Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-06-14

Straining at the cords which bound
my wrists, fanciod they gave way
little, l rcmemb red the trick OF the
necromancers who free themselves
from their bonds by alternately con-
tracing and expanding thcir muscles.
and l lay in silence. working In per-
feet frenzy of excitement until was
able to free my hands. l, m instant
my knife was out of my pocket, and
my feet free.
Without waiting to free myself
from the gag, l sprang TO my feet,
and. at the top of my speed. started
down the track in the direction of the
approaching train. With yell which
told me l was discovered, the whole
gang started in pursuit; but l had
some little start of them, and bounded
along the ties. bent upon stopping the
train at any cost. In the inky black
ness of the night pursuit was difficult.
Soon pop! pop! pop! from the revolv-
ers of the gang. They were firing
down the track. in the hope of stop
ping me with bullet.
AS the gag, which l had not re-
moved. hindered my breathing, / was
forced to stop for moment to cut it
way. While so engaged, there came
second volley, this time more sue
cessful. l was struck in the left arm
midway between wrist and elbow. /
should have tainted from the shock,
together with tho rough usage | had
previously undergone, but for my de-
termination to keep up.
"Bracc upv' l called. rs if address,
ing n companion. mo time for such
foolishness now, Tom. Remember the
train!"
This l said alou to myself, for the
solitary work of my nightly rounds
had given me the habit of talking 10
myself, for want of another compan-
ion. Setting my teeth hard, over
came the falntness, staggered TO my
feet and ran on. soon noticed that
the pursuit had ceased. Either the
train robbers thought was done for,
or they had returned 10 their uniin-
ished work. trusting / should be una
bic to stop tho train. And now ii
flashed upon my mind for the first
time, How could l accomplish itP
Light l had none-my lantern was
with the wreckors.
While was thus celebrating, still
running on rs fast as my condition
would permit, instinctively l felt in
my pocket for matches. All. the oil
Why had l not thought of that be-
forep OF course!
'Of course the oil will stop them,
Tom. Spread it on the rails. Theil
old seventy-ton locomotive can get no
grip ON that iron. Smear it thick.
cover it we'll. rub it on with youl
palm, so-both rails. don't neglect an
inch of either. For life, Tom, for life.
Think Of the men, women and little
children upon the train!'
worked with the desperation of d
drowning man. Upon my knees. the
bottle under my disabled arm, pour
ing the oil, by an inclination of my
body into my right hand, and spread
ing 1t upon the rails.
In ten minutes the quart of oil was
exhausted. and as q result l had bott
rails for quite distance very well
covered with it.
had worked backward from tn,
approaching train, and now rose tC
my feet at the end of my labor and a
the terminus of the creased rails.
The train was coming. Already tn,
rails were singing with vibration a.
the heavy train approached. Her,
they come. How awful the sight of ,
big locomotive, coming straight to
ward one upon adark midnight! TIL,
great round eye of the headlight
streaming out into the darkness, the
roar of the exhaust, the hiss of til,
steam through the cylinders, together
with the rush and roar of the train
make up terrifying, though magniti
cent sight.
stood upon the tracks, waving my
hands. far enough away to spring from
it before the train could reach me, bu
so that the headlight would shine upor
me and l could be seen by the engi
neer. Now for it." l Thought Sh,
strikes the oil-the big. seven-foo
driving-wheels spin round as though
the engine had been lifted in the air
Friction. the propeling influence, i
gone now. She slackens speed. Icoult
see the engineer plainly.
In my excitement l screamed a
loud as possible. in vain protest to tn,
engineer. who was pulling the littl,
lever which sands the rails. Shoutin.
is of no avail. they could not hear me
Had there been sufficient up-grad,
there the oil would have stopped then
quite. As it was. the inertia Of tn
cars composing the train was able {,
push tl;e engine over, sliding th
wheels. Ia one resource was left
and tho igh, nf it just in ii se.