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him； or that she was even considering not marrying him； he asked
no questions； but in ignorance of her present feelings set forth
on his travels。 Absence from Emily hurt just as much as he had
feared it would。 He missed her； needed her； longed for her。 In
numerous letters he told her so。 But； owing to the frequency with
which he moved； her letters never caught up with him。 It was
almost a relief。 He did not care to think of what they might tell
him。
The route assigned David took him through the South and kept him
close to the Atlantic seaboard。 In obtaining orders he was not
unsuccessful； and at the end of the first month received from the
firm a telegram of congratulation。 This was of importance chiefly
because it might please Emily。 But he knew that in her eyes the
great…great…grandson of Hiram Greene could not rest content with
a telegram from Burdett and Sons。 A year before she would have
considered it a high honor； a cause for celebration。 Now； he
could see her press her pretty lips together and shake her pretty
head。 It was not enough。 But how could he accomplish more。 He
began to hate his great…great…grandfather。 He began to wish Hiram
Greene had lived and died a bachelor。
And then Dame Fortune took David in hand and toyed with him and
spanked him； and pelted and petted him； until finally she made
him her favorite son。 Dame Fortune went about this work in an
abrupt and arbitrary manner。
On the night of the 1st of March； 1897； two trains were scheduled
to leave the Union Station at Jacksonville at exactly the same
minute； and they left exactly on time。 As never before in the
history of any Southern railroad has this miracle occurred； it
shows that when Dame Fortune gets on the job she is omnipotent。
She placed David on the train to Miami as the train he wanted
drew out for Tampa； and an hour later； when the conductor looked
at David's ticket； he pulled the bell…cord and dumped David over
the side into the heart of a pine forest。 If he walked back along
the track for one mile； the conductor reassured him； he would
find a flag station where at midnight he could flag a train going
north。 In an hour it would deliver him safely in Jacksonville。
There was a moon； but for the greater part of the time it was
hidden by fitful； hurrying clouds； and； as David stumbled
forward； at one moment he would see the rails like streaks of
silver； and the next would be encompassed in a complete and
bewildering darkness。 He made his way from tie to tie only by
feeling with his foot。 After an hour he came to a shed。 Whether
it was or was not the flag station the conductor had in mind； he
did not know； and he never did know。 He was too tired； too hot；
and too disgusted to proceed； and dropping his suit case he sat
down under the open roof of the shed prepared to wait either for
the train or daylight。 So far as he could see； on every side of
him stretched a swamp； silent； dismal； interminable。 From its
black water rose dead trees； naked of bark and hung with
streamers of funereal moss。 There was not a sound or sign of
human habitation。 The silence was the silence of the ocean at
night David remembered the berth reserved for him on the train to
Tampa and of the loathing with which he had considered placing
himself between its sheets。 But now how gladly would he welcome
it！ For； in the sleeping…car； ill…smelling； close； and stuffy； he
at least would have been surrounded by fellow…sufferers of his
own species。 Here his companions were owls； water…snakes； and
sleeping buzzards。
I am alone；〃 he told himself； 〃on a railroad embankment； entirely
surrounded by alligators。〃
And then he found he was not alone。
In the darkness； illuminated by a match； not a hundred yards from
him there flashed suddenly the face of a man。 Then the match went
out and the face with it。 David noted that it had appeared at
some height above the level of the swamp； at an elevation higher
even than that of the embankment。 It was as though the man had
been sitting on the limb of a tree。 David crossed the tracks and
found that on the side of the embankment opposite the shed there
was solid ground and what once had been a wharf。 He advanced over
this cautiously； and as he did so the clouds disappeared； and in
the full light of the moon he saw a bayou broadening into a
river； and made fast to the decayed and rotting wharf an
ocean…going tug。 It was from her deck that the man； in lighting
his pipe； had shown his face。 At the thought of a warm
engine…room and the company of his fellow creatures； David's
