Norfleet: the actual experiences of a Texas rancher's 30,000-mile transcontinental chase after five confidence men. Page: 62 of 369

44

NORFLEET

It had never occurred to me that anyone might be
trailing me; such is the egotism of the ignorant, a
pleasant thing, but costly. When he awoke from his
nap, I engaged him in conversation again, this time
guardedly. "More or less," I mused to myself, "like
shutting the jail door after the'prisoners are out."
He was not loath to talk. His mind dwelt on the
higher planes of life. Education and the general school
problem seemed to be his pet subjects.
As the noon hour drew near he casually remarked
that he believed he would not go into the diner; that a
friend had insisted on his taking a light luncheon with
him. He opened his suitcase and spread out on the
seat opposite him a very appetizing meal. He begged
me to share it with him. Indeed, he would have me
devour it all. His stomach was not quite what it should
be these days, and he was strong for diet.
"Oh, would I not eat something?"
"Oh, I would not," I whispered to myself. I declined
the food and thanked him for his kindness.
The sandwiches were daintily made and the curly
green lettuce between the evenly trimmed squares of
white bread made my mouth water. There were stuffed
olives-stuffed with what, the Lord only knows. These
I also had to forego. There was some delicious looking
cake with a thick cream filling, some fruit and two
boiled eggs.
After urging me repeatedly to partake of the feast,
Mr. Garst selected the eggs in their original shell wrappers
and devoured them. "Ha! Ha!" I cried inwardly,
and wilted the lettuce with a look.
"Do you find boiled eggs a safe diet ?" I asked innocently.
"Fairly so. But I have to be very careful of my
stomach."
"So do I," I declared. "I was once poisoned in
Old Mexico, and since then I stick close to boiled eggs
mvself."