Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

THE PURPLE LIMITED. wiper ducked «ander her guord, and grasped the gir! by the waist. Lark set down his lantern, adcamoed— _ Uppercut the wiper a stinging blow, and followed it up with another frem bis fist. Hie sent the youth aprawling en the cinders. “Come oa!” urged Lark. all three of you!” The girl raised her ahaw! and staned at Lark. She daubed her eyes with ber freck- ted hands, veered to the right, and ran ike a.wild animal across the tracks. The wipers guffawed. Lark lowered his fists, grabbed the larrtern, and started in chase of the girl. Her course was between besx-cars and teward the far-off water-tank. Lark gained on the fleeing figure. tile came up te the girl’s aide. He clutched her Sy the arm. “ Held on,” be said. “I’m not meaning to ieurt you.” “Ok, yes, you are! Lemme go! You're as bad as the others.”’ | Lark caught a gleam from the girl’s big eyes. She wheeled s0 as to face him. One lips parted in a ruby smile. It came to him in a sudden panicky feel- ing that Nan was good looking. He had thought her a drab, until closely inspected. Then the soul of her appeared and lightened her fexteres. “They were rounded. Her nose was upturned. Her chin had a dimple. Her hair, meshed with the shawl, shone like geld in the rays of the oil lantern. She pressed her hands on her breast. Lark moved away a foot er more. He ranged his glance over the girl’s form. One stocking was torn. Her skart was muddy. Her litthe bedy was half nourished. “T’m sorry abowt thet roundhouse bunch,” said Lark. The girl looked up the tracks to where the ash-pits glowed through the mist. ‘“T shouldn’t have gone there,” she ad- mitted. “1 came m town to ste a movie. I ceossed the reads. The boys cabled to me.” shafted the globe and pinched the wick. All-the time he was watching the gar! in front ef him. She seemed evasive and ii at 2A “Tl patch ~ ee He- ease. tier giamoe wandered in she direc- tien of the vauter-tank. “I must be hurrying heme!” ske said, stepping across a track. Lark held out a detaining hand—then seeme that the girl was determimed upon lemving him, he strede resolutely after her. “ Step a minute, went you?” — The girl clutched her skint, and san down tle track. . “ Hey, miss! i want to taik with pou!” - She was gone between two gondola-cars. Lark poised on a rail. He dashed along the ties.in pursuit. He cnught a glimpse the road-bed to run north, in a shushy path. Lark knew a short out through a yard and across a fence. He ducked his lantera amd put out the light as be sprinted over the yard. He everteok the panting girl "y the aide of the read. ‘ Let me take you Some?” be asked. “ Ge way frem me!” ‘“ Whene do you live?” ‘“T Bve a jong ways frem here.”’ _“ Near the trolley?” “J ain’t goin’ to tell.” Sia loeked Lark ever. Her eyes giemmed. “You were going to take the trolley?” he said. Lark offered his arm. “TW see you that far. it’s hard walking threugh this shush.”’ The girl showed her teeth in a half smile. it was @ novel situation to have an escort to the trolley station. She acquiesced. “You can take me to Wentwerth Avenue, if you want to,” she said. They walked side by side up the road until the trofley-tracks were reached. “ Here’s where you leave me,” said the girl. “Can’t I wait until a car comes along?” She looked to the east. ‘“One’s coming now. What's yeur name?” | “ Larkins. Robert Larkins.” ““Mine’s Nancy. I live about twenty males from here, at Green Creck Botton.” ‘* What’s your last name?” asked Lark. Nan signaled to the motorman. She steed bathed in the fierce white light that streamed from the electric head-lamp. She remained tantakzngly silent. As the car slowed, she jumped upon the step, grasped COMMIEOOO S CO