The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-05-08

picions to the conductor, and in a few mo-
ments the specie was included amongst the
| passenger cars. By this time evening was
closing in, and when he placed the train on
the siding, at the top of the decline, to clean
the track Tor the passenger truin, began tc
hope that our fears of any attack wer
i groundlesS.
We ran down with the steam on, to ge'
in the rear of the passenger train, and the
| other engine followed at little distance.
| As our engine neared the points, just be-
tween the log huts have mentioned, sever
| al figures rose from their concealment.
Without warning of any kind, they deiber-
ately fired at the engines as they passed.
Surprise, more than fear, kept us for a mo-
ment inactive. But Abel quickly recovered
! himself. Shouting to me to lie down, he
| discharged two barrels at the nearest of our
assailants. With groan he fell dead in
his tracks. In few seconds we had run
out of range, but those upon the other
engine were less fortunate. Unarmed as
they were, the driver and fireman could
make no resistance, and we as we'll as the
passengers, who were turning out to their
assistance, were obliged to remain passive
! spectators. The poor fellows were tumbed
off the engine by their assaants, whose in
! tentiUn to seize the specie wagon was now
evident. But in this they were foiled.
! Some of the passengers now having got
, within range, had by this time commenced
pretty hot fire against the flibusters who
now found themselves i'll fix as Abel re-
verSing his engine, returned to the attack.
! Their position thus becoming untenable,
they started their engine and ran quickly
| out Of range of the passengers fire, but
| Nemesis was behind them. Abel, seeing
their manueuvre, turned on full pressure,
and swore he'd shoot them before he slept
! Now commenced the most extraordinary
| chase | ever heard of.
! The engine in front had a start of about
half mile, but we had greater power, and
understood the management of the machine.
! Both locomotives were well supplied with
wood and water. One of our opponents
| attempted to jump off, as the speed for n
moment was slackened but he was hurled
upon the line bleeding mass His terrible
! fate deferred his cO1nya mons, who increased
their distance and disappeared over the brow
] Vi IiIC illt ~ Z IOlIOh cuy 8blL9 at d lCA-
/ rife rate, humping and oscilating to such a
I degree upon the uneven track, that fan
cied that we should have run off the track.
We kept our course. however, gaining
/ slightly for time. Abel taking every op-
portunity of sending bullet through the
weatherboard of the retreating engine.
! As the excitement cooled off IL little, for
/ the first time discovered that had been hit.
/ A trickling Of blood from a wound in my
arm and numb sensation, were anything
! but agreeable. A rough bandage stopped
! the bleeding, and we were then at liberty to
observe the chase once more. Darkness
came on, yet there was no sign of any
abatement of the speed, or any apparent
change in our relative positions. Occasion
ally defiant whistle was borne back to us,
but still on We swept through the night.
Suddenly the red glow upon the track in
front seemed to stop. We neared it rapidly.
Diver roared Abel, just in time. As
he spoke, two shots came whizzing through
the glass IN front, and fell harmless from
the iron plate behind us.
'' A shave that? p laughed my companion.
'' I'll be quits As he spoke he got out
upon the frame, and told me to lie cached.
''What on earth are you about?'' l
asked. His reply made Inc shudder.
'Tm going to kill them on that engin',
good-by, friend" He was gone-creeping
over the wheel-castinSS to the buffet beam.
Now determined to win, [ employed
every means to do so. We were surely gain
ing. Another log upon the already roar
ing furnace. The valves discharged q cloud
of kissing steam, but on went to destruc-
ton.
In few moments more the engines were
almost touching another shot, but no harm
DONE We bumped grinding noise was
heard, then another bump. ''uurrah -
cried, or rather tried to cry, for my throat
was so parched that could scarcely utter a
sound, and regardless of risk was about to
Join Abel when a shrill noise arose beneath
US, and the other engine shot into the dark
ness ahead. With an oath l shut off the
steam further progress l knew was impos-
sible with the heated machinery and shout
ed to Abel. As soon as l could pull up, |
Jumped off and ran to the front. Abel had
Disappeared Gracious heavens, had he
fallen where the engines touched? / began
to fear the worst, and called wildly, in the
vain hope that he might hear, but the whis-
per of the wind was the only reply. 1t was
impossible that he could have gained the
foot-plate of the other engine and escaped
instant death had he fallen the engine
would have killed him. Thus | argued, and
after a time mechanically filed pipe, and
taking lamp began to oil the cranks.
Looking at my watch, found We had been
running thirty minutes, and at such pace
that knew the up mail could not be far
distant, and that Landerville was only few
miles off So | ran gently ahead again, and
had not run far when a sudden lift of the
engine nearly threw me down. 1 stopped
and descended. At the side of the track lay
body horribly disfgured. The cow-catchei
had struck him and dragged him along. Ar
indefinable sensation of fear took possession
of me. Was this Abel. after all?
1t was too awful. | managed, however
! 10 turn the corpse upon its back. The fea