f
A TRUE
3ja Former Secret Set-Vice Operative
STOW ) x
cji qi
Government Probe
Into Affairs In
Western State
Where Mail Threat'
cned to Be Delayed
Because of Walkout
Brings a Friend
Strange Condition
of Affairs Related
by Man Directly Im
plicated in Them. $
is!
T 13 human nature for
very man to think that
his troubles are great-ir
than those- of any other
son, but no one rcaly ever
knows the sorrows gnaw
ing at another person's
In-art, even though the
other be one's dearest
friend. This fact was im
pressed upon me In a man
ner that I shall never for
get while I was working on a simple
proposition that grew out of a railway
strike."
Capt. Dickson, a former official of
the United States Ferret service, now
retired, was In a musing frame of
mind, when I called on him the other
enlng and ho gave expression to the
lorcgolng words. Something that hap
pened during the day, had brought to
his mind one of the vivid experiences
of hie days of active nervlro, and I had
no trouble In getting him to relate the
circumstances. I put them down In
his own words.
The P. & 0. was a little railroad
that ran between two small towns In a
certain western state, and I happened
to bncomo mixed up with this labor
dtfflculty because of the fact that the
road carried the malls. My depart
ment was brought Into play to prevent
any Interference with the government
mall service by the strikers.
The country at large wbb not much
affected by the tying up of this Insig
nificant pnrt of the great network of
railroads. Yet the government, with
the thoroughness It displays In every
thing connected with It, took the liveli
est Interest In the casa. I was as
signed to It with instructions to see
that the mall train mado lis regular
daily trip without being molested.
I was much surprised to find an old
college-male of mine officiating as gen
eral manager of the real. 1 remem
bered him as a studious, gawky, red
headed youngster, who was taking a
course In civil engineering. 1 had
some work with him In tho surveying
class, which was a part of the course
of mining engineering to which I was
devoting my attention. He was too
self centered and too studious to be
popular with the boys of his class, and
because I appreciated his loneliness
and showed him some slight courtesies,
he formed a deep attachment for me.
We promised to write when wo left
colloge, but as those promises gen
erally go, neither of us thought of It
or, If we did, ever acted upon It. We
quite lost track of each other until I
walked Into his office one afternoon
to confer with him about the strike.
He was rot quite ns red headed and
Rawky as In his college days, but ho
had changed so little that 1 readily
recognized him. He knew me Instant
ly and greeted me with a warmth and
a genuine pleasure that was most
agreeable. He was snowed under with
woik, but he brushed aside the mass
of papers that littered his rieBk and
made me sit down nnd tell him some
thing of my experiences since I had
left college before lie would take up
business matters with me. He told
mo of the struggle he had had in
climbing from obscurity to his present
responsible position, which was not In
any sense an unimportant one. His
road was n feeder or tap line for one
of tho big transcontinental systems,
and his post put him in direct line for
promotion Into the p-ervlre of the lat
ter. He was as frank and engaging and
devoted to his work ns when ho had
been an awkward, bashful collego boy,
looked down upon, shunned and de
uplsed by his classmates because ot
his poor rlrcutnsfances and his lack of
t!mo to be what they considered n
good fellow. He had fought his way
upward against tho greatest difficul
ties, and 1 marveled at his ability to
cope with the adverse conditions that
1 knew had confronted hltn In his bat
tle. Since then I have come to know
that it Is only by fighting that a man
can d'vr ; the best that Is In hltn
and that the more obstacles he encoun
ters nnd overcomes the belter man he
makes In tho end.
After talking ever old times for a
wlille we got down to business, and I
soon ga'hered a thorough knowledge
of the Fit nation. The trainmen had
conei Ivrd that they were being uu
Justly treated and had made certain
complaints, coupled wl'h curtain de
mands. Majors, my friend, had duly
Investigated their complaints and con
sidered their demands and had found
that there was virtue In neither, but
that both were inspired by labor
agitators who saw a chance to advance
their own selfish interests by bringing
about a difficulty between tho road and
Its employes. Tho demands had been
refused and the men had gone out on
strike.
