Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 11, 1925 — page 134: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

vod «eed tf oie. A 4 a Me ad ett } na ; Yau Sy a | Vis way ; VN / ie La i ea) 1 288 Once he had admitted to Zeb as they rode back from a visit: “Say, kid, Miss Annie is one of the few women I can’t out- think. She’s sharp as a ticket collector. Lord, you can’t put a thing over on her. I'll bet when she falls in love with some guy she’ll be worth more to him than sand on a wet rail. Phew! She’s some jane, some jane.” And to Zeb’s query, “ Jim, why don’t you—” Jim had interrupted with a laugh: “Not a chance there for me. That girl’s not tying up with any likker head. Some successful guy with a pile of jack is going to cop her. And more power to him and to her, too,” he added. Now Zeb looked again at Itchy-Witchy’s ~ face smiling at him from out its silver frame and voicing the thought he could not keep still, ““ Gee, but I’m a lucky guy,” he turned in for the night and slept soundly till the call boy awoke him in the morning with the order, “ Six o’clock on the main line ditcher. You got the 728 fer a jack. She’s on the cinder pit now.” For the next week Itchy-Witchy, Jim, his mother, and all the affairs of his every day life became secondary. His mind centered on his job. To keep up the minor repairs on the engine, pump packing, tightening up rod wedges, setting up shoes, clearing tank strainers, little jobs that took up all his spare time. For Zeb was very careful about his engine, and the slightest thing wrong gave him much concern till he had repaired it. There was a lot to do on the seemingly loafing job on the ditcher; there always is a lot for a conscientious man to do on the railroad. There were the train orders to study’so as to get as much time in on the job as possible without delaying traffic while the ditching crew cleared mud and debris from beside the right of way. And in mak- ing the run ahead to a siding to let a pas- senger or freight through, in backing up to the job again after a train had passed, Zeb’s mind never left his job for a minute. He had to be careful, for on the flat cars ‘behind him a hundred careless track laborers must be looked out for. His mind occasionally filled with thoughts of Itchy- | Z Se Witchy, fleeting, momentary flashes of « pate - oad = * 2 ~ * 2 Pa —- wel ate Sy > ~ i — — ae pee Ss ie os oe a Se << Se ge SSA ae ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, memory, driven away in a brief minute by the ever present work in hand. Zeb’s job came first. He little knew it, but the habit of railroading was fast gripping him. Only at night, when he had done for the long day, sitting alone in the boarding house beside the railroad, did he relax. Then the warm glow of affection stole over him and Itchy-Witchy’s face was before him, often followed by his mother, the nurse, and Side- wheeler, four women each differing from the other. Yet through all their differences ran one deep and unvarying quality, a virtue that transcended all their other virtues, the desire to love and be loved. And several nights, tired and sleepy, Zeb turned in, a dim vague inkling of the driving force that impels men and women to do the grand things in life opening before him. For out of his love for Itchy-Witchy came the knowledge and realization of other loves. The week passed. Jake, true to his prom- ise, sent another engineer to relieve him, and Zeb rode the first passenger back. As usual, he went to Jim’s restaurant. The place was crowded. It seemed to be always busy since Jim had taken it over. Zeb was pleased at the popularity of the place, yet as he looked at those fellows at the table ahead with the bottle brazenly in the center, when he listened to their boisterous lan- guage freely peppered with lurid oaths, he shook his head. The place was run on a free and easy basis. It reflected Jim’s characteristics perfectly. Perhaps he was too straight laced;' perhaps Jim knew better how to get along with the men of the road. Jim came out of the kitchen, saw Zeb and crossed over to his table. Zeb motioned him to bend over and whispered a few words in his ears. Jim straightened up, clapped Zeb a thump on the back that drove the air from his lungs. ‘‘ Sure, I'll be the best man! Going out this morning? You bet Ill go with At Jim’s words, easily heard over the jo the buzz of conversation stopped. There was a general turning of heads, a craning of necks. 3 = Jim, in spite of Zeb’s low remonstrance, “No, no, Jim; keep it quiet, 4 Co 8A ae we