“I was thinking of the same thing,” said Kit.  “He makes me tired.  I wonder what he is, anyway?”

“He has the make-up of a gambler or a saloon keeper,” answered Ted.  “He better keep away from me if he knows when he’s well off.”

At a town farther down the line a young lady entered the car, and took a seat directly in front of Kit, who was alone, Ted having gone to the front of the train to consult the conductor about a mistake that had been made in their tickets.

Presently the flashy man with the red necktie spied her and sauntered past her down the aisle.  In a few moments he came back, twirling his black mustache, which evidently was dyed, and casting glances at the young lady.

Stopping in front of her, he said: 

“Is this seat taken, lady?”

The young lady looked up, and answered coldly: 

“No, sir; but there are plenty of other seats in the car which are unoccupied.”

“This one looks good to me,” said the fellow, with a smile which was supposed to be very fetching.

Without further excuse he plumped himself down in the seat beside her, and threw his arm familiarly over the back of it, at the same time hitching closer to her.

Then he tried to draw her into conversation, but she turned from him and looked out of the window.

But he persisted, and she showed that his attentions were annoying her.

Kit watched the proceedings, and was boiling with anger, but he did not feel that he had the right to interfere until the young lady showed by her manner that she desired assistance.

Presently the man said something to the young lady in a low voice that seemed to arouse her anger, for she rose hastily to her feet, her face burning.

“Let me pass!” she said.

“Don’t leave me like this,” said the fellow, blocking the way with his knees.  “Sit down.  We’ll soon be good friends.  You’ll find me a good fellow.”

“I insist, sir, that you allow me to pass,” said the girl, growing pale, her voice rising a little.

Kit could stand it no longer.  He reached over and tapped the fellow on the shoulder.

“Allow the lady to pass,” he said quietly.

The hawk turned his head and sized Kit up.  This did not take much time, for Kit was small and slender, his black eyes being the largest part of him, proportionately.

“What the deuce have you got to do with this?” he sneered, looking savagely at Kit.

“Just enough to make sure that you do it,” said Kit, rising.

“Well, I don’t allow no pups like you to interfere with me.  You sit down an’ let this gal an’ me attend to our own business, er I’ll bend you an’ tie you into a knot an’ throw you out of the window.”

Kit did not reply, but he reached over and got the fellow by the coat collar and jerked him into the aisle, and, twisting him around, planted his toe between his coat tails with a force that sent him halfway down the length of the car.