Majors had come up from tho ranks
himself and had every sympathy for
the men until he had convinced him
solf that they were In the wrong. Onco
convinced on this point, ho had bowed
his neck and refused to treat with
them further unless they returned to
work unconditionally. Tho men knew
his determined character and they
realized that ho meant Just what he
had said. I believe they would have
discontinued the strike, so popular
was Majors with tho men and so well
was his honesty known, If It had not
been for the activity of a walking dele
gate of the trainmen's union.
Another obstacle to a settlement of
tho trouble was tho president of tho
road. Ho was a wealthy mine owner,
and one of the beat paying properties
was situated at the terminus of tho
his or.u.se In the Insolent manner ho
displayed during tho Interview.
Majors heard tho Impassioned ad
dress of tho delegate without inter
rupting hi pi and, when ho had finished,
turned to tho others, whom he called
by name, and whom he addressed as
follows:
"Hoys, I have looked Into your case
as carefully as if It were my own. You
are in tho wrong; there Is no virtue In
your contentions and I cannot consider
them further. You have been receiv
ing better wages and better and fairer
treatment than tho employes of any
other road In this state. You haven't
a legitimate cause of complaint and
you aro wasting your own time and
mlno as well to sick a further confer
ence with me until you come to your
senses und are willing to return to
work on the old terms. Any of you
who wish to return to the servlco may
do so without prejudice. You are be
In; deluded by a stilish agitator who
is profiting by the misfortunes which
his counsel ha3 brought upon you. If
you prefer to follow him rather than
me, I have nothing farther to Bay to
you. I am going to run the P. & O.
In splto of you or anything that you
do. If you resort to violence I will
He told me about this cne afternoon
when 1 visited lilm nt his office. One
of the office hoys hung about as wo
talked. In a way that I did not like,
and I cautioned Majors lest he be over
heard and Halliday warned, but ho
scoffed at my fear3 and said ho trusted
the boy. Nevertheless, I didn't like
the gleam that came into the boy's
eyes when he hoard what Majors had
to say about Halliday. Things looked
threatening for the delegate. I knew
that he was a dangerous character
and I feared that ho might try to es
cape from the net that Majors was
weaving about him by trying to silence
Majors In the only way that was pos
sible. That night Majors had promised to
call on me at my hotel to sample a
bottle of SO year-old liquor that a
friend in the revenuo service had sent
me from Kentucky. I had Invited
Majors more to get him away from his
work than with any Idea that ho would
caro especially for the liquor, as I
know that he was temperate In all his
tastes and habits. I knew that he
needed the rest, that he was overtax
Ing himself with the war he was wag
ing with tho strikers, and 1 had not
liked the haunted, worried expression
Sprang (pom
road. It was a sliver mine, and that
metal was quoted at a good figure just
then. Consequently, he chafed nt tho
forced inactivity of his mine and fa
vortd granting the concessions asked
by the men. Hut Majors was as firm
as a rock, his position once taken, and
he fought the president hlms'df with
the same dogged determination he had
displayed towards the men.
Majors was the key to the situation,
tho stumbling-block to both Interests,
and ugly threa's were made pgalust
him by the strikers. He had succeed
ed In operating the line after a
fashion, although schedules wore dis
arranged and the service was gem-rally
demoralized. It was only his force
ful personality that l.d a-voniplli-hod
even this, ami as soon as 1 made even
a cursory examination of conditions 1
saw that ay friend held a dangerous
ns well ij a difficult position.
Tl"j day after my arrival I was pies
em When ho received a delegation of
the strikers, and 1 wan mere than ever
Impressed with his Indomitable, will by
this Interview. There were four of the
strikers, headed by n man named Hal
liday, the walking di legate to whom I
have reforml. lie w.u pompous, over
bearing, pudgy, unscrupulous, and a
man of most inalU-iuitit. countenance.
