Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-01-21

, stands'1
.'Yes.n
Good 7 want Won then tn he
kind enough TO introduce me 10 vo,,r
foreman. Is he to be relied uponer
haye e'iery confidence in HIM, re-.
piled Mr.. Higgins.
Tan he be safely trusted with my
After . few words TO him from me
he may.
Very good. That vii; be Of yaIua-
bic service TO me. And now Won nav
send for him, II it is convenient. for van
70 90 50, One moment. though, Mr.
higgins, please. What time Is the train
to start tonight"
Ten thirty-two,"
And is due az Hpbbleton at
six fifty Il. m.,n responded the man
agor, "i"i-
Furnished with these particulars and
assisted by Mr., Higgins and bis fore
man went l work with 4 win.
Inc process Of loading was a long and
arduous on@ The train was heayiIv
irelghted with wool, iron ore, sperm
OH, &c, and it was close upon ia
o'clock before our labor was ended.
Inc wagon numbers had been enter
co; the goods registered on the way
b'iis, and everything remained in readi-
ness for our long and dreary ride.
One by one the porters had saurtcr-
ca TO their respective homes, and to
SllShiiy paraphrase Gray's Immortal
Ltft the train TO darkness, and to me.
directly hed satisfied myself that the
eoast was absolutely clear, | made a tour
81 inspection, so as TO decide rpen a
hnal Inc Of action. The foreman suc-
gosted | should SGT into an empty sacE
prepari'cri'y perforated for the purpose
on breathing, and allow myself to be
!du, sans ceremonic, on the ton of the
packed up wool. In this. however |
saw much danger to my life, because |
could not tell when,or where. or IN what
manner | might be hurled from my per
ilous position.
NO, MIR. Crancstick." said I TO that
worthy. "A much better plan will be
TO secure as comfortable hiding place as
possible between and among the bags.
1t Is now quite dark, and while | am
preparing my nest in there, / will feel
obliged 10 you, Mr.. Crancstick, if you
VIII be good enough to supply me with
so1nc sandwiches for the Journey. |
vii leave the truck door a little aiar.
thrust the parcel between. Bring no
Light. Speak not a word, but leave me
again as quick and silently as you can"
With thcsu injunctious my assistants
went away,
Not more than ten minutes clapsed
before Rad the satisfaction of feeling
a friendly hand cropping for mine, and I
rec# it was the faithful foreman re-
turned. Another instant, and | felt |
was secure and alone,
with determined perseverance I tug
ged al the bags nearest the six-foot en-
trance &c the truck until | had formed a
comparatively comfortable cavity large
enough 10 admit of me lying more than
half length. quite concealed in one cor
ner OF the wagon. The station clock
chimed hali-past 10, heard the hiss
ing steam rise higher ard higher, until
1t assumed an almost deafenjng Shrek.
Then came the hurry of feet, presum-
ably those Of the guard, n minute later
the command Right away!n and we
steamed out into the blacker darkness
Of the night.
On, in we went, the huge engine
snoring and putting labrionsly along,
while the minutes that wore away seem
ed hours to me. and the hours days.
lean moi tell how long We had been
trsft 1rgliv,r hYIt I fltnl. - ,-nv .1-a ,...,
, In the morning when | heard the rain
patt2ring heavily on the roof above me,
and at intervals a low, rumbling sound,
~ Of thunder. Then, ~ the morning
advanced, the storm became more IN
tense, and could not repress a feeling of
u~ngOyernable dread that came over mes
hly thoughts were of the sperm oil and
the chances of it's being struck by the
electric fluid. Nor were my fears with
cut foundation.
One great crash of thunder came and
shook The toiling train like q leaf in a
storm, and ~then-great heavens! a
lurid flame shot suddenly up against
the black sky. | saw the glare through
the crevices of the carriage door, and
was just scrambling from my hiding
place with the object of raising an
alarm, when the engine slackened.
and, tony great relief, anne to a dead
stop.
Cautiously | dropped down the side
of tho truck, willing, if need be, &c
render a helping hand, even at the
risk of exposing a well matured
scheme.
Great was my JOY, however. the
moment my feet reached the ground,
and before | could run up to the fire,
10 find il was confined to one small
cask of OIL. This the guard and fire.
man, assisted by the driver, soon dis
lodged from its fellows by means of a
long pole. and | had the satisfaction
of seeing it roll its fiery flight down
the steep embankment, into what
sounded Ike a deep rayine below.
Then the darkness became blacker,
and under its cover, | sought my hid
mg place again. | had escaped detec-
iiUn-a circumstance which owed its
existence more to good fortune than
to good management.
We made another start, and rs the
morning hours advanced, the fury of
she storm passed gradually away, aud
| could hear nothing now bTt the
monotonous rumble OF the wheels.
Twas beginning to think that after
all mine would prove a fruitless expe-
dition, when | became sensible of a
slacken;ng of the engine, as if it was
mounting a steep ascent.
Slower, still slower, until the train
stood still.
At that moment, | lifted my head for
ward, and perceived the first faint dawn
of day peering from the eastern sky.
There was Just enough light, indeed,
to show me a low, wooden hut at the
entrance OF a tunnel. whose heights were
crowned by very steep and jagged rock.
Something in the way, surely" |
muttered as Presumed my 10Y cosy cor
ner of the wagon. Barely was | settled
there, however, before the door that was
farthcst from me was opened, and two
men climbed on the piled up wool.
Look alive, Harry said one of them,
whom / recognized us the guard. I'VE
are twenty minutes behind time. Had
an accident on the roaa. There, nave
you got it all rightP"
Ky, ay; let goH'
And down went a bag Of wool.
The door was closed again, when,