Page:Harvey O'Higgins--Silent Sam and other stories.djvu/346

334 didn't look at them right. And then one of them dropped his slouch hat. I was standing by with the lantern, and I saw him. He had shaved off his beard, but I knew his eyes. I have a good memory for faces. Conductors soon develop that.

"It was John Morgan.

"He grabbed up the hat again, and went on with his work, and I edged up to see his hands—to make sure. He had that ring on, with the seal turned in.

"Well, we got the engine on, and went back to the train, and I did n't say anything but just thought it over. As I was going through their car, one of them asked me if we would stop at the 'Transfer.' And I said: 'No'—that we 'd missed connections and we 'd go right into Cincinnati. And then I remembered the way I 'd been dragged before John Morgan as if he were the biggest man on earth—and the way he 'd said: 'Take him back to his railroad'—and I thought I 'd give him a taste of that sort of thing himself. So I said: 'If you 're afraid to face Cincinnati, you can jump when we slow down for the curve at the "Transfer."' One of them said: 'What do you mean?' It was either Captain Hines or General Basil Duke—I never knew which. I looked him up and down. 'You know what I mean, darn well,' I said, and I turned to Morgan and I said: 'Now, Morgan, give me back my ring.'

"One of the men did n't move—just sat there with his hat down over his eyes as if he thought that if he kept quiet no one would notice him. Duke—or