The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-05-28

his associates in the passengcr-cars, and
as soon as he had secured his prize they
would be notified, and the passengers.
robbed. There was enough gold and
silver in bricks in my car to- make one
man independently rich. The small safe
was full of specie, amounting to n
hundred thousand dollars worth.
With the thought of my responsibility
came a feeling of resolution. must do
something without hesitation.
The dark eyes glared at me, but the
robber never changed his position. a!
could read the meaning of their cold
glitter, and l must act if I saved my life.
/ pretended to awaken. by making two
or three movements with my hands, and
to my intense relief the cover of the pine
box quickly and quietly dropped to its
place. Without making any hurried
motions, I rubbed my eyes, gaped once
or twice, and slowly rose to my feet.
"Well, well,"I said, aloud, eve been
asleep" .
Then I proceeded to rummagc around
the car as if nothing had happened, but
nv nerves were not relaxed in instant
Before they had gone five miles farther
had some nails in my pocket, and Il care
less glance showed me a hole in the side
of the box through which the robbcr was
undoubtedly watching every movement
l made.
did not 90 neal the revolvers or rifles.
It would have taken but a second for
him to nave raised the lid and shot me,
and | knew he would do so if | APP
preached them. Instead OF that care
iessly assorted n pile Of express matter
near the box, with a view to what | was
about to do.
1 was terribly excited, though I tried
to appear cool. When l was all ready,
threw several heavy packages on the
lid, sat down on the box. and hastily
nailed down the lid. heard a noise
within. and felt a pressure as my prisoner
endeavored to raise the lid. The weight
was too great, and l soon had all the nails
driven in to hold him fast. He was
secured, but to make sure Of him sur
rounded the box with heavy bundles,
and piled upon il the heaviest boxes the
car contained.
sat down for q minute to recover my
self; then taking down a rifle, cooked
it loud enough for him to hear.
GLOW many more are there aboard the
train2' l asked. placing my mouth to a
crack between the bricks.
In reply 1 heard a muffled sound re-
scmbling a curse. and as all the holes
through which he might shoot were COW
cred with gold and silver, l put my
mouth nearer and asked the question
received no reply, and going to the
end of the car, ] quietly opened the door
leading to the platform. The night air
rushed in. and the noise of the train came
with it. making a din in my ears. We
were running at a high rate OF speed
around the hills that abound in that
region.
I stepped to the platform Of the next
car. It was a smOking-car. The train
robbers were already at work. Two men,
in the forward end. within five feet OF
me, commanded q view Of every passen-
ger with their lcve''ed revolvers. and two
more were going down the aisle for the
valuables.
1t was a terrible moment to me. felt
q keen sympathy for the passengers,
whose terror-strickcn faces | could see III
the dim light from the lamps, but was
helpless: doubtless q similar scene was
being enacted in the other passenger and
sleeping-cars. e,
was hot and cold by turns. Watched
the villains going coolly on with their
work until l | began to think of my own
safety. Charley Slate, a brakeman, was
bound hand and foot to the forward seat;
IN a few minutes they would finish their
daring work and come to my car. did
not doubt that the fellow l had impris-
oned in the pine box was an accompllce,
and if they should find the door of the
Expressed locked, they would break 1t
open to sec what had become of him, and
kill me if I resisted.
This would enable them to take pos
session of the money. bullion and valua-
Bile packages and escape. l knew they
would not kill any one if he did not re-
sist; and inside Of five minutes they would
demand an entrance to my car.
Already the two robbers had nearly
reached the farther end Of the smoking
car; thousands of dollars were in my care;
I must save 1t.
Without any more hesitation l stepped
to the platform of my car, grasped the
lever that operated the Miller coupling,
and, with Il quick, strong pull, separated
the two drawbacks. l was not a mo.
ment too soon. Before the engine n
express-car had shot two hundred feet
ahead of the train, the door of the smok-
ing-car opened and the robbers stepped
out. heard their cry Of rage, saw the
flashes of their revolvers, and leltthe bull
lets strike the woodwork behind me.
Hurrving forward l told the engineer
what | had done.
He heartily approved of my action, and
his words treasured me. had taken Il
desperate course, but ] had saved a great
deal of valuable property.
We hurried on through the darkness,
and soon reached the next station: from
which the news was telegraphed to
the company's offices in San Francisco
and Tucson. The robber in the pine box
was then secured, but refused to say a
word, and with a gang of trackmen,
we returned to where we had left the
train. The robbers had departed, taking
everything valuable with them, and the
passengers hailed us with shouts of JOY
and signs of relief.-YOuth's Companion.