you have just done. I will see you again
in a few minutes. Now I must look after the wounded men."

Thus saying, he sprang to the platform, leaving Glen in the cab of the
locomotive; but when he returned, fifteen minutes later, the boy had
disappeared, and was nowhere to be found.

Chapter IX.

KANSAS CITY IN EARLY DAYS.

The reason that Glen Eddy disappeared after running that engine so
splendidly, and bringing the night express safely to its destination,
was that he was diffident and nervous. Now that the strain was relaxed
and he had time to think of the terrible risks run by that train while
under his inexperienced guidance, he was seized with a sudden fright.
Queerly enough, he felt almost guilty, as though he had done something
wrong, or to be ashamed of. Suppose somebody should try to thank him.
Suppose the crowd, now surging about the door of the baggage-car, should
turn their attention to him, and come to gaze at him as a part of the
show that had attracted them. What should he do in either case? It would
be unbearable. He must make good his escape before either of these
things happened.

The wounded men were being carefully lifted from one side of the
baggage-car. Everybody's attention was for the moment directed to that
spot. So Glen slipped down from the locomotive cab on the opposite side,
and ran back to the sleeper in which were his belongings. The car was
deserted and empty. Its passengers, and everybody connected with it, had
either gone up town or joined the curious throng about the baggage-car.
Thus nobody saw the boy, as, securing his valise and rifle, he slipped
from the rear end of the car and walked rapidly away. He plunged into
one of the tunnel-like streets running back from the railroad, not
knowing, nor caring, where it would lead him. His only idea was to
escape, he did not even know from what. It had so taken possession of
him, that he almost felt as though he were being pursued, with the
danger, at any moment, of being overtaken, and dragged ignominiously
back to be--thanked and made a hero of.

Kansas City, which has since enjoyed such an astonishing growth and
prosperity, was at that time very young. It was still burrowing through
the high and steep bank of stiff red clay that separated its river front
from the main street of the newer portion perched o