The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-12-23

corner Of the car, while they are placing
in bags tho currency and notes. The
man watching me speaks, and says: mo.
l, he is come to-" No. i comes close
and looks At me he alsois black.visaged,
made SO. l now see, by Grape veil or
mask. Without speaking. he returns to
his work of sorting the money. Having
nothing else to do, I look moro closely to
myself. Small, thin cords, which cut
deeply Into my flesh, and tied around my
wrists and ankles, while others tie me
more tightly to the hammock. ! must,
indeed been far gone in sleep and deeply
druggcd to have allowed this. The rob.
bers evidently mean me no harm, but
how can face the company after this
robbery! How account for the absence
of Joe, without bringing about his imme.
date dismissal! As for myself, it will
be the old story. The papers will say I
was willing confederate, and submitted
to be tied and robbed. l shall be i'm.
prisoned. perhaps for life. My poor wife
and children will be worse than father.
less.
No. 1, who is hard at work with his
companion, opening the bundles and sort
ing out their contents, here for the first
time speaks: 1--WE are nearing the hog
tunnel, No. 2, he says, in light lisping
voice. Even in my half stupor knew
that voice. fit is whom think it is,
his left arm is slightly crooked, the
palm Of the hand turning nearly out.
wards. As he moves into tho light Of
tho solitary lamp to glance at some
bonds l plainly see the turned hand.
"Bill Lane" I call, won't you free my
hands7 this cord hurts me-" With I
horrible oath he springs forward:
''You've sealed your DOOM" he says;
''you must die now" pleaded for life,
for he had cast asil the Grape and see
the devil in his eye. Bill used to be on our
run as messenger, but robbery occurred
of which he was suspected Of assisting in,
or at least Of allowing himself to be rob.
bed, and was discharged.
But I plead in vain. The conspirators
confer among themselves for few mo.
ments, and then my hammock is un.
hooked and thrown upon the
floor and am rolled upon it, and into an
incredibly small space. The bundle 10
then tied up tightly, and enc Of the rob.
bers tries its wei ht. I am slight Of
form, and he can easily lift the living
bundle up, and throw it ON his shoulder.
How can they got me from the cars :
How they got in is as yet mystery to
me. The doors are locked on the out.
side and could not lie broken open with
the train at full speed from without. AS
lie upon the floor, nearly suffocated and
in fearful pain from my cramped position
and the tig htncss Of the ropes, Bill Kisses
in my ear, eve are going to throw you
over the Rocky Run"
Even death in the form If being cast a
living bundle from the cars into the
run, which we cross in short time At
an immense height, is preferable to the
agony am enduring: l. think prayed
with all my soul then. I have prayed
before going into battle, when expecting
to be wrecked at sea, and at other times
when my life was in danger, but never
prayed before, think, with all my soul.
Then there was chance Of escape. here
there was none. My senses quickened
with the agony Of the moments, were
wonderfully acute, or else was already
in dclirium. I thought heard voices at
the forward ventilator. l thought
heard him say, swatch close and shoot
if there is danger" Of course it was
fancy, for the train was going at full
speed, and Ned must be at his post on
the engine.
Next heard cautious footsteps on the
roof Of my car; probably, il anybody, it
was brakeman going over the car to
the engine for his lunch.can, which was
there keeping hot. lay still praying a
few moments longer, then more foot.
steps are plainly heard on the roof.
This time I was sure there was two or
three persons. All, forgot, no doubt,
they were confederates watching outside,
while the three within did the plumber
ing. All Of sudden the bell.pull over.
head ratified as if energetically pulled /;
the engine whistled brakes, and I felt
every brake on the train was being put
down to purpose.
The robbers. consulted for momcn.
and then one said, 1T is nothing; they
are stopping for hot journal, perhaps"
Bill sprung to me and pressing his re.
volver hard against my body, Kissed, iii
they call for you say all rights" Before
l could reply, rasping noise was heard,
followed by the report Of a pistol, and
the fall Of some heavy body across my
already overtaxed frame. l tainted.
When l came to Ned was chatting my
hand, and half 4 dozen men were rub.
bling my swollen and chafed limbs, while
brandy was being placed upon my lips.
Ned was almost hysterical when came
to, but the craziest of all was little Jnck,
the wood.passer Of the engine, who kept
shouting, II shot him, shot him!" till
some one knocked him down to make him
quite.
Then it all came on. The robbers had
been concealed on the rear of my car, and
had watched me through the grating. On
my going to sleep, a slender stick, with q
sponge soaked in chloroform at one end,
had been placed under my nose, rousing
"me for moment but to send me into 4
deeper sleep. Then, with fine saw, q
portion Of the end Of the car had been re.
moved, through which they crept, and
then closed it behind them. Ned after
thought he would have look at me so,
crawling over his engine. he essayed to
open the ventilated shutter and peep
throug h. Finding it fast, he looked
through the bell.rope hole, which happen.
ed to be large one, and taking in mat.
tiers at glance, he had called little Jack
to him, handing his revolver, had given
him the message I had heard. Then
crossing the car he had obtained the
services Of the conductor, brakemen and
some willing passengers, and having sur.
rounded as far as they could ! fast.
m0Yinr car he had nnlled thu hill and