Two deaths, Andrew supposed. But presently a man was sent out of the car
at the point of Clune's revolver. He climbed down with difficulty,
clutching one hand with the other. He had been shot in the most painful
place in the body--the palm of the hand. Allister turned over the other
form with a brutal carelessness that sickened Andrew. But the man had
been only stunned by a bullet that plowed its way across the top of his
skull. He sat up now with a trickle running down his face. A gesture
from Andrew's rifle made him and his companion realize that they were
covered, and, without attempting any further resistance, they sat side
by side on the ground and tended to each other's wounds--a ludicrous
group for all their suffering.
In the meantime, Clune and Allister were at work in the car; the water
was hissing in the fire box as a vast cloud of steam came rushing out
around the engine; the passengers were pouring out of the cars. They
acted like a group of actors, carefully rehearsed for the piece. Not
once did Andrew have to speak to them, while they ranged in a solid
line, shoulder to shoulder, men, women, children. And then Larry la
Roche went down the line with a saddlebag and took up the collection.
"Passin' the hat so often has give me a religious touch, ladies and
gents," Andrew heard the ruffian say. "Any little contributions I'm sure
grateful for, and, if anything's held back, I'm apt to frisk the gent
that don't fork over. Hey, you, what's that lump inside your coat? Lady,
don't lie. I seen you drop it inside your dress. Why, it's a nice little
set o' sparklers. That ain't nothin' to be ashamed of. Come on, please;
a little more speed. Easy there, partner; don't take both them hands
down at once. You can peel the stuff out of your pockets with one hand,
I figure. Conductor, just lemme see your wallet. Thanks! Hate to bother
you, ma'am, but you sure ain't traveling on this train with only
eighty-five cents in your pocketbook. Just lemme have a look at the
rest. See if you can't find it in your stocking. No, they ain't anything
here to make you blush. You're among friends, lady; a plumb friendly
crowd. Your poor old pa give you this to go to school on, did he? Son,
you're gettin' a pile more education out of this than you would in
college. No, honey, you just keep your locket. It ain't worth five
dollars. Did you? That jeweler ought to have my job, 'cause he sure
robbed you! You call that watch an heirloom? Heirloom is my middle name,
miss. Just get them danglers out'n your ears, lady. Thanks! Don't hurry,
mister; you'll bust the chain."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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