The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-01-03

sheriff and the ticket agel'c,l started for
Lone Tomb. They we're I'll well armed
and dozen OF them carried lanterns
The telegraph operator and the step
mother and father Of the expected
bridegroom remained beh.Ad and made
themselves as coplfNrtabl' 5 they could
under the circumstances. They knew
that several hours mus Ia pc before
any tidings of tho train could reach
them. The night WIS dark and cloudy
and only occasionally was the faint
glimmer of star visible through the
overhanging frs that grew in rich lux
uriance for mile or two along the
track. forming an avenue of plumed
ghosts with bowling hecds
When the party had proceeded for
about half an hour wi.aoul seeing any
trace of the train, it ST. ped to rest and
discuss the situation. The men looked
at one another as well as they could in
the blacknesS Of the wood. and for q
few minutes no one spoke.
well, at length said the sheriff, rs
he rested his rifle on one OF the rails OF
the solitary track, Il guess this is the
James boys work. We may have to
have a fight after all. Vino knows but
they may have murdered everybody on
the train and got away with all the
treasure in the safe? Il ; rough across
the country, and lis almost certain
they'll come this way. Keep sharp
lookout, boys; we may catch 'em. We'd
better travel in military style. Adj
vance guard, main body and rear
guard.
Perhaps it amt the James boys al
all" said weather. beaten, red-headed
miner. 1.-The train may have tumbled
ovor bridge or down ravine. Let
us look on both sides of the track as
we 60 along and -
That ism t very likely interrupted
the ticket agent. This branch is as
well built as any line in the west, The
rails are steel and the Ns-ajs ballasted
with rock, The two bridges on it are
thoroughly substantial and the creeks
they cross aren't big enough or deep
enough to hold horse car, much less
a whole train. Besides. there isn't
ravine worth talking about within 200
yards of the track"
Lets get along, boys, and keep our
eyes open, said the sheriff. its of no
use staying here Ginning,
As the ticket agent had stated, the
track between Lone Tomb and Silver
Bow was good one and beset with
few dangers. II is true that there were
several sharp curves, but the trains al
ways went slowly round these There
was one bridge that crossed a shallow
stream; another spanned small noun
tain torrent, and above cutting
through the rocks, about seven miles
from Lone Tomb, was natural arch,
formed by boulders in by-gone ages
lodging in the narrow gorge. These
were the only parts of the road where
an accident might be likely, but at tho
same time highly improbable
The night crept on and the party
reached the first bridge. The gentle
ripple of the stream fell on their ears
as the lanterns were held close TO the
track The rails, ties and frogs were
intact The parapets were in perfect
condition. No train could have posi-
bio run Of the track there. Some of
the men plunged into the dense under
growth among the willows near the
water and swept the scene with the
lurid light of their Lanterns, which
flashed in the woods like huge fire flies
The brook, for it was nothing more.
IL AL,
had disturbed its limpid calmness.
We've got to keep on, boys said
the sheriff, with an air Of PAIN
fully assumed cheerfulness Wen
have CTS headlight blazing down on
us yet. She cant be far off now. We re
only nine miles from Lone Tomb. Wen
soon know what the trouble is"
No one had anything to add to the
sheriff's remarks, so the weary, and,
so far, fruitless march was resumed.
Hanged ii don't think, exclaimed
the red-bearded miner, stopping sud
denly, that the James boys has ditched
the train by putting logs on the track,
and We'll find the wreck before we get
to One tree bridge "
| One tree bridge was so called because
huge pine stood like sentinel close
to the small but petulant mountain tor
rent that the structure crossed. Again
the lanterns were swung over the water.
Again the party scattered among the
trees and searched carefully for traces
of the missing train and its passengers,
but without the smallest measure OF
| success.
Guess I've had about enough of
this, said the ticket agent Let's 60
back again; the company don't pay me
to walk twelve or fourteen miles to look
after its trains
well, remarked one of the party,
who had but little to say, we've come
80 far, we may as well see it through.
The thing ought to be followed up.
Something very unusual has happened,
and it is our duty to find out what it is.
Vino knows but we may yet come upon
the corpses of all who were aboard that
| train.
"Oh, it amt going to be as bad as
that said the sheriff, but anyhow
it's no use going back; 81 must be
close at hand, and then, when we've
found out what the trouble is, we Il
all have nap at Lone Tomb and take
the morning train for Silver Bow. W.
:. shall fetch up in time for breakfast.
What licks me-, the red-beardet
! I 4 ~