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Show SALT FLAT NEWS, DECEMBER, 1972 10 The cop who fouled up Satans last trip part lull II II y Floyd Eaton International Ranger Floyd Eaton's writing career was born with the discovery of a typewriter in Wend over's city trash dump. A touch of oil and a dash of mechanical wizardry, and the rusting L. ('. Smith was pronounced "good as new" by the lawman and international ranger. This is the second installment of a story inspired, according to the author, out of the clear blue shy. -- scmi-rctire- d the Ermgo Sanchez's search for happiness leads him along a straight and narrow path Texas Central Railway where one dark and stormy night he is confronted by a mysterious black train and an even more mysterious conductor. The conductor makes a bargain with Sanchez: an eternity of his happiest moment in exchange for his soul. w. have nude our bargain, my boy. I only intend to place somethinf! in your hand, the means of fulfilling the wish." An you going to give me a time stopper?" I asked. That is the general idea. Soon as can decide the practical item." He hesitated. Ah, the very thing! Here, take my watch." He pulled it out of his vest pocket a railroad watch in a gold and silver engraved case. He opened the back and made an adjustment; I couldnt see exactly what, for his fingers moved in a blur. "There," he smiled. "It is all set. Whenever you decide, just turn the stem in reverse and unwind the WBtch until it stops. Then time will stop for you, too." And he dropped the watch into my hand. I closed my fingers tightly around its case. Thai's all there is to it. eh?" Absolutely. But remember be certain the moment you choose that you are completely satisfied. Sou can stop the watch but once. I only want to be fair with you. Sanchez.." I will," 1 said. You have been fair with me, so i shall be fair also. You seem to forget one it doesn't matthing, though ter what moment 1 chivose, for once I stop time, that means that I stay where I am. I shall never grow old, and if I never get any older. 1 shall never die. And if I never die, I w ill never have to nde your train. He turned awav. and his shoulders sh.ok as if he were sobbing. He said m a strangled voice. And you said it was I who was worse than a high power salesman, lie walked off in the fog. the train whistle shrieked, then it moved slowly down the trail, rumbling swirtly out of sight in the darkness. I stood there looking dow n at the fancy watih m my hand. If I hadn't been able to see it. and feel it then-- , and smell the pecul iar twlor, I might have thought I had imagined the whole thing tram, conductor, bargain, and ;;!l I had the watch, and I could still smell and recognize the scent left by the tram as it departed. There arent too many locomotives in the world that Use sulfur and brimstone for fuel. And I had no doubts of his that's what conus of bargain thinking things through to a logical conclusion, Sonic folks. I guess, would have asked for wealth or power, or lean Harlow, And others 1 - would have sold out for a quart But I knew that I had made a belter deal. Better? Why. it was foolproof! All 1 needed to do was just chose my time and moment. I put the watch in my pocket and walked on dow n the track. I had bu. one thing on my mind - I was going to find one real moment of happiness. I realized perfectly well that happiness is related to many the condition and dethings grees of contentment - yet they do vary with ones lot in life. As a Sperial Agent, I was often to be called out of a warm bed in the middle of the night to catch an old freight and ride it to the end of the line and return. Still, I was aware that there were better things in life, and so was determined to seek them out. Within six months I was promoted to thief agent m t barge of the El Paso Division. A eh each passing day things got better ai.d heller, so was soon driving a big Caddy convert. A different little dark eyed senor-itevery night, and several times during this period I was thinking of unwinding the watih. I made lots of friends among the jolly crowd, wore good clothes and drank good vv hiskey. Many times I awoke with a good size hangover, hut still I was determined. I soon had of moonshine. ' myself a plush apartment out in the Bueno Vista area. And I began to think of what Id heard an old conductor say once, Its okay to ryn around with those little pigs, but what a man really needs is a good girl of his own that is the main ticket, I fell that I owed it to myself to find out if he wa:. right. If I didn't like it, could always go back to the old ways. Six met months went by before Ialoa I.illtson. Lcloa was a lot of fun. and when she said she was almost would marry me, sure the tune had come. Except that she was sort of well, she was a nice girl - and said that we would have to wail until we were married. In six months I w as promoted to superintendent of the southwestern division. Everytune I had any doubts. I would take out the watch and look at it. But I never showed it to I,eoa or anybody else. Most of the other Sure, it was wonderful, but Leloa told me how much better it would be to move to a better and new place and fix it up. 1 wanted decent furniture and a new Caddy. So i took myself a night job as a special deputy, patrolling the out-reach- of the old El Paso. With the baby coming; I wanted to be there when it arrived, And when it did come, 1 realized that it would be quite a wait, until he got older and startl'd to walk, talk, and develop a personality of his own. Then the railroad asked me personally to investigate a series of robberies that were occuring along the line. I was living high on the hog w ith all the expenses payed, and more than once I was tempted to unwind that old watch. It was a goevd life; of course, it would be better still if I didn't have to work. Sooner or later I intended to cut in one of the company's big deals, and make enough to retire on. Then everything would just be ideal. Eventually I did manage to swing the big deal. By this time my son w as going to high school, and I got a strong hunch it was now or never because I wasn't exactly a kid anymore. But about that time I met Cherry Coltwest. She didn't seem to think that I was middle aged at all. even though I was losing hair and adding an oversize stomach. She taught me that a toupee could hide that shining bald spot. A cummerbund could take care of the pot gut. She taught me quite a lot, and 1 so enjoyed learning, that I actually took out the old watch and prepared to unwind it, Unfortunately, I chose the wrong moment, for at that same moment a couple of private dicks broke down the door of the hotel room. After that, there was a long stretch when I was so busy fighting a divorce case that I couldnt honestly say I was enjoying much of anything. When things were finally settled with Leloa again, I was broke, and Cherry didn't seem to think I was so young and handsome after all. So I squared my shoulders and went back to work. 1 made a pile eventually, but it took just a little longer this time, and there wasn't much chance to have any fun along the line. Those fancy dames in those high class bars just werent interested in me anymore, and the liquor didnt taste so good, either. Anyway, the Doc had w arned me off of it. But I found there were other pleasures for a rich man to find. Travel, for instance. And not riding the caborse of an old freight, or driving over those rough and hot highways, either. I went around the world on luxury liners. For a while it seemed that I would find my moment of perfect happiness after all, visiting those tropical Islands by moonlight. I pulled out the Old watih and got ready to unwind it. Nobody was there to watch me . 1 guess that was why 1 hesitated. Sure, it was an enjoyable moment, but I was alone. Leloa and the kid were gone, Cherry w as gone, and somehow 1 jast hadn't had the time to make any new friends. Maybe if I could just find a few congenial people, I would have the ultimate happiness. That could be the answer it wasn't just money, sex, or power, or seeing beautiful things. The satisfaction lay in friendship. (To be Continued) 1 1 FOR YOUR SUPPORT 1 men . wore expensive wrist-watchc- and the old railroad timepiece looked a little cheap by comparison. I smiled as I gazed at the stem. Just a few twists and I would have something that none of the other working guys would have, per-- , manent satisfaction with my blushing bride. Only getting mar-- . ried turned out to be just tin fiV ( V;ui Pohhc.il Advert iMiwiit (ttt'ttjx for Kutuhis, dini Snow, f h.mtn.ui |