lways don't; that's about the difference. Let's
see; how long was you--how long have you been away?"

"I was _sent_ for two years an' a half," said the passenger, raising
his head again and looking almost manly, "but, Mr. Briggs, I got all
the shortenin' of time that's allowed for good conduct,--ev'ry day of
it. If you don't believe it, I'll prove it to you. My term begun on the
11th of August, eighteen hundred an'--"

"Never mind the figures, old man: I'll take your word for it."

"But I wanted you to be sure; I thought mebbe you'd tell other folks
about it, seein' you're a good-hearted feller, an' know ev'rybody, an'
I never done you no harm."

"I'll tell 'em anyway," said the brakeman, cheerily; "I ain't no saint,
but I'm always ready to help a fellow up when he's down. I've got to
get to the rear now, to uncouple a car we have to leave here. S'long,
Sam."

"Say, Mr. Briggs," said the passenger, hurrying along behind the
brakeman, "you don't s'pose there's any chance for me to get a job in
the railroad-company's yard, do you?"

The brakeman turned with a sharp look which speedily softened as he saw
an earnest appeal in the little man's face.

"Well, Sam," he replied, his words dragging slowly along, "the yard's
always full, an' men a-waitin'. You'd have to give bonds for good
behavior, an' honesty, an'--"

"Never mind the rest, Mr. Briggs," said the ex-convict, shrinking an
inch or two in stature. "I didn't know about that, indeed I didn't, or
I--"

"Well, you needn't be a-Mr.-Briggs-in' me, anyhow," said the brakeman.
"I was only Jim before--you left town, Sam, an' I want you to go on
callin' me Jim, just the same. Do you understand that, confound you?"

"Yes, Mr.--Jim, I do; an' may God bless you for sayin' it!"

"Here we are; good luck by the car-load to you, Sam." Then the brakeman
looked back into the car and roared,--

"Bruceton."

The discharged prisoner consumed a great deal of time and distributed
many furtive glances as he alighted, though he got off the train on the
side opposite the little station. The train remained so long that when
finally it started there was no one on the station platform but the
agent, whose face was not familiar to the last passenger.

A gust of wind brought to the platform a scrap of a circus-poster which
had been loosened by recent rain from a fence opposite the station. The
agent kicked the paper from the platform; Sam picked it up and looked
at it; it bore a p