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Various

"The Best Short Stories of 1921 and the Yearbook of the American Short Story"

"
"Yes," I agreed, "yes.--But what about the man?"
"Well, that man, now. The record's comin' to the end and I go back in to
start it over. And, here's this hobo, come in behind me.
"'What's that?' says he, pointin' to the record I got in my hand.
"Then he grabs it and looks it over. He keeps turnin' it round and round
and round, starin' at it.
"'I hope you'll know it again,' says I, with a laugh.
"My laugh seems to set him off into a shiver. Then down he throws that
record o' mine onto the floor and stamps on it; busts it into a million
pieces under his boots. I been tellin' you he's crazy.
"'Here there!' I yell at him.
"He looks at me. Looks right through me, it seems and beyond, with them
there red-rimmed eyes.
"'Seas o' blood,' says he. That's all. 'Seas o' blood!'
"Then he turns around, walks out into the waitin' room, and sits down in
a heap in the farthest corner. Never another peep. There he sits till
daylight, and the nigger woman, with the horse blanket on again, she
sits there beside him, holdin' his hand.
"'What's up with him?' I ask her.
"She says somethin' in Mexican--or some language, anyway. But I see she
don't know any more 'n me.--It's just like this. The current's gone out
o' the wire.--Last I ever see of 'em, she's leadin' him off in the
sunrise toward the box cars--leadin' him by the hand.


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