Telegram-herald., 1891-12-07

the cnSt1e, VITA the exception Of tLo
two ~ tae cab Windows. mads . rush
for the express csr. As they ran into the
stream Of light coming through the
omen door . shot fred from the dark-
ness 10 the left of the train tum bied
one OF them to the ground The others
fusillzded the spot from which the
shot appeared 70 come. and then two
shots fred under the train from the
other side. and another shot from away
out In the dark. laid one OF the thieves
out cold and caused another one To
howl
'.Tht trainmen sere beginning to
light Ny blood got warm had
good six-shooter under the scat. aid II
that fellow al the cab window had
only taken his eye OF me for . moment
I'd been out there helping the boys
Those al the rear Of the train then
joined those in 'front.' and all made .
dash at the open door Of the express
They were all in bunch in the light
"fhe drst man 10 enter the door
stood q moment and then fell back out
side in the crowd The shot came
from the dSTkness away out 70 the
left Another nan tried il As he fell
on his face in the car. the others. who
had been watching. fred voliey At
the aash away OF in the dark The
next man who tried TO enter the car
succeeded
The others kept watch until he re-
appeared at the door Som ething was
wrong Two others got IN to help him
Then one of them whistled. and my
man at the window jumped OF and ran
back TO the train
That was my chance. Out came
the gun from under the seat. and got
q snap shot at Toms man, but missed
him AS he turned on me Tom struck
his arm with wrench. knocking the
pistol from his hand. He jumped OF
into the darkness We backed her
alowly up toward the train. firing as
we went
Suddenly dark form rose up ON
Toms side Of the track and threw
something into tho tender. Tom and
both drcd at the man He staggered
up against the cab steps and Groansd
Then by q superhuman effort he caught
the hand-rail, and just as we were pre-
pairing to give him another shot he
dragged his face into the light
ut was Charliei We both had hit
himl
"'Pull out Jim, and save the boxr
THAT was all he said. IL was the
box he had thrown into the tender.
No matter how much therc was in it
the stuff wasn't worth the life Of the
boy who saved it to the company.
While lifted Charlie up into the seat
Tom threw tho old engine wide open
and we ran away from the train rob
bers and all
ut was forty miles to the nearest
station, small government post Tom
fed and worked the engine. I sat on
tho scat beside Charlie and held him
mp The rattle and rumble of the
wheels accused me at every revolution.
They seemed to be repeating tho
words: You've killed himr You've
killed himr Tor, made those forty
miles In an hour; good time over that
road at that day. but it seemed to mo
an age AS we were running in Tom
gave the bell and whistle both, and
then when she came to stand he fred
two shotA The bluecoats were out In
ji1y-
Everything was told in . few
words Charlie was carried into the
quarters and turned over to the sur
geon. fine old fellow named Hamil-
ton With an escort Of twenty men
we ran back to the train. The robbers
had left it. Finding the express empty
Of treasure they had tried to 60
through the train There were too
many revolvers among the passengers
and they drew of.
"When we reached the post again
Surgeon Hamilton walked up to tho
cab Are you Jim Cook?' said he.
nodded Take these to Mr.. Whive's
wife, and he handed me Charles
watch. hank book and bunch Of
keys He told me to tell you.' the
surgeon went on. not 10 feel bad about
that shot The road agents found him
with that last volley. and he would
have gone under anyhow from his
other wounds His body VII go back
with you on your return, and ! will
give you q letter to the express COM
pany'
tom cried like q child. couldn't
cry; my brain seemed to be on fire: I
was thinking one minute OF how re-
proachfulIy Charlie had looked at me
when ie swung into the cab with q
dying effort, and the mex: Of frail
little woman In Frisco who was pa
tiently waiting Charles return.
The company gave her pension,
but she didn't need il long"
"What was in the box?" ! asked
Certificates of stock in . wildcat
mining scheme"
why"
1T was like this" said Jim. wiping
his eyes and bringing his story to .
close The express agent saw that
somehow the fact that shipment Of
treasure was to be made had leaked
out ~ the last moment he substi-
tuted lot of worthless securities lle
saw that he was shadowed on the way
20 the train and he acted mp st the
depot Jus. to throw the robbers of the
scent and TO make them believe that
the shipment was really being made
By our train Joe Quail. in the By
stander
Why She Cried M1 Rlack-
'why. what's the matter. Tom7- Mr..
Hack-"Met with an accident: cut my
haad- that's all" Mira Black" Boo
hoo. hoo. hoo. it's terrible Mr..
black No. il i.n's it's . mere trine.
Don. cry Mira Rlack fsobbing1-