Ho was the speaker for the strikers,
and I thought that 1 detected sumo
tblnc moru dangerous than ardor for
have the guilty run down and pun
ished If It takes a thousand years. I
have nothing farther to say to you."
Halliday. the agitator, glared dan
gerously at Majors during tho Inter
view, and as lie sulkily slunk out of
the room 1 overheard hltn breathing
threats against my friend to one of his
companions.
The climax of the strike came tho
following day when one of tho trains
was derailed and tho fireman and en
gineer, who were strike-breakers, were
killed. Majors went in person to tho
scene of the wreck to investigate. It
didn't take a prolonged examination
to determine that the wreck was tho
result, of direct and premeditated de
sign. This aroused every drop of
fighting blood In my friend, and he set
about tracking down the guilty per
sons with tho utmost vigor. He em
ployed the best dote; lis e talent ob
tainable, and It was not many days be
fore two of the strikers, tools of Halli
day, had been arrested and there was
every chance that both of them would
hr.tig for the job. Suspicion pointed
nt iongly towards Halliday ns the insti
gator of the plot, but wo were rat Is
tied that he had not had any direct
i ai t In can-vim; It out. He was loo
wh o for that, but Majors gathered evl
deuce against hltn that promised to
put him In the same boat with bis con
federates
that he had assumed lately. It was
Saturday night nnd, as the road did
not operate a Sunday train. Majors
could afford to take Ihe night off and
enjoy the rest he needed so badly. I
think ho appreciated this, for ho ac
cepted my Invitation with alacrity.
Hp came In late, and I saw nt once
that something was preying upon his
mind. I was far from guessing the
real nature of his trouble for I at
tributed It to the strike. Wo made a
sorry endeavor to renew our old col
lege paycty, but It wouldn't work.
Majors was abstracted and let mo do
most of the talking. 1 told him what
I knew of tho old boys, and recalled
many amusing Incidents of our school
life, but I could not rouse him from
the fit of despondence Into which he
was sunk. And through It all. Majors
sat with a faraway look on his face,
and 1 saw that he was not following
my rambling talk, for once or twice
when 1 paused for him to nnswer some
question, he was so deeply Involved in
his own gloomy thoughts that he didn't
know 1 had stopped speaking.
Nevertheless, I am convinced that
lie enjoyed tho evening, poor fellow,
for towards the end of It lio rallied u
bit. und we had a lively half hour of
It before he had to take his departure.
I wanted to walk with him to his
rooms, which were over his office, but
I ho would not permit mc to accompany
hlni farther than the nearest corner to
my own lodgings. When we came to
shake hands, he held .n to mine like a
drowning man to a plank and seemed
half inclined to cor. lido something to
mo. I lo opened his mouth several
times as If he were going to speak,
but each time he Fcemed to think bet
ter of It and merely wished me a
hearty "good night."
As we stood talking, I noticed Halli
day passing down tho opposite side of
tho street and he scowled across at us
malignantly. I asked Majors If he
were armed, and hinted to him the sus
picions that 1 had formed concerning
Halliday; for I was certnin that the
agitator knew that if Majors was out
of the way the strikers would carry
their polut and he and his confederates
who had wrecked the train would
probubly escape punishment.
Majors laughed my fears away and
said he had never carried a weapon in
his life and that he had never seen the
timo when he needed one. As I walked
hack to my hotel, I saw Halliday skulk
ing along in the shadows on the far
side of the street. I didn't like the
looks of It and decided to follow him
and if he Intended harm to my friend
to prevent him from accomplishing it.
He dodged into a side street a short
distance further on and I plunged in
after him, as I fancied that he Intend
ed Intercepting Majors on the way to
his rooms. Nor was I wrong. Halli
day cut through alleys and unfrequejit-
ed streets until he camo out upon the
main thoroughfare where the railroad
offices were located and less than a
block distant from them. He took up
a position in the mouth of a dark
alley, behind a telegraph pole and I
was now convinced that he meant
harm to my friend.
