"Come neah gettin' left, sah!" exclaimed the colored porter of Roy's car, as our hero, followed by Mortimer De Royster, entered the coach. "Dat were a close call, sah." "Yes, but I wish I had had a chance to round-up those swindlers. I'd shown them how we handle such chaps out on the ranch!" exclaimed Roy. "Swindlers? Was dem nicely dressed gen'men swindlers?" inquired the porter. "Swindlers, upon my word, they are the very worst kind," put in De Royster. "The idea of tricking me into letting them see my watch, and then keeping it, don't you know! I shall report them to the authorities." "I'm afraid it will not do much good," remarked Roy. "They are far enough away by now, and we're getting farther off from them every minute." "That's so. Well, then, my watch and diamond pin are gone," and the dude seemed to accept the loss quite calmly. "Excuse me, sah," broke in the colored man, addressing De Royster, "but has youh a ticket for dis parlor car?" "Not yet. I could not buy one at the little station back there, but you may get me one, from the conductor, don't you know," spoke the well-dressed youth, taking a roll of bills from his pocket. At the sight of the money the eyes of the colored man shone in anticipation of a tip he might receive. His opinion of the stranger went up several points. Such is the effect of money, and it is not always the right one. "Are you going to travel in this car?" asked Roy. "Yes, it looks like a fairly decent coach. I am really quite particular how I ride." Roy was rather amused at the airs Mortimer De Royster assumed, and he did not quite know whether to like him or not. The youth had an affected manner of speaking, and some oddities, but, in spite of these Roy thought he might be all right at heart. The boy from the ranch had learned, from his life in the west, not to judge persons by outward appearances, though they often give an indication of character. "I don't believe I thanked you for what you did for me," went on De Royster to Roy, when the porter returned with his ticket and the change. The colored man's heart was made happy by a generous tip. "I don't know that I did anything in particular. I didn't think they were going to take your hide off, or I would have warned you sooner." "My hide off? I don't quite catch your meaning, my dear chap--Oh, yes, I see. You mean they were going to skin me. Oh, yes. That's a good joke. Ha! Ha! Well, thanks to you, they didn't." "Still they got something." "Yes, that watch was a valuable one, and one my father gave me as a present. The diamond was worth considerable, too. But I am glad they did not get my money. Only for your timely warning they might have. Some of it is mine, but the most of it belongs to the firm I work for." "They tried to get me into some swindling games, but I refused to have anything to do with them," and Roy told of the efforts of Baker and his cronies.