The Red Cloud chief., 1888-08-31

l hcacG q passenger In the next berth
say Ia another.
IL have ripped up my mattress and
put il thor"
PUT it all iny"
"Yaas."
SWELL then. I guess you had better
take some out. Them boys knows you
warn't travelling this line without q
cent"
Then there was more clinking heard,
as a reasonable sum was transferred
from the mattress to the owners purse.
From an opposite berth l saw a LADY
emerge. rObed in a dressing gown. She
marched down the compartment to 1he
door. where there stood a Large tin
cistern for holding iced water. Che
lid of this she opened and dropped in
some hundred dollars. Replacing the
lid she went back to her couch tri-
umphantly.
''Guess they won't look there" she
said to me as she passed by.
A long, thin man, who was by pro-
fessiOn "A drummer" Or CONNER
cial traveller, now said he would pull
or his pants and go out and prospect"
In a few minutes he returned. and
standing in the doorway, gave !Orth
his information tor the benefit o: the
company.
Ladies' and gentlemen" he said:
''the state Of matters is this. Ther are
now in the mail-car, trying to fore the
safe. and when they've done. VIC may
expect the pleasure Oftheir company
here" So saying he made a or aceful
bow and retired.
The black attendant then locked the
doors at each end of the car and wen:
to bed.
Use hopes" he said. ''theJ get
enough to content them without a.
coming ~here-plenty of sinners in dat
safe"
Looking ont of the window again l
saw a curious sight. BY the side of the
truck stood the engine-driver and two
others in a row with their hands up
above their heads. They appeared like
SO many boys at school. l san no n
else. but Il stout middle-aged man in a
huge cowboy hat. with a gun in his
hand. He looked like a well-tS-dO far
mer. While l was watching, the en-
gine-driver and his mates got up on
the train. the engine gave a sharp
snort, and to IL great establishment
on We went. SambO, the attendant,
rushed ont. and said We were fairly of.
passed the camp fire. beside which
the robbers had waited for on. arrival,
and some logs of wood which had been
laid across the track. The drummer"
now valiantly emerged on the platform
armed with a shotgun which he said
was loaded with swan shot.
Il see one of them there behind that
big stone" he cried; guess I'll give
him a stringing up"
The other passengers would not
allow him to fire.
They have got Lancaster rifles. you
said one roughly. and they'll 60
popping off sixteen shots apiece at the
cars. and one of them may I've IL 60
your darned old head" So
the drummer" restrained himself.
At the first station We stopped and
the telegraph was set to work sending
the news of what had happened up
and down the line. We then got in
As to what had really Oc-
The engine-driver had seer a
light set on the middle of the track.
This was the usual signal to stop. and
he pulled up. He found five men
like cowboys. and with
blackened faces, waiting for him. who
told him and his mates TO come down
and hold up their hands. Each of the
robbers carried pistols and a rifle.
placed a guard over the three
they proceeded to the mail car.
This they left in a state OF in%expressi-
Bile confusion. Mail bags we're ripped
up. letters and newspapers lay scattered
about. The bags, | think thirty-six
in number, containing registered let
ters they took possession of. They
then went to the car where the safe
was kept. and ordered the man inside
to open it. He had rolled all the heavy
baggage against the door, and was
in Obeying their command. They
told him to be quick or it would be
worse for him. On entering. n of
robbers presented a pistol at his
head, and told him to open the safe.
He said he could not do that as it
opened by an arrangement OF letters
a word. The word had
been telegraphed on ahead, and he
moi know it.
I'll give you ten minutes" said the
land if you don't open it. guess
have to die.
When the ten minutes had elapsed
he was going to execute his threat, but
one of his comrades interfered, saying
be believed the man was telling the
truth. They then worked at the safe
for some time. but after many attempts
had to give up hopes of opening it.
Afterwards they held consultation as
to whether they should 60 through the
cars. but decided there were too many