The streets were deserted. It was
about midnight and people In small
towns retire early. Ilefore long I
could hear footsteps approaching and
I readily recognized the athletic tread
of Majors. I slipped up behind Halli
day with great caution, so that I might
pinion hi.; arms if he attempted to fire
the big levolver that I now detected In
his hand. Majors had almost reached
the mouth of the r.lley when I saw
llalllday's hand being slowly raised. I
knew It would be dangerous to wait
longer so I sprang upon him from be
hind and clasped him In a hug that
mado his ribs pop like a pack of fire
crackers.
He was taken r,o completely by sur
prise that be was at my mercy, and
although he struggled like a demon, I
disarmed '-'n and handcuffed him In a
very short space of time. Just as 1
accomplished this, Majors came rush
Ins up. The mouth of the alley was
In complete darkness but out on the
street there was a faint light from the
arc light at the corner. I called to
Majors so that he might know of my
presence. At this, he stopped stock
still and peered into the gloom of the
alleyway.
"(Ireat Heaven.-', Dickson," he ejac
ulated, "what are you doing In there?"
1 blurted out a few words of expla
nation, and Majors was in the the act
popping into tho darkness to join
me whrn there was a loud report and
I saw hltn stagger and pitch forward
on hia face. Ho fell half in the light
and half in the gloom of the alley's
mouth.
I ran forward and gathered him Into
my arms, lifting his face out Into the
light of the street. I saw that ho was
fatally wounded, tho clammy sweat of
death being upon his brow. Halliday
had not tried to escape but had run
forward with me, and as I looked up
at his from the face of my prostrate
friend I saw that he was almost as
white as a corpse. A moment before
he had been intent upon taking the
lifo of my friend, but now the enormity
of his tot.teiui dated net was full upon
him and he trembled like a leaf In a
gale.
"My Cod," he inonnod, "I might
have been his murderer! Thank God
I am not!"
The s.al of death was upon the
blaticlu J face of my friend, his brea'h
cane In b ng, reaping rapu, and Id.-,
eyes were rapidly setting in that
glassy stare which comes but orco in
the life of a human being, lie looked
up at. me. an expression of content
ment upon bi. mubk-d features, and
made an effort to speak.
1 bei.t my car closa to his lips.
"Old man," he breathed, so low that
I could scarcely hear him, "you don't
know what your friendship has been
to me these last few days. I have
never had anv oher whom 1 consid
ered my friend. I knew this was com
Ing. There was no v. ay to escape it
nnd I am plad your hands will be tho
ones to close my eyes."
Me paused a moment for breath.
The caudle of his life was burning low
and I knew that the tiny flame could
not la.it for long. I fuw that he was
maUlti:; a desperate effort to live until
he could tell mo soiucihini;, for a look
of his old time determination came
Into his lace and he half-lifted himself
uiion his elbows. I knew enough of
Resurrection ot an Old
Chum of College Days
In the Far West Its
Consequences Thrilling
Episodes of the Labor
Trouble Reunited Two
Men Major's Death
and Its Tragic Revelation,
Which Captain Dickson
Saw In a Picture and
Wisp of Hair. ) ) )
his character to believe that he would
conquer even Death until his Iron will
hail accomplished his purpose.
I gathered him into a closer embrace
against my throbbing neart.
"Don't try to find my slayer," he
resumed after a time. "It's no use.
The strikers didn't do It. They are
innocent. The key on my watch
chain " A pause while he panted for
breath and then he continued, broken
ly, "Secret drawer desk explains all.
(!ood-bye."