heart leaped with pleasure。 He advanced quickly。 And then
something in the appearance of the tug； something mysterious；
secretive； threatening； caused him to halt。 No lights showed from
her engine…room； cabin； or pilot…house。 Her decks were empty。
But； as was evidenced by the black smoke that rose from her
funnel； she was awake and awake to some purpose。 David stood
uncertainly； questioning whether to make his presence known or
return to the loneliness of the shed。 The question was decided
for him。 He had not considered that standing in the moonlight he
was a conspicuous figure。 The planks of the wharf creaked and a
man came toward him。 As one who means to attack； or who fears
attack； he approached warily。 He wore high boots； riding
breeches； and a sombrero。 He was a little man； but his movements
were alert and active。 To David he seemed unnecessarily excited。
He thrust himself close against David。
〃Who the devil are you？〃 demanded the man from the tug。 〃How'd
you get here？〃
〃I walked；〃 said David。
〃Walked？〃 the man snorted incredulously。
〃I took the wrong train；〃 explained David pleasantly。 〃They put
me off about a mile below here。 I walked back to this flag
station。 I'm going to wait here for the next train north。〃
The little man laughed mockingly。
〃Oh； no you're not；〃 he said。 〃If you walked here； you can just
walk away again！〃 With a sweep of his arm； he made a vigorous and
peremptory gesture。
〃You walk！〃 he commanded。
〃I'll do just as I please about that；〃 said David。
As though to bring assistance； the little man started hastily
toward the tug。
〃I'll find some one who'll make you walk！〃 he called。 〃You WAIT；
that's all； you WAIT！〃
David decided not to wait。 It was possible the wharf was private
property and he had been trespassing。 In any case； at the flag
station the rights of all men were equal； and if he were in for a
fight he judged it best to choose his own battle…ground。 He
recrossed the tracks and sat down on his suit case in a dark
corner of the shed。 Himself hidden in the shadows he could see in
the moonlight the approach of any other person。
〃They're river pirates；〃 said David to himself； 〃or smugglers。
They're certainly up to some mischief； or why should they object
to the presence of a perfectly harmless stranger？〃
Partly with cold； partly with nervousness； David shivered。
〃I wish that train would come；〃 he sighed。 And instantly？ as
though in answer to his wish； from only a short distance down the
track he heard the rumble and creak of approaching cars。 In a
flash David planned his course of action。
The thought of spending the night in a swamp infested by
alligators and smugglers had become intolerable。 He must escape；
and he must escape by the train now approaching。 To that end the
train must be stopped。 His plan was simple。 The train was moving
very； very slowly； and though he had no lantern to wave； in order
to bring it to a halt he need only stand on the track exposed to
the glare of the headlight and wave his arms。 David sprang
between the rails and gesticulated wildly。 But in amazement his
arms fell to his sides。 For the train； now only a hundred yards
distant and creeping toward him at a snail's pace； carried no
head…light； and though in the moonlight David was plainly
visible； it blew no whistle； tolled no bell。 Even the passenger
coaches in the rear of the sightless engine were wrapped in
darkness。 It was a ghost of a train； a Flying Dutchman of a
train； a nightmare of a train。 It was as unreal as the black
swamp； as the moss on the dead trees； as the ghostly tug…boat
tied to the rotting wharf。
〃Is the place haunted！〃 exclaimed David。
He was answered by the grinding of brakes and by the train coming
to a sharp halt。 And instantly from every side men fell from it
to the ground； and the silence of the night was broken by a
confusion of calls and eager greeting and questions and sharp
words of command。
So fascinated was David in the stealthy arrival of the train and
in her mysterious passengers that； until they confronted him； he
did not note the equally stealthy approach of three men。 Of these
one was the little man from the tug。 With him was a fat； red…faced
Irish…American He wore no coat and his shirt…sleeves were drawn
away from his hands by garters of pink elastic； his derby hat was
balanced behind his ears； upon his right hand flashed an enormous
diamond。 He looked as though but at that moment he had stopped
sliding glasses across a Bowery bar。 The third man carried the
outward marks of a sailor。 David believed he was the tallest man
he had ever beheld； but equally rema