The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1889-04-06
A DETECTIVES LSTORY.
Why He Is Not on the Force
Any More.

Two men sat together in the rear seat OF
= smoking car on one Of our railroads and
chatted familiarly Of the ups and downs Of
miners life. tho topic being suggested by
landscape dotted with coal-breakers and
furrowed with coal roads.
The freedom and interest of their CONVEX
sation did not seem to be dampened by the
fact that the younger OF the two carried u
revolver, while his companion wore pair
Of those uncoveted articles Of jewelry which
are known in criminal circles as "brace-
let's"
The few persons who had observed them
learned from the confidential brakeman that
they were noted detective and his pris-
oner on the way to trial. AS far as ages
went tho pair might have been taken for
father and son, the fine gray head Of the
me contrasting strongly with the crisp
Drown curls Of his captor.
What crime had been committed the
brakeman did not know, but hazarded u
conjecture that it "must have been q pretty
bad one, or George Munsen wouldn't have
took the trouble to put them things on his
wrists"
Presently the brakeman and the conduct.
or satisfied the joint demands of etiquette
and curiosity by stopping to exchange few
words with the detective; the former then
perched himself upon the coalbox directly
behind the prisoner, and the latter dropped
magnifcently into the seat in front The
train was sweeping around q curve and past
ruined trestle on the hillside at which
both OF the passengers looked with some in
terest.
~ remember that place. said the older
man.
$50 do l." responded the younger; ~ was
born there Came near being buried there,
too" he resumed after u moments pause.
How was that"
"lt's pretty long story" said the de.
tcctive, "but guess we'll have time for it
between this and the next station. Way
up there on the slope is the little settlement
where i made my debut, 40 to speak;
from it to the bottom Of the hill there used
10 be gravity road--a long, winding track
reaching from the settlement down to the
top OF bank wall OF earth where a slide
occurred the year was born. On both
sides Of the track grew saphngs that had
sprung up since the disaster (what | am
telling you occurred five years later, and
they crowded the road and hung over the
old rusty rails on which the coal cars used
10 run. You must remember that the
houses we're built near the mouth OF the pit
that was one Of the first mines worked in
this country and one Of the first to be
abandoned. Time am telling about, some
men were walking up track, and lot Of
children playing near the top, climbing in
and out OF an old car which had lain there
since 1t made its las, trip with the broken
spraggs still in its wdecls
"The men were miners, all but one OF
them. who questioned his companions about
their work and the country they lived in
He was evidently a stranger.
Presently, a. they talked, a shout from
the top Of the slope attracted their atten-
ton, and they looked up just in time to see
the car begin to move slowly down the
grade.
There was an impatient exclamation
from the oldest man in, the party Them
brats 10 always up to some mischief he
said. They have started that old thing of
At last; I've been expectin' to see it 60 at
any time this ave year. They'll be break.
ing their necks yet with their m.foolng
And another Of the group added: we
must dust out Of this lively. unless we
want TO get our necks broke; she'll either
jump the roll or 20 to pieces at the bot.
tom; lucky there amt no one aboard OF
her.
THE stranger was looking anxiously W
at the approaching runaway His quick eye
had caught sight of something round and
golden above the car rim.
"'Theres y child in that car he said
quietly.
1T was y second or two before his com
psnions realized the awful meaning Of tina
statement. A childl That was as il h
had said that in few moments some ono
perhaps ono Of themselves would b,
chlldless.
with one impulse they turned to look a
the broken rails at the edge Of the fault
Shuddering, they fixed their eyes again OF
the approaching mass. then hopelessly a
each other. They could not dream Of stop
Ping the progress Of the car. But, quick a.
thought almost, the stranger took hold Of
sapnng aud bent it down till II nearl,
touched the track. Hold on he said to ON
of tho men, 1T will hcip to check her !
rod further down another and then Il thir,
and fourth were held in the sam
way. SO four OF the party waited for o fe,
GREATNESS seconds, while the two renlair
Ing ones hurried further down; but on
more ehort and the cur was upon then
The nrst obstacle was whipped out Of tn
hauds OF the strong man who held it an
the car rushed on to the second with hardl
lessened force. Again the barrier wa
brushed aside, but this time the speed {
the old wreck was perccptibly less. BY tn
time the fifth obstruction was reached tn
newcomer was able to Chamber aboard an
throw tho child into the arms Of his con
panion, but before he had time to save hin
sef the old truck had regained somethin
Of ito momentum and was plunging on Il
ward the precipice
We'll, the man jumped just a. the
reached the edge, just before his, vehicl
uhnk nuap int TIM l. hut b< 1,o 4 ,,~.,, ,;..