I searched his desk for the secret
drawer, supposing It was the big roll
er top one at his office to which his
laborious duties held him so constant
a slave. Hut It contained no secret
drawer, so I turned my attention to hig
room. It was my first visit to his
apartments and I was amazed at the
bareness of them. The back room was
fitted up as a sleeping apartment. It
was not carpeted nnd it contained
only a bed, dresser and washstand of
tho cheapest kind. Everything about
it suggested direst poverty. It wai
as barren as a priest's cell.
I could not account for this, as I
knew that Majors made an excellent
salary and his appearance had always
been prosperous. Sorely troubled by.
this discovery, I turned my attention
to t lie front room. It was almost as1
bleak as his sleeping quarters, except
for an easy chair, several cases of
books, and a richly carved mahogany
desk which would have set a col
lector's heart bea'.Ing at a dangerous
rate. I saw at a glance that this was
the desk that Majors had referred to.
Ono of his keys opened it and I looked
about for tho socret drawer. It didn't
take long to locate It but I experienced
some difficulty In opening It. Within,
I found a tin bond-box which the tiny
key from his Wmcn chain unlocked.
It containeJ two pockets, one ad
dressed to me.
Opening the latter packet I found a
letter with my name upon It and I set
about reading it at once.
I'onr rrlcnd: I am within the shadow
of death ns I write. A danger which haa
hovered over my unfortunate head since
the hour of my birth Is cloning In upon
me. There Is no escaping It. If It were
my secret alone. I would conAdo In you,
but it is not mine and I trout let It die
with me. 1 nm writing this no that sus
pi -Ion will tint attach to tho striker!!
should I be found dead, for they will
have nottilnjr to do with my anamina
tion. I do r.ot l;now when or how It will
come, but I rjo know- that the end la not
fnr o!T nnd I thank God for It. I have
no relatives and none will come to claim
m v body or the little property that I
l:ive. I want you to take my desk,
Imii'.ip, nid easy chair, the only pleasures
that I hnve had In life, for It Is right
tliut they should po to you who have
been my only friend.
S nre my earliest reeollertlnn I have
n-.:r-cd in v r.-v-ii-t sorrow and endeavored
to v.-nit with patience for the blow that
si. nil full upen me when It Is least ex
t r-i ted. You can.o Into my llfn at one of
It j darkest periods and you have come
Into It ir.;nln at a tlmn when I needed a
friend more than even in my collate
days, nnd yet I could not then nor can I
now coniide: to you the trouble that la
gr.awlnit nt niy vunls nnd keeping my
rivil tornin d ns no poor spirit waa ever
pnnlslii-d In the mystic hell of the blind
est lilfT'it.
1 -'i not search fur my slayer. It will
pmilt yen r"th!nc Your senreh will be
In vain. My only apprehension la thnt
srti;e of the (linkers may be suspected of
mv tMirdrr. 1 I, nve one more favor to
as is ef yon. I abjure you. by the friend
ship f i- in.- nnd your hope of happiness
l yeti.t the (.-rave, to burn every vestige
(f raP'i' within tin- desk where you will
find ihls Idler, enpecially being careful
to do-troy the p-ieket In the secret draw
er. If von cue tu ouunlne these papers
yon are nt liberty to do mo. but I would
prefer, for your own sake, that you avoid
t' 'm.
1 nod by, my filind.
One of the pictures was of a bright
eyed, laughing cherub of five or six
years. The other, was the girl, bios-
somen mio mo rauiani neauty or a
perfect womanhood. I have nover
seen a prettier face nor a more kindly
and loving one. I know that my friend
had loved her and that thero was noth
ing strange about this, but whether
rhe was sister, mother or sweetheart
(niy the odd heart of my friend
knew an.l Ills secret was safe forever
more. (iipvrU;H. !!". by W. O. Chapman.)
o'lH-M'uhi In Great Hrllaln.)
Calculating Childhood.
It Is a curious sign of the tluiei that
children nownd;.ys show a remarkable
Interest In money. They want to-know
ihe cost of objects, they love to play
with coins, and money Booms to bo
ihe present they prefer. Zeltung,
Vienna.
