"Think he would?" The youth seemed sobered for the moment by the prospect. "If he did, I'd get him, b' God! Don' give damn 'bout th' case—all I wan' 's a crack at Detroit."

"Let's move on."

They rose and went toward the station. They were the only people astir. The train whistled nearer and they could hear its distant rumble when the uneasy breeze died.

"Lucius, let's not wait for Jim! Let's make sure of this—go on down to Detroit tonight!"

They were on the station platform, face to face, and Taylor took the boy's arm as he planted this suggestion.

"You 'n' me? Sure—" Then he shook off Taylor's hands groggily. "Sa-ay what you wan' me to go tonigh' for?" an ugly note in his thick voice.

"For company. I'm going down the line tonight. It'll be all right. I'll tell Jim all about it. You've done your share and if they've got anything on Bryant they can get along without you. Besides you're not sure of your fifty yet, and I'll buy your ticket."

Far off a blue-white glare in the sky told that the train was swinging around the big bend, rushing down on Pancake, which was not a schedule stop.

"You 'n' me? Lucius an' Jack."

"I'll promise you a job if you go—tonight."

"Tha' righ'? Gimme a job? Say, Jack, you're all to the candy—you—"

He said more but Taylor did not hear. He drew a folded newspaper from his pocket and struck a match. The train was very near, the ray of its headlight swinging in towards them, throwing buildings into sharp relief. He held the match to the paper. The torch flared and